Speed Dating: October 26 - November 1

October 26

Lorenzo Lanzi (IT) was born on this date in 1981. Lanzi began racing in the Superbike World Championship in 2005 and rode for the factory Ducati team alongside Troy Bayliss in 2006. This year, Lanzi rode for the DFX Corse Ducati team and finished the season 26th in the standings.

Floyd Clymer (US), a former owner and editor of Cycle magazine, was born on this date in 1895. Clymer grew up racing short track and time trials events in the American West. He soon developed a thriving publication business producing material for the automotive and motorcycle industries, and Clymer repair manuals are still produced today. Clymer assumed control of Cycle in 1951 and grew the magazine into a mainstream publication, selling it in 1966. He died of heart attack in 1970.

October 27

Stefano Bianco (IT) was born on this date in 1985. Banco competed in the 125cc World Championship from 2000 through 2008 but was often sidelined by injuries. His best championship finish came in 2002 when he finished the season 19th in the standings.

Andrea Coleman (UK), co-founder of Riders for Health, was born on this date in 1947. Coleman founded the program in 1986 alongside husband Barry and with the help of Grand Prix racer Randy Mamola. Riders for Health is a charitable organization that works to ensure aid workers in Africa have access to reliable transportation to provide healthcare service throughout the continent.

October 28

On this date in 2007, legendary AMA crew chief Merlyn Plumlee (US) passed away after a two-year battle with cancer. Plumlee served as crew chief to a long list of champion riders, including Freddie Spencer, Ben Bostrom, and Nicky Hayden. Plumlee was a tremendously skilled crew chief but was known all the more in the paddock as a true gentleman. His legacy lives on through MMI’s Merlyn Plumlee Memorial Scholarship, awarded to deserving students interested in pursuing a career as a motorcycle technician.

The 1992 AMA Superbike champion and 1993 World Superbike champion Scott Russell (US) was born on this date in 1964. Known as “Mr. Daytona,” Russell is a five-time Daytona 200 winner, and he even won the 1995 event despite crashing on the first lap. More recently, Russell has served as an on-air analyst for Speed TV racing coverage.

October 29

Newly crowned World Supersport champion Cal Crutchlow (UK) was born on this date in 1985. Crutchlow won the British Supersport Championship in 2006 and spent two seasons in British Superbike before coming to World Supersport with the Yamaha factory team. Crutchlow won five races this year, sealing his championship with a fourth place finish at this past weekend’s Portimao round.  Next season, Crutchlow will ride alongside James Toseland on the factory Yamaha WSBK team.

Nicky Hayden (US) clinched the 2006 MotoGP World Championship on this date in 2006. Hayden won two races on his way to the title, beating Valentino Rossi in the final standings by only five points.

October 30

Shinichi Nakatomi (JP) celebrates his 31st birthday on this date. Nakatomi spent three seasons in the World Superbike Championship, most recently with Team YZF Yamaha in 2009, where he finished seventeenth in the standings.