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A Hawk in the Henhouse »

In 1985 Yamaha was the top dog in the big-bike production classes across the country, such as WERA’s A & B Production. Yamaha paid generous contingency money to riders on its FZ750. Then at the beginning of 1986 Suzuki introduced its GSXR750 to America, along with an even more generous contingency program than Yamaha’s, and immediately the grids of road races across the country were filled with the speedy and nimble new Gixxer.

For a time early in the ’85 season that set up an epic battle between Yamaha and Suzuki in the production classes. This photo shows perfectly the almost equal split between FZ and GSXR riders that season. On Yamaha’s you have “Rocket Ron” Ewerth (21), Jeff James, Wink Price (63), Doug Roy (209), Bob Englert (298) and novice Dennis Martin (445) on Yamahas, while Greg Tysor (67), David Harman (528), Mark McQuade (52) and Greg Goulding (directly behind #21 Ewerth) were on the new Suzuki.

Buck Clemson (21) was the odd man out racing a two-stroke Yamaha RZ500.

Yamaha won the battle on this day with Ewerth taking the victory over McQuade and James.

This WERA A Production race at Road Atlanta in May of 1986 showed the early club-racing battles between Yamaha FZ750 and Suzuki GSXR750 riders. On Yamaha’s you have “Rocket Ron” Ewerth (21), Jeff James, Wink Price (63), Doug Roy (209), Bob Englert (298) and novice Dennis Martin (445) on Yamahas, while Greg Tysor (67), David Harman (528), Mark McQuade (52) and Greg Goulding (directly behind #21 Ewerth) were on the new Suzuki. Buck Clemson was the odd man out riding a two-stroke Yamaha RZ500. (Larry Lawrence photo)

This WERA A Production race at Road Atlanta in May of 1986 showed the early club-racing battles between Yamaha FZ750 and Suzuki GSXR750 riders. On Yamaha’s you have “Rocket Ron” Ewerth (21), Jeff James, Wink Price (63), Doug Roy (209), Bob Englert (298) and novice Dennis Martin (445) on Yamahas, while Greg Tysor (67), David Harman (528), Mark McQuade (52) and Greg Goulding (directly behind #21 Ewerth) were on the new Suzuki. Buck Clemson (21) was the odd man out riding a two-stroke Yamaha RZ500. (Larry Lawrence photo)

This entry was posted by admin on October 30, 2010 at 11:13 am under Road Racing. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

One Comment

  1. Larry Brown says:

    Great shot Larry! I believe Ron road this bike to the finals this year and earned the WERA B production title with Vic Fasola and Cycle Nuts and Bolts.That same evening we all worked thru that night (Deano, Rocket Ron and myself) to put in Deano’s superbike motor from his crashed FZ750 that was used ROC at Daytona earlier that year. Rocket Ron went on to win the B Superbike championship the next day on this same bike with my motor! It was an awsome site to see and to hear 13,000+ RPM’s from Rocket Ron’s FZ as it approached the bridge from the dip as we stood on pit road and to see him pop out with such a lead! I was just as proud as he was that day!
    Thanks for posting this photo! Great work!

    Larry

    November 2, 2010, 8:47 pm