Motocross/Supercross team owner to be inducted into AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

Courtesy of American Motorcyclist Association
The AMA is pleased to announce the first member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2010: accomplished race team owner Mitch Payton (below, left, in the above photo of last year's AMA Team USA). Payton, whose Pro Circuit teams have collected 26 AMA Pro Championships in Motocross and Supercross since 1991, will be among the legends of motorcycling honored at the 2010 induction ceremony at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas this Nov. 19.

"In AMA Pro Motocross and Supercross, one team is perhaps more synonymous with winning than any other, Pro Circuit, and the motive force behind that team is one of the industry's most driven individuals, Mitch Payton," said Jack Penton, incoming AMA director of operations and a Hall of Famer himself. "Payton is an architect of not only championship teams, but champions, having developed some of this sport's greatest racers."

Payton's parents, James and Norma Payton, introduced him and his brother, James Jr., to motorcycling at a young age. By the time he was 10, Payton was competing in family enduros and a few years later was racing competitively in AMA District 37. In 1977, at the age of 17, Payton was one of the district's top desert racers and won the 125 class in that discipline. Unfortunately, the next year Payton's racing career was cut short by injury.

Instead of allowing discouragement to turn him away from motorcycling, Payton refocused his efforts on the business side of the sport. At 18, he bought and ran a local Husqvarna shop. His skill and reputation as a tuner grew, and his parts were being used by some of the biggest motocross teams of the mid-1980s. Then, in 1991, Honda asked Payton to run its 125 team. Payton accepted, and over the next 19 years, racing other brands as well, his teams won more championships than any other.

Tom White is chairman of the Hall of Fame Motocross/Supercross committee, and the company he founded, White Brothers, was one of the first distributors of Payton's products.

"I've known Mitch from when he was racing to when he was starting his company," White said. "It is one of my proudest moments to see somebody who overcame what some might see as a major disability and not only build the best motorcycles, but to be able to pick the riders and bring them up to a level of performance that makes them better than they ever thought they could be. Mitch Payton is absolutely what the Hall of Fame is about -- recognizing the people who have made the best and most lasting contributions to motorcycling."

Payton, an AMA Life Member, said that he's honored by his induction into the Hall of Fame. But, he said, he recognizes the legends he looked up to in his youth are the true heroes of the sport.

"I look around the industry, and there are a few guys I hold in real regard," Payton said. "One is Malcolm Smith. When I was a kid, we'd go to Malcolm's shop, and I was the 10-year-old punk who would bother the guys at the counter for stickers and sit on all the bikes. Another is Roger DeCoster. Those guys are just awesome.

"So, to be in the same Hall of Fame, for that honor, I'm really proud about that," Payton continued. "It's there forever. It means that anyone looking back on history years from now will see what you've done."

Payton, and the other members of the class of 2010, will officially be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame this Nov. 19 as part of the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend. In addition to the induction ceremony, the weekend includes the 2010 AMA Concours d'Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 20, featuring some of the country's most impressive original and restored classic motorcycles. The AMA Racing Championship Banquet closes out the weekend on Sunday, Nov. 21, where AMA Racing amateur champions of all ages will be recognized for their 2010 accomplishments

The event will be held at the Las Vegas Red Rock Resort, a world-class spa, hotel and casino, featuring a range of entertainment, dining and family-friendly attractions. The facility's expansive ballrooms will provide a stunning backdrop for the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend, which is certain to be memorable for the 2010 inductees, champions, families, friends and fans. More information is available online at RedRockLasVegas.com.

Lodging reservations can be made now at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Accommodations. An announcement regarding ticket information will be made after June 1.

Located on the park-like campus of the AMA in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made lasting contributions to protecting and promoting the motorcycle lifestyle. Its members include those who have excelled in racing, road- and off-road riding, pushed the envelope in motorcycle design, engineering and safety, and championed the rights of riders in both the halls of government and the court of public opinion.

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Committee includes nine members in addition to the chairman. There are eight sub-committees, each representing a different aspect of motorcycling.

More information about the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame can be found at MotorcycleMuseum.org.Was this post helpful? Add yours to our service or subscribe to our feed above.

Husqvarna Sponsors AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame Ceremony

Image via Wikipedia

Courtesy of Husqvarna
PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to announce that Husqvarna Motorcycles North America has signed on as a sponsor of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony this Dec. 5 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas.

"We are thrilled to have Husqvarna's participation in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony," said AMA Special Events and Marketing Director Tigra Tsujikawa. "With a lineage dating back more than a century, this historic marque's motorcycling history runs very deep."

Husqvarna Motorcycles North America Sales and Marketing Director Scot Harden, an accomplished off-road racer who was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2008, said that the company is proud to recognize the achievement of motorcycling's heroes.

"For a company like Husqvarna, the history of our great sport and the pioneers who laid the foundation for its success share more than just a casual connection," Harden said. "The name Husqvarna is synonymous with two-wheeled champions and heroes. We are proud to have played a major role in the growth in popularity of off-road recreation that started in the '60s and continues through today. It's only fitting that we step up and support the AMA and the Hall of Fame Museum to help ensure that the proud legacy of the motorcycling community has a fitting home that will inspire future generations of motorcyclists. This is why we support the Hall of Fame and will continue to do so for years to come."

The 2009 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is part of a larger celebration at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas that includes the AMA Racing Championship Banquet and the 2009 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Concours d'Elegance, which will feature some of the most beautiful motorcycles in existence.

The racing banquet will kick off the festivities on the evening of Dec. 4. It will recognize the champions from 2009 AMA Racing premier events and series. In addition, special awards, such as the AMA Racing Athlete of the Year, the AMA Racing Sportsman of the Year and the AMA Racing Female Rider of the Year, will be awarded.

Following the Concours d'Elegance on Saturday, Perry King, legendary actor of stage, screen and TV, will serve as master of ceremonies as the AMA officially welcomes the 2009 class to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.

This year's inductees are industry innovator Robert Bates, off-road racer Randy Hawkins, suspension pioneer Gilles Vaillancourt, off-highway rights activist Mona Ehnes, industry entrepreneurs and technological trailblazers Geoff and Bob Fox, longtime motorcycle safety proponent David Hough, noted race team manager Gary Mathers and successful dirt-track racer and tuner Chuck Palmgren.

Advance ticket purchase is required for both evening events at a cost of $49 per person per single event, or $89 per person for both events. Tickets will remain on sale through Nov. 29. Admission to the Hall of Fame autograph session and the Concours d'Elegance bike show is free. For more information, visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com/LetsRock.

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world's largest motorcycling organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists' interests in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs, promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services, gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations.