On the Return of Gp Stars...

On the return of GP stars...

What a magnificent display. Roberts, Lawson and Mamola came home from Grand Prix glory to show their skills at Laguna Seca. It wasn't a race for the World Championship, it didn't feature the biggest purse in racing, but it was a fantastic show before 45,000 excited fans.

The demonstration was just how fast the world’s best riders can go on the world’s best machinery; there might as well been nobody else on the track.

Randy Mamola’s Suzuki is enough slower than Roberts’ Yamaha that Roberts could pull away from Mamola while doing a wheelie off the last turn! That wasn't enough to discourage Mamola, who kept low on the tank and charged regardless, riding 100 percent and beyond and using his 1 2 finishes in the two-leg race to win overall.

Roberts’ needn’t have raced at all in the second leg his first leg retirement meant he couldn't win, but he felt he owed it to his public to compete, and compete he did. In tandem with Lawson, Roberts ran off from the ever-trying Mamola, then periodically dispatched Lawson with a masterful pass, then hung back, and passed again. Even at cruise, Roberts was worlds ahead, and it was impressive to see.

Thank you, gentlemen, for the demonstration. We have met the best, as the saying goes, and they come from us.