Monday, June 2, 2014

Today in motorcycle history, June 2, 1974

  


  

  


  





  California motorcycle racing legend Kenny Roberts wins his first national road race at Road Atlanta (home of the famous "esses") on June 2, 1974. 









  In 13 years of professional racing, Kenny Roberts won two Grand National Championships and three 500cc World Championships including 32 Grand Nationals and 24 Grand Prix road races. He also won the Daytona 200 three times and took the checkered at the Laguna Seca 200 an amazing six times. He was the second AMA rider after  Dick Mann to accomplish what is known as the "Grand Slam" of bike racing, winning all five events of the Grand National Championship with wins at a mile, half-mile, short-track, TT Steeplechase and road race.




  Kenneth Leroy Roberts was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1990, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1992, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998 and in 2000 the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) named him a Grand Prix "Legend".