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Four million people
ride motorcycles in the U.S.

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They come in all shapes, sizes, and ages.

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To some people, a motorcycle is work.

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Or a way to get to work.

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Or a way to get away from it all

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to the solitude of the open country.

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A motorcycle is whatever
you want to make it.

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Turn it on and you could
give yourself a real thrill.

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A motorcycle is easy to ride,
except the first time you try,

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your next door neighbor, who
probably doesn't know himself,

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is giving you the hot
tips: brake, clutch,

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shift, throttle - just
simple coordination.

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♪ On any Sunday, stretching
up, reaching high

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♪ Leaving my Monday world behind

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♪ I fire my rockets
and explode in the sky

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♪ Kick up my heels
until I find, I'm flyin'

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♪ Over my shoulder through
the dust and fallen

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♪ Run will they catch me if you can

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♪ On any Sunday I'm a flyin' man

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♪ On any Sunday like the tail of a kite

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♪ Flying and dancing in the wind

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♪ Something inside of me
goes back through the years

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♪ And I'm a kid I used to know

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♪ I'm flying

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♪ Over my shoulder
through the dust and quiet

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♪ Run where they'll catch me if you can

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♪ On any Sunday I'm a flyin' man

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♪ Flyin' man

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A group of business men
during the rush hour.

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The young man with a garment bag

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over his shoulder is Mert Lawwill.

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29 years old, 5'6", 143 pounds.

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He's not a banker or an
accountant or a salesman.

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But he is a professional
man like the rest.

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His profession - motorcycle racer.

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Mert makes his living in one of the

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most dangerous sports in
which man participates.

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His skill in the racetrack has
earned him the right to carry

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the American Motorcycle
Association

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He won it by competing in a series of

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27 national championship
races and scoring

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the highest number of
points during the season.

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The speeds he hits are incredible.

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On a half mile track, one
of the races he rides,

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it's a 100 miles an hour in the straights

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and 80 in the corners, within
inches of posts and guardrail.

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He rides within inches of other riders

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he literally has to trust with his life.

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Professional motorcycle
racing is a violent world.

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Mert Lawwill is a gentle
man in a violent world.

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His job as a professional racer
takes him on the road about

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eight months of the year,
following the national circuit.

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He leaves his family and
home in the suburb of

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San Francisco, called Tibron,
to compete for another season

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in 27 national championship
races across the United States.

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He and the rest of the
pros pile up their machines

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off starting lines in 16 states.

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80 horsepower engines
and 300 pound machines.

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That would be like having 2,000

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horsepower in your family car.

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To win the

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ride five different kinds of races.

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They each take different machines

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and different riding techniques.

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There are several hundred
professional AMA races

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in the United States,
but there's only about 15

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who have the ability
to win Mert's

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The riders are guys like Mert.

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Definitely not the Hollywood image,

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but highly skilled professionals.

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Like Dick Mann, a former
♪ 1, Gary Nixon, twice ♪1.

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Gene Romero.

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Cal Rayburn.

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Most are small, around 5'6 " or 5'8",

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and most are young
like Mark Belsford, 20.

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Dave Smith, 21.

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Dave Aldana, 20.

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Don Castro, 19.

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Keith Nashford, 20.

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Frank Gillespie, 22.

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Jim Odem, 23.

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Jim Rice, 23.

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Watching them in slow motion,
they look almost casual in

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their actions, but they're
doing over 100 miles an hour.

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Number 24, Jim Rice, number 14
in, the late Ken Pressgrove.

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They don't all make it
through each racing season.

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There are only a handful
of people in the world

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who have the courage and skill to ride

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a motorcycle like Mert
and these professionals.

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Even with their skill,
they get into trouble.

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The best thing to do to avoid a bad crash

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is to purposely lay the bike down,

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like John Hastie is doing
at 80 miles an hour.

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Keeping his cool and
checking traffic behind him.

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In car racing, you can make some

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small mistakes, like spinning out.

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In motorcycle racing, there's no

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such thing as a small mistake.

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Even laying it down
hurts, leathers and all.

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Most riders can expect to lay

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it down several times a season.

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Some of them are involved in
some unbelievable crashes.

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Keith Nashburn, number 30x,
went right through a 4x4 fence.

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Ten minutes later, he was
picking the straw out of his hair,

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and ten minutes after that,
he was back on the track,

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letting it hang out further than ever.

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If they didn't have the
ability to shake it off and get

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back on the track, they
wouldn't be professional racers.

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Frank Gillespie, a young California

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rider, had a bad one, too.

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Down on a dusty track and
out with a broken shoulder.

