Speed Dating: June 15 to 21, 2009

June 15

Flat track racer Shaun Russell (US) was born on this date in 1978. The California native has competed in the AMA Pro Flat Track divisions since 1997. This year, he is competing in both GNC Twins and GNC Singles races, and is currently ranked sixteenth in the GNC Twins championship and fifteenth in GNC Singles. He also sits fourteenth in the AMA Hot Shoe standings.

Nicky Moore (US) was born on this date in 1986. Moore has competed in CCS, ASRA, and with success as a privateer in AMA events. Moore finished thirty-third at this year’s Daytona 200.

June 16

Giacomo Agostini (IT) was born on this date in 1942. Agostini has more Grand Prix World Championships (fifteen) and more Grand Prix wins (one hundred and twenty-two) than any other rider. All but one of his championships came with the MV Agusta team, with the other being his last 500cc championship with Yamaha in 1975.

On this date in 1979, Freddie Spencer (US) won his first AMA road racing national, the AMA 250cc Grand Prix race at Bryar Motorsports Park in Loudon, New Hampshire. Later that year, the 17-year-old rode a Kawasaki to a win at the Laguna Seca Superbike race, becoming the youngest ever rider to win an AMA Superbike race.

June 17

On this date in 1949, the first FIM Grand Prix was held at the Isle of Man TT. Norton-mounted Harold Daniell won the 500cc event, with Feddie Frith (Velocette) taking the 350cc win and Irishman Manliff Barrington (Moto Guzzi) victorious in the 250cc class.

Happy birthday to 1993 125cc world champion Dirk Raudies (DE), who was born on this date in 1964. Raudies won nine of fourteen races in the 1993 championship, his fifth season in the 125cc class. Raudies retired from racing in 1997, but has continued his involvement in the sport as a commentator for Eurosport television.

June 18

Steve Crevier (CA) was born on this date in 1965. Crevier is a six-time Canadian Superbike champion and was the 1998 AMA Supersport 600 champion. Crevier continues to compete in the Canadian championships riding a Buell, and finished fourth during last weekend’s round at ICAR.

Kenny Noyes (US) was born on this date in 1979. The son of moto-journalist and former racer Dennis Noyes, Kenny has spent much of his life living and racing in Spain. Though his early years were spent in Spain, his family moved to the United States in Kenny’s teenage years so that he could pursue flat track racing. He returned to Spain in 2000 to race the Spanish Road Racing National Championships, and won the 2003 Spanish Superstock national championship. Noyes currently rides in the MotoCEV Buckler 1000 Extreme Championship for the Kawasaki Palmeto Racing team. After two races, Noyes is sixth in the championship.

On this date in 2002, four-time Grand Prix World Champion Walter Villa (IT) died of a heart attack at the age of 58. Villa was the 250cc world champion from 1974 through 1976 and the 350cc champion in 1976. All of his championships came with the Harley-Davidson team.

June 19

MotoGP rider Chris Vermeulen (AU) was born on this date in 1982. Vermeulen rose from the Australian superbike circuits through the British Superbike Championship and to the World Supersport Championship, where he won the title in 2003 riding for Ten Kate Honda. Vermeulen later found some success in World Superbike, but made the jump to the Suzuki MotoGP team in 2006. Vermeulen’s best MotoGP season came in 2007, where he scored his only MotoGP win at a wet Le Mans race and finished the season sixth in the standings. His wet-weather skills make him a dangerous competitor in the rain, but Vermeulen has been frequently upstaged by teammate Loris Capirossi this year. Vermeulen is currently tenth in the MotoGP standings.

Kevin Schwantz (US) was born on this date in 1964. The Texan won the 1993 500cc World Championship riding for the Suzuki team. His career was marked by a long rivalry with fellow American Wayne Rainey that extended from their days in AMA Superbike in the 1980s through their time battling in the 500cc World Championship. Schwantz retired from racing in 1995. In a tremendous show of respect, his #34 was retired by the FIM. Schwantz currently runs the Kevin Schwantz Suzuki School at Barber Motorsports Park, and he is frequently seen at race paddocks throughout the world as a consultant.

Giancarlo Falappa (IT) was seriously injured on this day in 1994 at the Albacete circuit in Spain while testing his Ducati WSBK machine. A violent high-side left Falappa in a coma that many doctors believed he would never awaken from. Against incredible odds, Falappa awoke from the coma after four weeks and began a long and challenging recovery process. Falappa, whose aggressive and ragged style was a staple of the early WSBK scene, never raced again after the accident.

Tom Houseworth (US) was born on this date in 1963. Houseworth was a fixture in the AMA road racing paddock, spending time with the Yamaha factory team and later with the Yoshimura Suzuki effort. As a crew chief for Yoshimura Suzuki, Houseworth helped tune Ben Spies to three AMA Superbike championships. At the end of Spies’ 2008 AMA Superbike season, Houseworth left with Spies for the Yamaha Italia World Superbike Team, where he continues to serve as crew chief for the Texan. Spies is currently second in the WSBK championship with seven race wins and seven consecutive pole positions.

June 20

Pierfrancesco Chili (IT) was born on this date in 1964. Though Chili spent time in both the 500cc and 250cc Grand Prix championships, he is most remembered for his accomplishments in the World Superbike championship. He raced in the series from 1995 until 2006, riding for both Ducati and Suzuki. His best year came in 1998 with the factory Ducati team, when he took five wins and finished the season in fourth place.

Jimmy Lewis (US) was born on this date in 1968. Lewis raced as in desert and off-road rallies throughout the world. He participated in the Dakar Rally four times, and was a member of the BMW factory off-road team. He currently operates the Jimmy Lewis Off-Road Riding School and is the editor of Dirt Rider magazine.