Photo by Henny Ray Abrams
In this week’s Throwback we wind back the clock 35 years to 1983 and the annual Transatlantic Match Race Series. On paper that year’s American squad was almost a dream team and looked to be unbeatable with the likes of Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Randy Mamola, Wes Cooley, Mike Baldwin and David Aldana carrying the stars and stripes.
But the cold, damp conditions of early spring in England, caught out the Americans and played right into the hands of the British squad.
Crashes, injuries and uncompetitive machinery mounted up on the American side. The bruised and battered team fought on valiantly, but the British squad, led by Ron Haslam, who won four of the six races held at Oulton Park, Snetterton and Brands Hatch, won by a score of 245-198.
This photo shows rider introductions, where they were pulled around the track pre-race on a decorated flatbed trailer. You can tell by the riders bundled up, that it was a cold race day.
From left to right is David Aldana, Randy Mamola, Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson and Wes Cooley. Mike Baldwin was already out at this point of the series with a broken foot suffered in the first race at Oulton Park.
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