Speed Dating: September 14 - 20

September 14

Bryan Bigelow (US) was born on this date in 1980. The 1998 AMA Pro Grand National Championship Rookie of the Year, Bigelow is competing this season in the GNC Twins class. A former Supertrackers series champion, Bigelow is fourteenth in this year’s GNC Twins points after finishing eleventh in the recent Springfield Mile round.

Dirk Heidolf (DE) was born on this date in 1976. Heidolf competed in the 250cc world championship fulltime from 2002 through 2007,  but finished a race inside the top ten only once (ninth at Estoril in 2002).

Mirko Giansanti (IT) was also born on this date in 1976. Giansanti spent eight seasons in the 125cc Grand Prix class, where he collected thirteen podiums and a best finish of sixth (1998) in the 125cc championship standings. Giansanti left the Grand Prix paddock after a difficult 2005 season in the 250cc class.

Les Graham (UK) was born on this date in 1911. Graham began his racing on the British speedway circuit in the 1920s, flew Lancaster bombers for the RAF during World War II, and won the first 500cc world championship on an AJS in 1949, at the age of 38. Graham then earned himself a place on the MV Agusta team, giving the factory its first 500cc Grand Prix win in 1952 at Monza. At the 1953 Isle of Man TT, Graham won the 125cc Lightweight Grand Prix, but was killed in a crash at Bray Hill the following day while contesting the Senior TT.

On this date in 2003, Dave Emde (US) was killed in a street bike accident in California. A successful AMA 250cc racer in the 1970s, Emde was killed while riding in the San Diego area.

September 15

Emilio Alzamora (ES) was born on this date in 1972. Alzamora holds the dubious honor of being the only Grand Prix racer to have won a title without winning a race. The Honda-mounted Alzamora won the 1999 125cc world championship with ten podium finishes, beating Marco Melandri and Masao Azuma, both of whom had five wins each. Alzamora would eventually tally a total of four wins during his career, and he retired after the 2003 season.

Giovanni Bussei (IT) was born on this date in 1972. With his often wild hair and beard, the Italian was a distinctive presence in WSBK and national superbike paddocks throughout his career. Bussei was a regular in both World Superbike and World Supersport from 1997 though 2007, most recently with Sterilgarda Ducati. Bussei also contested the 2003 AMA Superbike season with Austin Ducati and was a regular in the Italian national championships. Bussei is now competing in the FIM Supermoto S1 championship.

September 16

Terry Poovey (US) was born on this date in 1958. Poovey scored eleven Grand National victories in an AMA Flat Track career that lasted over thirty years, from 1976 until 2006. While Poovey spent the majority of his early career aboard Harley-Davidson XR750s, he was recruited by Honda in 1983 to race and develop their RS750 dirt track special, a bike he later rode to success alongside Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert. Poovey suffered serious spinal injuries in 2006 during the Springfield Mile, but he is now walking and progressing steadily with physical therapy.

September 17

On this date in 1998, the final iteration of the ELF GP bike competed in its last race, with rider Ron Haslam retiring early in the Brazilian Grand Prix aboard the ELF5. Nixing the traditional fork for a front swingarm and center-steering hub dubbed the VGC system, the ELF motorcycles served as rolling test-beds for advanced motorcycle design, and were funded and developed by the ELF petroleum company. The first iteration, the ELFe, raced  in the Endurance World Championship. The motorcycles would eventually compete in a variety of events, from 24-hour races to the Macau GP to Grand Prix. The final version, the ELF5, utilized a Honda NSR500 two-stroke engine, and took Haslam to eleventh in the 1988 500cc standings.

Happy birthday to Michel Fabrizio (IT), who was born on this date in 1984. Fabrizio has raced for the Ducati Xerox World Superbike team since 2008. The Italian has made appearances in both the 125cc world championship and MotoGP, but he has competed in World Superbike fulltime since 2006. After finishing eighth with the factory Ducati team in 2008, Fabrizio has come into his own during the 2009 season, and scored his first WSBK win at Monza. He currently sits third in the standings behind Ben Spies and teammate Noriyuki Haga.

Mark Miller (US) was born on this date in 1974. Miller spent six seasons in the AMA Superbike paddock, retiring from fulltime competition in 2001. He has since found a new home in real-roads racing, and with strong showings at the Macau GP and the Isle of Man TT, and a start in the TTXGP, Miller has become one of America’s most successful real-roads competitors. Though he suffered a crash in the 2009 Senior TT and a DNF with the MotoCzysz E1pc in the TTXGP, Miller did set the American lap record on the TT course.

September 18

British Superbike racer Michael Rutter (UK) was born on this date in 1972. Rutter has raced in the BSB series since 1993, missing only the 1999 season to contest the 500cc world championship. Rutter has finished as BSB series runner-up twice and has twenty-six BSB victories. Rutter has also had success in real-roads racing, and has multiple wins at the Isle of Man TT, the North West 200, and the Macau GP.

Allan David Jefferies (UK) was born on this date in 1972. Jefferies was a nine-time winner of the TT, despite competing in only six meetings. He was also a four-time North West 200 winner and raced in both the 500cc and Superbike world championships. He was killed during the 2003 TT when he hit oil on the course and crashed with fellow competitor Jim Moodie, who survived with serious injuries. Jefferies was 30 years old.

September 19

James Ellison (UK) was born on this date in 1980. Ellison returned to the British Superbike championship in 2008 after a three-year absence, and he currently rides for the GSE Airwaves Yamaha racing team. During his absence from BSB, Ellison spent two seasons in MotoGP, with WCM in 2005 and Tech3 Yamaha in 2006, and had an unsuccessful year in AMA Superbike in 2007 with Corona Honda. Ellison has returned to success in BSB, and is fourth in the standings with two rounds remaining.

On this date in 1999, Rob Muzzy and Muzzy Racing campaigned their last AMA Superbike event, at Pikes Peak International Raceway. Muzzy Kawasakis were a staple of the AMA paddock from the early 1980s, and even had success abroad, with the team winning the 1993 World Superbike championship with rider Scott Russell. Since exiting AMA road racing, Muzzy Racing has focused its efforts on drag racing.

September 20

Eddie Mulder (US) was born on this date in 1943. Mulder was a strong competitor in AMA TT racing in the 1960s, wining five Grand National TT races alongside multiple steeplechase and desert racing events. Mulder would go on to become a successful Hollywood stuntman and custom motorcycle builder. Today, he operates Eddie Mulder’s West Coast Vintage Dirt Track Series, hosting vintage short track events in California.

Blake Young (US) was born on this date in 1987. Young began his pro career in AMA Supersport in 2005 and had a breakthrough season in 2008, taking wins in the Supersport and Superstock classes for Team M4 EMGO Suzuki.  He made the move the Rockstar/Makita Suzuki AMA Pro American Superbike team for the 2009 season, where he scored multiple podium finishes and finished the season sixth in the points.

Libero Liberati (IT) was born on this date in 1926. Liberati began his career in the Italian championships and moved to the world championships in 1953. Riding for the Gilera team, Liberati won the 1957 500cc world championship, taking four wins in the process. He retired in 1959 with six Grand Prix victories.