FIRST PERSON/OPINION Via e-mail: Just wanted to let you all know former Road Racer, as well as Div. 1 Speedway, Supermoto, and Motocrosser racer Paul “Mighty Mouse” Orlandi of Grass Valley, Calif. died last Friday after a long battle with cancer. Paul raced for over 30 years in all forms of two wheeled action in both AMA, and AFM. His family and friends were important to him but nothing excited him as much as racing did. He raced all the time and as long as he could. Not that long ago he heard that speedway rival Billy Hamill was winning some Stars TT Supermoto races in Socal and he wanted to show he could beat Billy. Even after numerous operations and cancer left him weak, he went down to race Hamill and took the checkered flag ahead of Billy. Mind you this was at the height of his sickness, he rode with bandages covering his open wounds and did it just because he wanted to do it. Paul was a fierce competitor and a great guy on and off the track! He’ll be greatly missed by all his family and friends. Paul was only 56 years old. Just some of his racing accomplishments include: 1971-1991 Raced Speedway Professionally 1974 1st Place California Speedway Champion 1984 1st Place California Speedway Champion 1991 10th Place AMA Pro Twins GP2 Championship 1995 2nd Place AFM Formula Twins Open Championship 1997 2nd Place AFM Formula Twins Open Championship 1998 1st Place AFM Formula Twins Championship 1998 2nd Place AFM Open Superbike Championship 1998 6th Place AMA Pro Thunder Class Phoenix, AZ 1999 11th Place AMA Pro Thunder Class Laguna Seca, CA 1999 1st Place Speedway Cal Expo Sacramento, CA Handicap Consi. 2002 Superbikers “2” 2nd Place Middleweight “A” Final Road America, WI. 2003 Raced Inaugural AMA Supermoto race at Laguna Seca, CA 2003-05 Multi-time Supermoto USA Champion Craig Mason Fast 50s Auburn, California