Niall Mackenzie:

NIALL MACKENZIE:

Scotland's fastest export

AT THE START OF THE USGP, Scotsman Niall (pronounced "Neal") MacKenzie jumped out in front on his Honda NSR500 and quickly ran away from everyone else on the track. In the first stages of the race, it was clear that he had the fastest bike, and he wasn't looking back. But MacKenzie's Honda would not be able to keep up that blistering pace, as first the brakes, then the tires, wore out.

MacKenzie's rocket start was remi niscent of Freddie Spencer's style of riding, and MacKenzie was quick to point out that Fast Freddie has had an influence on his riding. To get ready for 1988, MacKenzie, Spencer

and dirt-tracker/roadracer Doug Chandler spent several months train ing and riding together in California.

"I rode dirt-track bikes in the off-sea son," said MacKenzie, "and that helped a lot."

MacKenzie’s first exposure to Laguna Seca came when he helped Spencer film a video at the track. He doesn’t think getting on the track early helped, and in fact, he laughed and suggested, “Maybe it would have been better to wait to experience the Corkscrew.”

MacKenzie never really got that

portion of the track nailed down, skittering and sliding around the entrance to Laguna Seca’s most famous turn. “I was going too deep into the first section, then my brakes started fading, so I had some difficulty there in the middle of the race,” he said. “But once I started braking earlier, I was able to run more consistent laps.” By then, though, Eddie Lawson had passed him for the lead,

and Wayne Gardner would soon bump him back to third.

His third-place finish was satisfying, but MacKenzie realizes now that his pace at the start of the race may have been a little too hot. “It was new for me being in front,” he said. “It's not an easy thing to lead a GP. But I’ve done it now, and I'll know what to expect next time.”

Camron E. Bussard