The Rider Files

It was a sunny, hot day at Mid-Ohio today for the first day of practice and qualifying for the Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire. Tommy Hayden came out on top in provisional Superbike qualifying, turning a 1:25.637 on his No. 22 Rockstar/Makita Suzuki. Josh Herrin was top gun in Daytona SportBike, clocking in at 1:28.732 on the Graves Motorsports Yamaha R6. I arrived late in the day, but was able to click a few shots from the pits.

Mechanic Gary Medley talks to his rider John Ashmead before the start of the 1986 Sears Point AMA Superbike race. It was with Ashmead and team owner Peter Brady that the legendary Medley got his start being a race mechanic. Gary went on to tune for Scott Russell, Ben Bostrom, Doug Chandler among others and became one of the most respected tuners in AMA Superbike history. He’s still working on the circuit today helping develop young riders as race director for LTD Racing. In the background of this photo I believe that’s Bill Foster (or his brother Jim, I never could keep them straight since they looked exactly alike) holding Scott Gray’s Vance & Hines Suzuki. Byron Hines is standing next to the bike.

Mechanic Gary Medley talks to his rider John Ashmead before the start of the 1986 Sears Point AMA Superbike race. (Larry Lawrence photo)