From '98 "My Best... " by the late Tracy Hagen
Nobody worked harder than Quarterley during his long career in AMA Superbike racing.
by Tracy Hagen
Friday, September 29, 2023
The late Tracy Hagen was the Editor at Large for 'Soup and covered the AMA and world racing scene since 1985. This was published on Soup 1.0 in 1998.
Dale Quarterley, the last privateer to win an AMA Superbike race (Mid-Ohio 1993). Quarterley beat Polen and Picotte on their Ferracci Ducatis, DuHamel on the Muzzy Kawasaki, Jamie James on the Vance & Hines Yamaha, and Mike Smith and Tom Kipp on the Camel Hondas. Nobody worked harder than Quarterley during his long career in AMA Superbike racing. The lack of factory interest in Quarterley's talents is unpardonable.
Steve McLaughlin, the father of Superbike racing (AMA and World Superbike), the winner of a one AMA Superbike race, and guru of racing as a business. McLaughlin could sell a dead horse to a cowboy.
The race that people still talk about today is Brainerd 1994. DuHamel—on the Harley VR1000—led early, but was caught by a clutch of bikes that roared to the finish as a group. Colin Edwards (Yamaha) won by 0.7 seconds. Unfortunately, I had other commitments that day—the Suzuka 8 Hours, where Slight and Polen won over Russell and Rymer by 0.25 seconds. It was the RC45's first win anywhere, and Eddie Lawson's last race ever. One of the most historic days ever in Superbike racing.
Road America.It has all the elements one could want in a race track. And nobody complains about backmarkers at Road America.
Factory Ducatis at Daytona are a pure joy to listen to - at least for the first fifty miles while they are still running well.
Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Freddie Spencer and Kevin Schwantz are inseparable.
Pops Yoshimura. How this guy—with no English skills—and his son Fujio figured out all the loopholes in the AMA rulebook is one of racing's great untold stories. Which was the best AMA Superbike team of all time? Yoshimura Suzuki may trail on the win list, but they have had the greatest influence on Superbike racing in the U.S.
Dean F. Adams
DuHamel leads Brainerd on the Harley-Davidson. Brainerd!
Your favorite AMA Superbike rider of all time?
Dale Quarterley, the last privateer to win an AMA Superbike race (Mid-Ohio 1993). Quarterley beat Polen and Picotte on their Ferracci Ducatis, DuHamel on the Muzzy Kawasaki, Jamie James on the Vance & Hines Yamaha, and Mike Smith and Tom Kipp on the Camel Hondas. Nobody worked harder than Quarterley during his long career in AMA Superbike racing. The lack of factory interest in Quarterley's talents is unpardonable.
The most important person in AMA Superbike history thus far and why?
Steve McLaughlin, the father of Superbike racing (AMA and World Superbike), the winner of a one AMA Superbike race, and guru of racing as a business. McLaughlin could sell a dead horse to a cowboy.
Describe in one semi-short paragraph the best AMA Superbike race you ever witnessed.
Pops Yoshimura. How this guy—with no English skills—and his son Fujio figured out all the loopholes in the AMA rulebook is one of racing's great untold stories.
What is your favorite AMA Superbike racetrack and why?
Road America.It has all the elements one could want in a race track. And nobody complains about backmarkers at Road America.
Which AMA Superbike sounded the best to your ears and why?
Factory Ducatis at Daytona are a pure joy to listen to - at least for the first fifty miles while they are still running well.
Irrespective of the AMA Superbike win list, who do you think is the best Superbike rider of all time?
Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Freddie Spencer and Kevin Schwantz are inseparable.
Who is the best AMA Superbike tuner of all time?
Pops Yoshimura. How this guy—with no English skills—and his son Fujio figured out all the loopholes in the AMA rulebook is one of racing's great untold stories. Which was the best AMA Superbike team of all time? Yoshimura Suzuki may trail on the win list, but they have had the greatest influence on Superbike racing in the U.S.
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