Ups And Downs
UPS AND DOWNS
UP: To actor Dan Aykroyd, for working a motorcycle into his latest movie, Coneheads. Aykroyd, a long-time motorcycle enthusiast, and co-stars Jane Curtain and Nicolette Harnish were filmed aboard a Harley-Davidson sidecar outfit-complete with leather jackets, goggles and custom-painted Conehead helmets.
UP: To Willow Springs International Raceway in Rosamond, California, for hanging in there when many racetracks have closed shop. The Southern California motorsports facility is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Willow’s first automobile races were held in 1953, with the premier motorcycle event held the following year. Today, motorcycle racing at Willow Springs is better than ever, thanks to the efforts of track owner Bill Huth. Over the past decade, Huth has made numerous improvements to the track and its paddock facilities, benefiting racers and spectators alike.
DOWN: To Philip S. Zanghi, for promising and not delivering. According to an article published recently in the Raleigh, North Carolina, News & Observer, Zanghi, who said he would introduce a new line of Indian motorcycles last July 4, “recently moved his businesses and family to Raleigh, fleeing angry business partners and disillusioned city officials in Massachusetts and Connecticut.” Zanghi has also been accused of fraud and deceptive trade practices in a suit filed by South Carolina-based Shaftex, Inc. Shaftex claims it lost $263,000 in business dealings with Zanghi. Reportedly, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is reviewing Zanghi’s rights to the Indian trademark and logo.
