Spectators should have little problem identifying which player is Roberts. image by 'paso

LEGEND OF LAGUNA SECA KENNY ROBERT SR GETS ON THE THROTTLE FOR THE AT&T PRO-AM

MONTEREY, Calif. (January 21, 2009) - The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am PGA Tour golf championship dates back to the 1930's when Bing Crosby gathered a 'few friends' to raise money for charity. This year, for the first time a motorcycle World Champion is joining the Pro-Am. Kenny Roberts Sr. is playing along side golf greats such as the 2008 defending champion Phil Mickelson on the famed Pebble Beach golf course.

Roberts was the first American to win the 500 cc Motorcycle World Championships and went on to garner three consecutive World Titles, along with three victories at the Daytona 200.

Roberts has been inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame . The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM ) named Roberts a Grand Prix 'Legend' and he is a Legend of Laguna Seca

"He is the first motorcycle World Champion and Legend of Laguna Seca to compete in the tournament," said Wayne Rainey, fellow three-time World Champion and Legend of Laguna Seca. "Kenny hit a hole-in-one during training for this tournament on hole #11 at Poppy Hill in Pebble Beach and he is on his way to becoming a legend out on the golf course, too."

"Half of my life I have trained to race motorcycles and the other half was as a team owner and now I am training to be a golfer," said Roberts. Normally I would just go out and play golf, but I am out on the golf course trying to do this better which is something I have not done in a long time. I thank Gill Campbell, CEO/general manager Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Wayne Rainey and Yamaha who made this opportunity happen. I would have never imagined it would be like this and it is great to train and focus on making myself more consistent on the golf course."

"Yamaha is extremely proud to have Kenny Roberts represent the entire motorcycle industry in such a prestigious event," said Bob Starr, General Manager of Communications for Yamaha, "but just as when he was racing for us, we're all rooting for Kenny to win and take home the championship trophy at the final round!"

Roberts added, "The roles are reversed now as I am at Wayne's house in Monterey for the winter and he is pushing me to go out and practice. In the past, Wayne would be at my house for the winter and I would push him to train."

About AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

The 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am is scheduled for February 9-15. Top Tour professionals team with Hollywood celebrities, world renowned musicians and the captains of industry as they compete for a $6.1 million purse. Further information on the tournament is available online at www.attpbgolf.com.

About Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca was established in 1957. The world-renowned raceway has been operated since its inception by the Sports Car Racing Association of the Monterey Peninsula (SCRAMP), a not-for-profit 501C(4) corporation. Each race season, SCRAMP donates its net proceeds to the volunteer groups that help put on the races.