[American Motorcyclist Association] - David Aldana meets, greets fans at AMA Vintage

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Story by Jim Witters
Photo by Jeff Guciardo

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer David Aldana is the grand marshal for AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days this year. He spent much of the day on Friday meeting fans, shaking hands and signing autographs in the AMA Oasis tent on the infield at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Aldana remains one of the most colorful figures in racing. He successes include teaming with Hall of Famer Mike Baldwin to win the prestigious Suzuka eight-hour endurance race in 1981 as a Honda factory rider. He also was one of the most versatile racers in history, competing in nearly every form of motorcycle racing, including motocross and speedway racing.

But many of the fans at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days remember him for a specific type of racing.

“The majority of these guys start off with their memories of seeing me race on what we called the fair circuit,” Aldana said. “It was the same kind of races that we will have in Ashland tomorrow night [the Vintage Dirt-Track National Championship at the Ashland County Fairgrounds].

“Those races paid money, but they weren’t part of the national circuit.”

A steady stream of fans filed in front of Aldana, chatting a while, buying a poster or two and then moving along to the rest of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days.


David Aldana, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days grand marshal, poses with a fan
who purchased a limited-edition grand marshal t-shirt.

Aldana, an Atlanta resident, says he made good investments and “didn’t have to get a job” after racing.

“I joke that I am the estate manager,” he said. “I am in charge of making sure the gardening gets done, the laundry is folded and put away and dinner is ready on time. And, of course, I am doing all those jobs.”

Aldana said his initial reaction to the invitation to be the 2015 VMD Grand Marshal was a little sarcastic.

“I figured they had run out of other people to ask or that everyone else was dead or something,” Aldana said. “But the AMA has been helpful to me over the years when I needed a favor, so I figured it was time to pay them back.

“But, actually, to be invited to be grand marshal at such a large and prestigious event and to get so much recognition for being who I was and who I am, well, it’s hard to describe it as anything else but humbling.”



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