Speed Dating: August 31- September 6

August 31

Nobuatsu Aoki was born on this date in 1971. The Japanese rider enjoyed a lengthy Grand Prix career, entering the 250cc class in 1991 and making at least one start in a Grand Prix each season through 2008. Despite his longevity, Aoki has only one Grand Prix win, at Malaysia in 1993. Aoki finished third in the standings in his first 500cc season in 1997 with Honda, but struggled with difficult Suzuki and Proton KR machinery over the course of his MotoGP career. Aoki appeared as a Suzuki wildcard rider in each of the last three seasons, though he has yet to race a Grand Prix in 2009.

September 1

On this date in 1996, Elmer Trett (US) was killed in an exhibition drag race at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. Trett began Top Fuel competition in 1976 with a twin-engined Harley-Davidson Sportster, and would go on to win eight Top Fuel national championships. In 1983, he became the first motorcycle drag racer to exceed 200 mph in a run. At the time of his death, Trett was on the verge of becoming the first motorcycle drag racer to achieve a five-second pass.

On this date in 1982, the factory motorcycle racing division of Honda, formerly known as the Racing Service Center, was renamed Honda Racing Corporation (HRC). The formation of HRC coincided with the introduction of the Honda NS500 two-stroke Grand Prix motorcycle, which would claim Honda’s first 500cc world championship with rider Freddie Spencer the following year.

September 2

On this date in 1990, Mick Doohan (AU) scored his first 500cc Grand Prix win, at the Hungaroring in Hungary. It was his only a victory of the season, a year in which he would finish third in the standings with Rothmans Honda.

Doug Polen (US) was born on this date in 1960. Polen scored impressive results with Fast by Ferracci Ducati in AMA Superbike and World Superbike in the early 1990s. Polen won the World Superbike championship in 1991 and 1992, along with contesting the AMA Superbike championship. In 1993, he concentrated his efforts solely on the AMA series, taking the title with two rounds to spare. Polen would later score two World Endurance crowns, first with the Suzuki Endurance Racing Team in 1997 and then with Honda in 1998. Today, Polen operates Doug Polen’s 1 on 1 Riders School.

September 3

Eric Wood (US) was born on this date in 1971. He and his brother Jeff have become a dominant force in club racing throughout the eastern United States. Eric has also made many appearances in AMA Pro Racing, most recently with the Team Pongo/NCR Formula Xtreme Ducati 848 in 2008. Wood is the head instructor at the Penguin Road Racing School.

September 4

Andrew Deatherage (US) was born on this date in 1960. Deatherage was a longtime AMA competitor, most recently in the 2008 Moto-ST championship with Team Hooters Aprilia. Alongside his two-wheeled endeavors, Deatherage has also had success on four wheels as a club-level SCCA sports car driver.  He is currently a crew chief for the Speedsource Mazda team in Grand-Am sports car racing.

September 5

On this date in 1993, Wayne Rainey (US) suffered a career-ending injury during the Italian Grand Prix at Misano. While leading the race, the three-time 500cc world champion fell and slid into a gravel trap, breaking his spine against the corrugated surface (such surfaces are no longer used for Grand Prix motorcycle racing). The injury left Rainey paralyzed from the chest down. The Misano circuit would not hold another motorcycle Grand Prix event until 2007, when the heavily revised circuit was run in the opposite direction in the consideration of safety. The 2009 Misano Grand Prix runs this weekend.

That 1993 Italian Grand Prix would also be the last Grand Prix for Freddie Spencer (US). A three-time World Champion, Spencer would retire with twenty-seven Grand Prix wins.

Riders for Health co-founder Barry Coleman (UK) was born on this date in 1946. Alongside wife Andrea and racer Randy Mamola, the former Guardian correspondent formed Riders for Health to deliver aid and medical supplies to poverty-stricken and isolated African communities. The charity has allowed medical workers to travel quickly and efficiently between rural communities by providing motorcycle transportation to aid organizations.

Larry Pegram (US) was born on this date in 1973. Pegram has competed in the AMA Superbike championship since 1993. He currently rides for his own squad, Team Foremost Insurance Pegram Ducati, representing the Italian factory in AMA Pro Road Racing. Pegram has notched three American Superbike wins this season, after having scored just one until then, and he sits fifth in the standings. Pegram was in action last weekend at the Lucas Oil Indy Mile round of the AMA Grand National Championship, riding a Lloyd Brothers Motorsports-built Ducati flat-tracker. Pegram finished fourth in his semi-final race, missing the main by one spot.

Steve Baker (US) was born on this date in 1952. Baker was the first American to win a road racing world championship, taking the Formula 750 crown in 1977. That was a strong year for Baker, as he also won the Daytona 200 and finished second behind Barry Sheene in the 500cc world championship as a factory Yamaha rider. The following year was a disaster for Baker, as he lost his factory contract and suffered serious injuries in a crash at Mosport. Baker retired from racing after the crash, but continued in the industry as a motorcycle dealer in his native Washington.

George Roeder Jr. (US) was born on this date in 1967. A six-time winner of the AMA Expert Hot-Shoe championship, Roeder was a longtime participant in AMA flat track competition and a rider on the Grand National Championship tour. Roeder is the son of eight-time Grand National winner and land-speed record holder George Roeder Sr.

On this date in 1995, John Britten (NZ) died of complications from skin cancer. Britten, whose self-designed motorcycles were unexpectedly successful in twins racing in the 1990s, was considered a hero of New Zealand. Britten built only eleven of his incredibly advanced and ingenious machines, and his death at age 45 was a considered a great loss to motorcycling and to his country.

September 6

On this date in 1992, Eddie Lawson (US) raced his final 500cc Grand Prix, at the Kyalami Circuit in South Africa. Lawson retired with four 500cc world championships and thirty-one Grand Prix wins. The following year, Lawson would come out of retirement briefly to win the Daytona 200.

Happy birthday to Thomas Luthi (CH), who was born on this date in 1986. The Swiss rider and 2005 125cc world champion competes for the Emmi Caffe Latte Aprilia team in the 250cc series. Luthi currently sits ninth in the 250cc standings after finishing ninth in the Indianapolis 250cc Grand Prix.

James Witham (UK) was born on this date in 1966. A survivor of lymphatic cancer, Whitham was a star of the British Superbike series earlier this decade and a regular competitor in the World Superbike and Supersport championships.