Look George, I can post pictures! Whee!
With the real Mr. Smart.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3045/2865881782_f227de52f9.jpg?v=1223078620)
Mr Neilsen.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3190/2865888242_6009e5b66a.jpg?v=0)
Mr Schilling.
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3237/2865083475_0690d12b91.jpg?v=0)
Rest of the pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/30580595@N05/sets/72157607710511751/ (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30580595@N05/sets/72157607710511751/)
cdc
Wow, Charles, awesome pics!! Wish I could have been there!
Quote from: cdc on October 03, 2008, 05:14:01 PM
Look George, I can post pictures! Whee!
I have taught you well.
Three awesome personalities. Hope the young 'uns know who they are and what they represent. Just freaking awesome!! The only one missing for me would be Ago... who wasn't there... and Hailwood, may he rest in peace. Shitty way to go, driving into a lorrie on your way to get fish and chips with your little girl. God speed to both of them.
Quote from: fastwin on October 03, 2008, 06:33:54 PM
Three awesome personalities. Hope the young 'uns know who they are and what they represent. Just freaking awesome!! The only one missing for me would be Ago... who wasn't there... and Hailwood, may he rest in peace. Shitty way to go, driving into a lorrie on your way to get fish and chips with your little girl. God speed to both of them.
If I could I'd give a little history lesson but I'm afraid that I don't know enough to give these 'gents a fair shot. So Brian if you don't mind doing the honors.....
cdc
Wow! Awesome pics Charles. Nice job!!
Someone please try the flickr link and tell me if it works. I went back and reset the settings to public but someone has to try it out to see if I did it right.
cdc
Quote from: cdc on October 03, 2008, 08:49:22 PM
Someone please try the flickr link and tell me if it works. I went back and reset the settings to public but someone has to try it out to see if I did it right.
cdc
Works [thumbsup]
Hey, doesn't this belong to Industrial Grrrl?
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/2865863304_c3454a349c.jpg?v=0)
Quote from: caffeinejunkee on October 03, 2008, 08:51:32 PM
Works [thumbsup]
Hey, doesn't this belong to Industrial Grrrl?
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3288/2865863304_c3454a349c.jpg?v=0)
Yep, that's IG's monster. That's one of the baddest Monsters ever, IMO.
[moto] Excellent pix CDC !! I like that Speedymoto full trick bike ( I bet B8 likes that orange color ! ) . I think you should have two beautiful Ducati babes for bookends all the time CDC !! [laugh]
Thanks for sharing the pix & stories from Indy - travel safe - we'll miss you !! [moto]
Quote from: cdc on October 03, 2008, 07:31:33 PM
If I could I'd give a little history lesson but I'm afraid that I don't know enough to give these 'gents a fair shot. So Brian if you don't mind doing the honors.....
cdc
Paul Smart: former factory Ducati road racer and winner (among many other things) of the 1972 Imola 200 on a 750SS. Ducati finished 1 and 2. (Trivia question of the century: who finished second to Smart on the other Ducati? Bruno Spaggiari. Had we won Scott and Bonnie would be riding Spaggiari Replicas!!) It was the biggest race in Europe at the time rivaling the Daytona 200 in the States. It was the first major win for the factory and the desmo/bevel drive engine design. Rival MV Agusta almost had it won but the two Ducs wrapped it up. Literally put Ducati on the map. Even given Stoner's 2007 MotoGP Championship that Imola win for Smart/Ducati was their biggest single race win ever. Anyone want to argue? Thought not.
Phil Schilling/Cook Neilsen: These two guys defined the motorcycle boom in the US during the 1970s. They were both connected to Cycle Magazine (an awesome publication at the time, now sadly deceased) Cook Neilsen was the editor and Schilling was brought in as a contributor. Both were racers. With Schilling's help building a Ducati 750SS into a 883cc AMA Superbike Neilsen put it on the podium many times in the inagural 1976 AMA Superbikes series. Neilsen finished 3rd at the Daytona 200 in 1976 with Reggie Pridmore (Jason's dad) winning on a Butler and Smith tuned/sponsored R90S BMW. Over that year they turned to famous head port/flow bench master/hot rod magician Jerry Branch and did a world caliber engine tune on "Old Blue" (their nickname for the 750SS). They won the 1977 Daytona 200 with only Wes Cooley on a Yoshimura sponsored Kawsaki Z1 and Don Emde able to hang with them. Cooley was faster on the banks but the Kawi wobbled like a SOB in the infield. Like all the inline fours did back then.
That win made Shilling and Neilsen (and Cycle Magazine) world famous and American racing icons. They stamped Ducati's arrival on the US racing scene, much like Paul Smart did on the world level with his Imola 200 win. NCR honored Schilling and Neilsen a year ago by commisioning the building of the "New Blue", a hot rodded Sports 1000. If you don't know about that bike just "google" it. It's absolutely awesome!
Smart, Schilling and Neilsen are huge names in the history of Ducati and helped them get to where they are today. They are giants in the company's success. Polen, Bayliss, Stoner, Foggy, etc. wouldn't be the players they are or have been without these guys forging the way in the 1970s. Don't even get me started on Hailwood!!! [laugh] I'd give anything to have my photo taken with any on them!!! That was the score of a lifetime Charles!! [clap] Luckily I was around to read about this stuff in the pages of Cycle News but if you want to know more just look them up on the internet. [thumbsup]
Great synopsis! [thumbsup]
Quote from: cdc on October 03, 2008, 07:31:33 PM
If I could I'd give a little history lesson but I'm afraid that I don't know enough to give these 'gents a fair shot. So Brian if you don't mind doing the honors.....
cdc
[thumbsup] [thumbsup] I knew you would not disappoint! Thanks Brian!!! [thumbsup] [thumbsup] [clap] [clap]
Makes me want to read more about them.
I volunteered to help at the Ducati Island and was at the Super Concourso tent which is also where they had signing sessions with these gentlemen. I was helping Phil Schilling and he thanked me. I just said, "no sir, Thank you for all your work." I felt good to have been able to say that.
cdc
Awesome. Would have loved to have said the same thing! [clap]
I would be remiss if I didn't mention that famed west coast race bike builder extraordinaire Pierre de(s?) Roches put in as much time on the frame and suspension set up as Branch did on the engine. At the time is was an awesome bike, assuredly better than the factory Ducs. [thumbsup]