Laguna pic

[Ronr]

I was surfing Superbike Planet, and they posted some old shots from Laguna Seca for the 1999 World Superbike races.  You can see my wife and I waiting to get our breasts signed by Frankie Chili.

She's in the blue tanktop in front of him, and I'm behind him holding the fence up.

[cdc]

I was surfing Superbike Planet, and they posted some old shots from Laguna Seca for the 1999 World Superbike races.  You can see my wife and I waiting to get our breasts signed by Frankie Chili.

She's in the blue tanktop in front of him, and I'm behind him holding the fence up.

wearing shades?

cool.  I have a cap signed by all Ducati riders of the WSBK at Laguna Seca in 2004.

cdc

[Ronr]

wearing shades?

cool.  I have a cap signed by all Ducati riders of the WSBK at Laguna Seca in 2004.

cdc

Yes, with the blue shades.

It's fun getting the autographs.  That's what I love about the bike racing world.  We got to hang out in the pits and garage areas and talk to the racers.  Got to talk to Mick Doohan, dogged Colin Edwards about Ty Howard beating his Oak Hill track record, and introduced my Aussie cousin-in-law to Mat Mladin (that was at the Pikes Peak Raceway).  I don't know how MotoGP is, but Formula1 doesn't let the general spectators get anywhere near the cars or drivers, at least not like this.

[cdc]

Paolo Ciabatti saw me at the entrance to the closed off area where the riders trailers were and asked me if I was waiting for someone.  I said I only needed Troy Bayliss' autograph to complete my cap and he led me in to where Troy's trailer was.  He was being interveiwed by someone and his wife (Kim) took my arm and interrupted the interview which I think was going long at that point.  She introduced me to Troy who signed my cap.  I was actually rooting for Ben Bostrom that year but the Bayliss' and Ciabatti were so nice that I was an instant permanent fan.

Frankie's signature is also on the cap.

cdc

[Ronr]

cool story, Bayliss seems like a decent chap

[Duc L'Smart]

You can see my wife and I waiting to get our breasts signed by Frankie Chili.

Let us know when we can take a peek at Steph's copy of Chili's sig 

[cdc]

I looked at my cap and all the stuff I saved from that race.  That was 2002 and I have 7 signatures on the cap.  Troy Bayliss, Ben Bostrom, Reuben Xaus, Frankie Chili, Neil Hogdson, James Toseland and Doug Chandler riding the HMC Ducati 998. 

I need to go to another race.  Maybe INDY?

cdc

[never2loud]

Damn!  That's one hell of a cap 

[Ronr]

I looked at my cap and all the stuff I saved from that race.  That was 2002 and I have 7 signatures on the cap.  Troy Bayliss, Ben Bostrom, Reuben Xaus, Frankie Chili, Neil Hogdson, James Toseland and Doug Chandler riding the HMC Ducati 998. 

I need to go to another race.  Maybe INDY?

cdc

Cool hat, I've got a shirt like that.  At the time, I was going to write down who signed it, but I didn't, so a few of them I can't decypher now.

McCain and I almost wen to Indy this year, but it didn't work out.  It would be great to get a group to go up there, maybe trailer the bikes up.  We would need to start planning ahead, and get rooms as soon as this year's race is over.

[cdc]

Damn!  That's one hell of a cap 

I haven't washed it in 6 yrs but I haven't worn it either.  It's in a ziplock bag along with tickets, maps of Laguna Seca etc.

Cool hat, I've got a shirt like that.  At the time, I was going to write down who signed it, but I didn't, so a few of them I can't decypher now.

McCain and I almost wen to Indy this year, but it didn't work out.  It would be great to get a group to go up there, maybe trailer the bikes up.  We would need to start planning ahead, and get rooms as soon as this year's race is over.

What year was that and did you have riders from different teams sign the shirt?  I just tried to get all the Duc riders that were racing at the time.  I missed two of them.  Steve Martin and Borciani.  I didn't know what they looked like so I missed them.  I almost didn't get to Troy but for the chance meet with Ciabatti. 

Since INDY is in September, I am expecting that the motorcycling crowd will be smaller than a NASCAR or auto race so tickets and sleeping accomodations will not be hard to get.  I am considering going this year riding up there all the way or trailering if with someone else who does not want to ride to it.

cdc

[Ronr]

We were there in 99. I got lots of siggies from all teams, Fogarty for one. I'll have to dig it out and see who I can ID. Also got signed posters of Chandler, Duhamel, Mladin on a Ducati, Gobert, and another Duc rider who's name I can't recall but he was an AMA or SBK champ at some point.

Oh, that was also when Muzzy was sponsoring me on one of their 600 Supersport bikes and they gave me a tour of their trailer and garage setup. They were really good people.

[cdc]

We were there in 99. I got lots of siggies from all teams, Fogarty for one. I'll have to dig it out and see who I can ID. Also got signed posters of Chandler, Duhamel, Mladin on a Ducati, Gobert, and another Duc rider who's name I can't recall but he was an AMA or SBK champ at some point.

Oh, that was also when Muzzy was sponsoring me on one of their 600 Supersport bikes and they gave me a tour of their trailer and garage setup. They were really good people.

Doug Polen maybe?  WSBK champ on Ferraci's 888 superbike (early '90s).  Also won AMA before going to WSBK I think.  Scott Russel WSBK champ on Kawi?.  Troy Corser on Ducati, WSBK  champ after Foggy left to ride Honda.  John Kozcinki WSBK champ on a Honda?  Brian might remember who it was. 

cdc

[Giannis]

We were there in 99. I got lots of siggies from all teams, Fogarty for one. I'll have to dig it out and see who I can ID. Also got signed posters of Chandler, Duhamel, Mladin on a Ducati, Gobert, and another Duc rider who's name I can't recall but he was an AMA or SBK champ at some point.

Oh, that was also when Muzzy was sponsoring me on one of their 600 Supersport bikes and they gave me a tour of their trailer and garage setup. They were really good people.

I think you talk about Ben Bostrom, he won the championship with  Honda in 98 and in 99 he run #1 with Ducati V&H

also with Ducati was

Gobert (V&H)
Pegram (FBF)
Matt Wait (FBF)



Russell was on a Harley VR1000 in 1999

[Ronr]

The other one is Thomas Stevens with Vance & Hines Ducati.  He won AMA Superbike in '91.  I must have picked up his poster and some others at the Pikes Peak track in '97 or '98.  Looks like he retired at the end of the '98 season.