When Kenny Roberts came on the scene, the European racing media considered him a bit of a cowboy. Hailing from the American West, he was extremely confident in his abilities, able to win aboard a bucking-bronco of an early Yamaha V-4 GP machine that left other riders shaking their heads in dismay. And then there was the rumor: that mysterious muted pop in the paddock just might have been from the .22 Roberts kept in his motorhome.

Years later, Roberts admitted to one such shot. From the window of his motorhome, he took careful aim and slowly deflated a giant Michelin Man in the paddock at one event. (KR was running Goodyears at the time, so you can understand his motivation.)

It’s easy to appreciate, then, why photographers went through so much film when Roberts showed up at a race. He leaned into his wild reputation, showing up in a cowboy hat, playing the part. And you can tell from his grin in the photos that he enjoyed razzing the media with exactly this kind of antic.