[American Motorcyclist Association] - Tom White celebrates American motocross history

[Ninjette Newsbot]

Story and photo by James Holter

Tom White, owner and curator of the Early Years of Motocross Museum in southern California and recently announced member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2014, is settling in before his Friday seminar at BikeBandit.com AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring Indian Motorcycle.

“There truly is nothing like AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days,” White says. “It is a time warp when you roll through the gates. You see the history of motorcycling right in front of your eyes. For a history and racing buff, like me, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to watch vintage racing, not to mention rub elbows with all these motorcycling heroes.”


Tom White

White, who also co-founded White Brothers Cycle Specialties, is himself one of those heroes. That was acknowledge by the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame nominating committee and voters this year when he was elected to the Hall of Fame. White will be officially inducted this Oct. 17 in Orlando, Fla.

“Everywhere I go, people have been coming up to me, congratulating me,” says White, who himself has served on Hall of Fame nominating committees in the past. “Having been the guy who has made that call to tell someone they were elected, you don’t realize the impact of the honor until you are on the receiving end.”

White isn’t just at AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days to shake hands and watch some racing. He’s also volunteering his time, announcing the vintage and post-vintage motocross races on Saturday and Sunday.

And on Friday, White, who has lived and breathed motocross for decades, witnessing first hand much of the history that has shaped the sport today, is sharing some of his insight in “Motocross: The Early Years” in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame adjacent to the lower road race paddock at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, home of AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days.

“I’m going to talk about how motocross got started in this country, the contributions of guys like Edison Guy, who many recognize as the father of motocross in America, as well as Supercross and Mike Goodwin and Mickey and Trudy Thompson,” he says.



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