Introduction to the People of

AZ Speedway Museum

My love for motorcycles began many years ago in 1954. I had a newspaper route in West Hollywood, California, and one of my customers was Pelton’s Motorcycles. I would often hang around  (after giving the paper to Mrs. Pelton) watch and listen as the likes of Bud Ekins, Ralph White, and Jr. Pelton would be working and testing racing motorcycles.

Then in High School my interest switched to cars and I spent a few years with that hobby.

In 1963 I married my lovely wife Pat. I introduced her to all kinds of racing and she still enjoys motor sports today. She also rides her own Harley and is as much a part of our motorcycle venture as myself and our Son Chad.

Never really losing my interest in motorcycles, in 1968 my then brother-in-law invited me to a desert race, bringing an extra Triumph for me to ride. I was hooked and in 1969 bought my own race bike, began racing desert and later moto-cross.

In 1970 I went to work at Steve’s Bultaco in Van Nuys, California and shortly after I met the Bast Brothers.  It was then I was introduced to Speedway racing. Although I never personally rode Speedway, we often went to watch Mike and Steve ride.

In 1987 we bought a home in Arizona and in the spring of 1988 we left California. With beautiful new roads to ride we bought our first Harley. In 1995 we attended a Vintage Motorcycle Show in Del Mar Fairgrounds in Southern California. That experience prompted me to look for some of the motorcycles that I liked during the years I raced (1968 thru 1975). I figured a few moto-cross bikes, a flat track bike or two and a Speedway bike would be a good start.

With the search underway, I contacted Bill Cody (U.S. Jawa Distributor) to inquire about an early Jawa. Bill put me in touch with a fellow that had a 1973 Jawa 2-valve for sale. As it turned out it was a bike that had never been raced and was only out of the crate a couple of years or so. That was our first vintage race bike. While initially (as mentioned) looking for vintage moto-cross machines, I began to shift focus. In a short period of time we discovered another Jawa 2-valve in nearly the same condition. We bought that one as well.

As each new addition joined the family it got a nic-name. That added to the fun for us.  We decided to try to find at least one bike from each decade of Speedway up to the early 1980’s. Our intent was to be able to show how the machines had evolved over the years.

We have bought bikes badly in need of restoration and have purchased them restored. It all depends on what it is and where or how we find it. Eventually the machine count brought us to a point where we had to add a room on the rear of our home in order to properly display the bikes and keep them from being damaged in the garage.
 

When the addition was finished we began decorating it with flags, posters, pennants, photos, and other memorabilia we have gathered since this venture began.

All of these bikes have been to Vintage Bike Shows at one time or another in several western States. All have received awards and some as “Best of Show”.  We enjoy bringing Vintage Speedway to the public even if it is of the static variety.

So scroll through the site and have a look. We do have some rare and interesting machines and memorabilia. We hope you enjoy the site.