2015 Motorcycle of the Year Awards – Wayne Rainey knows motorcycle racing. A two-time AMA Superbike champion (1983 and 1987) and three-time 500GP World Champion (1990–1992), the California native also served as a Grand Prix team manager (Marlboro Yamaha), event promoter (he played a pivotal role in returning the USGP to Laguna Seca), and, most recently, a regular race fan just like us, watching MotoGP from his couch on TV. Rainey has seen, studied, and participated in the sport from every possible angle, making him uniquely qualified to serve as president of the newly formed MotoAmerica sanctioning body that is revitalizing road racing in the US.
Rainey is quick to point out that MotoAmerica would not happen without his partners and that he is simply an element of a focused, hard-working team. But those of us who have watched this nascent series emerge appreciate what Wayne brings to the program: a racer’s focus, total credibility, and immeasurable goodwill. It’s not to say that MotoAmerica would be impossible without him, but what Wayne Rainey knows about racing gives it an undeniable advantage when it’s needed the most.
