The AMA Hall of Fame added seven new members to its ranks at a Nov. 16 ceremony at the Red Rock Casino, Resort and Spa during the AMA Legends Weekend.

The 2012 class included the late KTM America president Rod Bush; race tuner Nobby Clark; off-road racer Ty Davis; 1975 AMA Supercross Champion Jimmy Ellis; female motocrosser Sue Fish; motorcycle restorer Brian Slark and the late “Airborne Al” Wilcox, the iconic race starter.

“We’re a community that embraces the past, honors the men and women who have brought us to the present, and races ahead to an exciting future – largely unknown to us now – and we do it all with a zest for life that is second to none,” says Perry King who hosted the induction ceremony. “Tonight we recognize a group of men and women who have been an important part of that evolution, the Hall of Fame Class of 2012.” Continue Reading »

The somewhat drawn-out drama surrounding the mis-nomination of Derek “Nobby” Clark to the 2012 class of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame has finally come to an end with the AMA announcing today that in a supplemental vote Clark was elected to the Hall of Fame.

The supplemental vote for Mr. Clark was implemented by the AMHF, which overseas the Hall of Fame, in response to procedural errors that invalidated Mr. Clark’s inclusion on the original ballot. The supplemental vote did not affect the other 2012 Hall of Fame inductees.

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The American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation announced it will hold a supplemental vote to decide whether to include Derek “Nobby” Clark into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame’s class of 2012. Clark, a noted race tuner, was initially announced as a member of the Hall’s 2012 inductees but the honor was later revoked due to a balloting error.

That decision did not sit well with some, including existing members of the Hall such as Dave Despain, Dick Mann, Charles Falco and Kenny Roberts who responded by asking for themselves to be removed from the Hall.

The supplemental vote, which will not affect the result of other members of the Hall’s 2012 class, will decide whether to induct Clark this year.

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The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is dealing with some toxic fallout over its decision to reverse the selection of noted tuner Derek “Nobby” Clark to its 2012 class. Clark was initially announced to the Hall on June 11 but weeks later the Hall revoked its invitation, saying Clark was voted in incorrectly.

That chain of events didn’t sit well with some members of the motorcycle community including Hall of Fame member and Speed TV personality Dave Despain. The “WindTunnel” host wrote a letter to the Hall of Fame saying Clark was unfairly being blackballed by the Hall and asked for his own removal from the Hall of Fame.

Since the letter was sent (the full text is reprinted here on Speed’s website), others Hall of Fame members such as Dick Mann, Charles Falco and Kenny Roberts (Clark worked as part of Roberts’ crew) have followed suit, asking for to be removed from the Hall as well. Continue Reading »

The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum announced it made a mistake in its selection process and withdrew the invitation to racing tuner Derek “Nobby” Clark to join its ranks.

Clark, who helped tuned 17 world championship-winning motorcycles for riders such as Mike Hailwood, Kenny Roberts and Giacomo Agostini, was initially announced to the Hall’s class of 2012 on June 11. The Hall now admit Clark was mistakenly added to the voting ballot.

“We sincerely regret this error and I have apologized to Mr. Clark on behalf of the Hall of Fame,” says Jeffrey V. Heininger, chair of the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation which oversees the selection process. “This was a difficult decision, but it had to be made to ensure the integrity of this remarkable institution.” Continue Reading »