Tom Lester motorcycling Kenny Roberts secured a place in the history books at the weekend when he became the first son of a former champion to clinch the world 500cc Grand Prix title. “For as long as I can remember this has been my goal. It is like the conclusion to a 27-year season,” Roberts Jr said. The American needed only to finish in the top six in the Brazilian Grand Prix in Rio de Janeiro to be sure of winning the championship.
He approached Saturday’s race cautiously and avoided risky overtaking moves on Rio’s fast but bumpy circuit, ending up sixth behind the winner, Valentino Rossi of Italy.
“I did not want to push the bike to the limit today. I just wanted to make sure I didn’t fall,” he said. He paid tribute to Kenny Roberts Sr, who was 500cc world champion in 1978, 1979 and 1980. Roberts said it was his father who had helped him become more consistent and avoid unnecessary risks. Roberts Jr also paid tribute to the 22- year-old Rossi ,who won the race. The victory continues a recent run of form that suggests Rossi will mount a strong challenge next year. “I had already accepted that I lost the championship in Valencia. I just enjoyed winning today’s race,” Rossi said. Local supporters also went home happy after the Brazilian Alex Barros clung tenaciously to second place. Roberts’s sixth place left him on 224 points and out of the reach of Rossi on 173.
The 27-year-old, who made his 250cc Grand prix debut in 1993, grew up as “Junior”, the son of the great Roberts and obliged inevitably to live in an illustrious shadow.
His rookie season in 1994 was largely written off through injury. But he finished eighth in 1995 and moved up to 500cc the following season on a Team Roberts Yamaha, finishing 13th. He spent the next two years as a race development rider for his father, but the real breakthrough came when he was hired by Suzuki last year. He opened the season with two wins, struggled in the next two but rebounded with four wins before tyre problems put paid to his title hopes. This year he has achieved that long-awaited objective. “This has been the only championship I’ve ever cared about, the only one I’ve ever wanted,” he said recently.
@Stern test for SA’s top suberbike riders Gavin Foster motorcycling South African motorcycle racers will have a chance to test their mettle against riders from the United Kingdom and Australia next month, when the top six riders from each country take part in the Dark Dog Superbike Challenge at the Vodacom Festival of Speed at Kyalami. The British riders, whose 600cc Supersport rules are similar to ours, will bring their own motorcycles out for the event on November 24 to 26, while the Australian contingent will use machines provided by the local Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Ducati distributors. “The bikes supplied to the Aussies will be every bit as good as those ridden by our team,” says South African team captain Brad Anassis. Both overseas teams have elected to use tyres supplied by Dunlop UK, while the South African riders will use tyres supplied by whichever manufacturer they’re contracted to. The racing is sure to be tight, with up to forty riders expected to do battle for the R150 000 prize money that’s up for grabs. However, only the 18 riders nominated for the three teams will be eligible to earn points in the two 10-lap heats. “We are negotiating with a number of overseas riders who have expressed an interest in competing as wild-card entries,” says Anassis. “We also hope to get some of the World Superbike riders out to the meeting as celebrity guests.” The format of the racing will follow closely that of the popular Test matches between South Africa and Australia in 1997 and 1998. Australia came out trumps the first year, but the South Africans won in 1998.
The South African team is made up of Russell Wood, Robbie Petersen, Greg Dreyer, Trevor Crookes, Stewart Macleod and Shaun Whyte.