1999 and i moved up to the Expert 600 class, in my first regional race, i finished 3rd behind current AMA superbike champion Josh Hayes. That was my only glory on 600cc bikes, i only made a couple of rounds that year and hung up my leathers until 2008 when i started racing again with the VRRA.
1 1 731X SUZ 600 JOSHUA K. HAYES, GULFPORT, MS.
2 1 40 SUZ 600 LEO VENEGA, MIAMI, FL.
3 1 413 KAW 600 DOMINIC AUBRY, HALLANDALE, FL.
4 1 112 HON 600 JIM RANDOLPH, CAPE CORAL, FL.
5 1 98 HON 600 BOBBY LUDLUM, PORT ST LUCIE, FL.
6 1 293 HON 600 STEPHEN BOLDEN, PORT CHARLOTTE, FL.
7 1 111 SUZ 600 BOB SIMEONE, CORAL SPRINGS, FL.
8 1 48 HON 600 DARRIN KLEMENS, ORLANDO, FL.
9 1 717 HON 600 SHANE ERNST, DELRAY BEACH, FL.
10 1 335 SUZ 600 BRAD SHELTON, NAPLES, FL.
11 1 712 SUZ 600 TED MENDOZA, MARGATE, FL
Josh Hayes So like in 20 years I can say I use to race with a Josh Hayes, instead of I use to race with a guy who use to race with Josh Hayes…same thing right
…I like where this is going…do we have any evidence that Josh Hayes ever beat Ben Spies? Details are not important DQs, Mechanicals, DNSs, DNFs all work for me…
Mosport 1974. Open Junior production. Yours truly is 750 Kawasaki triple number 10.
I won that race by pulling a harebrained pass on the last lap after drafting the leader, who was also aboard a 750 triple. Tiptoed around on the outside of 8, figuring it was “win it or bin it,” had the inside line into 9 and held it to the finish after getting sideways in 10. Imagine two of those things ridden by wild-eyed 22 year olds going side by side into turn 8 at Mosport, scraping the pipes all the way around. No wonder I have gray hair now.
The trophy was a really nice silver cup on an oak pedestal (which I still have) and reads, “1974 Coca Cola Motorcycle Gran Prix of Canada - Production Class.”
How they figured out it was a “gran prix” is beyond me but it’s on the trophy, so who am I to argue?
Really Steve, have you ever considered an auto, I mean motorcycle biography?
Duff did one, from the snippets in this thread so far it sounds like it would be an entertaining read.
Geez I don’t know Graham. Huge difference between a world class racer like Duff and what I did. Yeah, it was the highest level of racing in Canada at the time but it was still basically club racing.
I’m betting a book like you’re suggesting would sell well over five copies.
Come on Steve, I think you’re underestimating the potential of such a book…you could easily break a 100 copies . Sometimes reading about the average rider (no slander intended) is way more entertaining than reading about super-human bike gods. This thread has been really entertaining and a book would be equally so. Sooner or later somebody will have to write a good book about motorcycle road racing in Canada! Since you can write Steve, I think you’re the guy! :mrgreen:
You already have millions of fans reading your stuff in cycle mags, give 'em what they want.
Make a deal with the VRRA, RACE and SOAR, each club would buy enough books so that every re-up for membership gets one.
If your Mum does buy three, ask her if I can borrow one!
Don’t forget the “Internet” publishing angle.
Team Canada racing on the streets of Havana, Cuba.
In the yellow Michelin shirts Left to Right..
Steve Davies
Steve Bragg
Wally Batchelor
Tino Martini
Bob Coy
Fritz Vanderveen (white shirt)
Here is another picture from the races on the streets of Havana. There were over 100,000 spectators, no barriers, lots of curbs and military men and women with guns that kept the crowd on the sidewalks. It was Daytona gearing for the TZ250’s as the straights were very long and very fast down through the Plaza of the Revolution. The second year, 1979, Frank Marazk crashed and went into the crowd. They picked him up, put him back on his bike and pushed him off. Robert Genereux (sp) from Quebec won the 125 class much to the dismay of the Cubans. The first year, I crashed and broke my collar bone after sliding on the oil slick left from all the old American cars with dripping transmissions, motors and rear ends. The emergency vehicle that picked me up was an MZ with a sidecar platform. It was a crazy time with much rum.
So like in 20 years I can say I use to race with a Josh Hayes, instead of I use to race with a guy who use to race with Josh Hayes…same thing right 
