Johndicezx9
Rolls with it...
I believe he died in a car accident in the late 80's, iirc.
Old Race Photos
- Thread starter Johndicezx9
- Start date
I believe he died in a car accident in the late 80's, iirc.
John Bettencourt was our racing instructor at Loudon in the spring of 1987 at the new racer school (I was on an '83 Honda FT500) ...John Bettencourt....
Nice guy ... taught us to get our knees over the grass at the edge of that track ... We watched his brother race flatrack later that evening at the short track they used to have at Bryar Motorsports Park ... he told me his brother had raced an FT500 set up as a flat tracker ...
John won the Loudon National in 1978 on a Suzuki, I think ...
Godspeed, John ...
Thanks for the memories, Johndicezx9!
-- SFMCjohn
John, think you might think this is cool. It was a gift from JohnnyB to me :teeth
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johnnyb.jpg -
johnnyb back.jpg
Johndicezx9
Rolls with it...
^That's freakin' awesome!
SFMCjohn
13
AMA National #50, John Bettencourt ...
Hey Eric, that is just about the best t-shirt ever! How neat that he gave it to you ...
Back in the day, we thought that privateer guys who had "won a national" were the coolest guys ever ... I remember Dale Quarterly's reaction in the winner's circle when he finally won one after campaigning for years ... very moving ...
John Bettencourt won two Superbike Nationals, I think, in 1978 on a Suzuki GS750 and again in 1985 at Lexington Ohio, on a Honda VFR750 ... that looks like the bike on your t-shirt ... John was also an accomplished dirt bike racer, having won an NESC expert championship on a 125cc Bultaco in 1968 ...
John passed away later in 1987 in an auto accident ...
Dick Bettencourt, John's father, is in the AMA Hall of Fame ... Dick supported all sorts of motorcycle racing and was involved in the early fight to prevent streetbikes being prohibited in public parks ...
Cary and I were in the pits at a recent AFM event when a grizzled veteran walked by ... the grey-bearded guy and I nodded at one another as he waked by ... Cary laughed at me when he was gone and said "What was that? The "old-guy" nod?" Ha.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for your posts on this wonderful thread ... :ride
See you in the rocking chair,
-- SFMCjohn
Hey Eric, that is just about the best t-shirt ever! How neat that he gave it to you ...
Back in the day, we thought that privateer guys who had "won a national" were the coolest guys ever ... I remember Dale Quarterly's reaction in the winner's circle when he finally won one after campaigning for years ... very moving ...
John Bettencourt won two Superbike Nationals, I think, in 1978 on a Suzuki GS750 and again in 1985 at Lexington Ohio, on a Honda VFR750 ... that looks like the bike on your t-shirt ... John was also an accomplished dirt bike racer, having won an NESC expert championship on a 125cc Bultaco in 1968 ...
John passed away later in 1987 in an auto accident ...
Dick Bettencourt, John's father, is in the AMA Hall of Fame ... Dick supported all sorts of motorcycle racing and was involved in the early fight to prevent streetbikes being prohibited in public parks ...
Cary and I were in the pits at a recent AFM event when a grizzled veteran walked by ... the grey-bearded guy and I nodded at one another as he waked by ... Cary laughed at me when he was gone and said "What was that? The "old-guy" nod?" Ha.
Anyway, thanks to everyone for your posts on this wonderful thread ... :ride
See you in the rocking chair,
-- SFMCjohn
Yeah you East Coasters had JohnnyB and the Left Coasters had Kerry Bryant. Actually, both coasts had many great privateers in those days.
In regards to the old guy nod, was this the guy walking around promoting the Santa Rosa dirt track round? I gave him the same old guy nod and he made a u-turn and handed me a flyer and we started talking about San Jose Mile guys like Jimbo, Steve Ecklund, amongst others
Rock On brother! :laughing
EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
Yeah but Kerry is still w/us down in So. CA running a bike exhaust business (mostly dirt bikes/atv's.) I doubt Harry is still around, man he was party central in the early 80's. Had to win to get money to get back home...:laughing
firstbuell
GO! 04,16,23,31,64,69,95
yo EBD,
Harry's active on the SoCal retired AFMers FB pg
West Coast racers of a certain age associate 31 with Harry
Harry's active on the SoCal retired AFMers FB pg
West Coast racers of a certain age associate 31 with Harry
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Kawasaki1982KlinzmannDaytona.jpg
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EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
Thanks for that & pic. I met Harry once at the AFM races right after he got the "KZ1000S" racer from Muzzy/Kawasaki (I also was offered that bike but didn't have the $$$.) At first they had a hella time getting that thing to handle...Harry's alive and kickin Dave
I'm so happy to hear he's still w/us after all that craziness of the early 80's. He was a "fast-guy" that had talent but was always just aft of the factory guys in the AMA pro races. If he had had more $$$, I think he could have won. Realize at the time his competition was Spencer, Rainey, Lawson, etc. Tough crowd. :teeth
EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
More than that; those bikes are ultra-collectable w/only 29 made. I heard one went for $60K recently. Not bad for a $15K investment (they offered me one for $7.5K but alas I didn't have the bux....:cry)
BTY, I got a buddy selling a 79' Cooley Replica if anyone's interested. It's in Dublin & cheap cheap! (needs some TLC, been sitting f/years. Clogged carbs, tank crud, etc. Never bailed= good shape.)
Johndicezx9
Rolls with it...
:thumbup Is that mike velasco working on the 38 CBF?
firstbuell
GO! 04,16,23,31,64,69,95
yes - rider's Steve Wise, IIRC
Mike's still working on bikes, up in PacNW
Mike's still working on bikes, up in PacNW
EastBayDave
- Kawasaki Fanatic -
A number of old favorites:
Steve Wise
Mike Baldwin
Roberto Pietri (sp?)
Mike Singleton
...:teeth :thumbup