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Two weeks later he's back, ready to

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race again, broken shoulder and all.

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Gary Fisher is a good example of

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the incredible courage these racers have.

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He was involved in a horrible
crash in the Midwest.

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Amazingly, all the riders got up.

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Gary said he was all right.

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An hour later, he was taken to

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the hospital with a broken back.

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He soaked the cast off in the bathtub,

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put on a brace instead,
and within six weeks,

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would take the brace off and race.

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To win or keep

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compete in different types of races.

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One is road racing.

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Riding very special, highly-tuned

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machines with ferrings to cut the wind.

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Chin on a foam tank pad
with very precise methods

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of throttle, clutch, and brake.

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There are five road
races in the early part

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of the season, from March
to the first of June.

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Road racing is noisy,
precise, and very exacting.

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It's also a graceful and
beautiful thing to watch.

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Of the five road races
they ride, Daytona Beach,

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Florida, the is the Big
Daddy, with 30 degree

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bank turns and blinding speed.

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On the banks, there's so
much centripetal force,

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your suspension is
completely bottomed out.

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Your helmet's banging around,

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your eyes are forced into their sockets,

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and your vision is blurred.

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When you're watching from the stands,

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it's hard to believe that
coming off the banks,

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they're hitting 160 miles an hour.

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Oil on the track!

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Try jumping out of your car

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at 120 and you'll know how he felt.

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Miraculously, he didn't break a bone.

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Watch again in ultra-slow motion

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and you can see the abuse he took.

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His glove goes flying
30 feet down the track,

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takes a tremendous jolt...

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Watch his right leg get bent under.

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It's amazing it didn't break.

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Like all forms of racing,
road racing is precise.

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It's got a certain beauty to it

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and it's also very dangerous.

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This is the mile.

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The most incredible of
all dirt track racing.

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On the straight, Mert
hits 130 miles an hour

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and around 100 sliding the corners.

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Mert's teammate, kind of
protege, Mark Brelsford, number 87.

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Mark is spectacular on the mile.

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Most riders agree the
biggest thrill of all

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is to sit up at the end of the straight,

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and at 120, pitch it sideways.

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Mark laid out, feet up, out of the turn,

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100, 110, 120, and
back down the straight,

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tucked in to reduce the wind resistance.

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♪ K-C-A-C-L

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When Mert's not racing, he's
working on his machines.

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After each race, the engine is torn

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down and inspected piece by piece.

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It's a lot more complicated
than twisting nuts and bolts.

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For instance, each gear
in the transmission is

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ground down by hand to save
a few ounces of weight.

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If he can get a fraction of an
ounce off this cam follower,

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he can pick up a few extra RPMs,

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and that's an edge over the others.

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He spends hours alone in his garage,

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trying to figure out a way
to improve an engine part.

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Only another professional racer,

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who maintains his own
equipment like Mert,

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can really appreciate the work involved.

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He spends over a thousand hours

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a year working on his motorcycles.

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It's off to Columbus, Ohio.

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One of ten cross-country trips Mert makes

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during the eight month racing season.

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He drives his van over
70,000 miles a year,

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traveling with his friend
and helper, Jack Dunn.

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They don't stay in motels,
but drive 24 hours a day,

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stopping only to eat and refuel.

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Mert is totally dedicated
to his profession.

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He works at it seven days a week.

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He doesn't have time for
many outside interests.

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Motorcycle racing is his life.

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He grossed about $50,000 the year before,

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ended up with about
$20,000 after expenses.

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That's good money, but
not what it should be

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for the skill, knowledge,
and dedication he has.

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Let alone the risks.

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For most people, San Francisco to

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Columbus, Ohio, would be four days.

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For Mert and Jack, 27 hours nonstop.

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They don't arrive a day early and relax.

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The pit gates at 8:30,
they arrive at 8:30.

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An hour later, after driving all night,

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he's on the track going
sideways at 80 miles an hour.

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Before each race, there's
about an hour of practice.

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They aren't practicing riding,

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they're experimenting
with frame geometry,

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gearing, and tires most
suitable for this track.

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00:20:36,235 --> 00:20:37,535
There's a lot more to racing than

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holding the throttle wide open.

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Tires alone are an exact science to them.

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With different rubber compounds
and different tread designs.

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Even a pound or two
difference in air pressure

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makes a difference in handling.

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Before each race, they cut their tires

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with razor blades for added traction.

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Each rider has special
cuts and they change

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from hour to hour, depending
on the condition of the dirt.

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There are many things to
attend to before a race,

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like taping on these clear,
plastic strips called tear-offs.

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Some riders stack up five or
six and rip them off one-by-one

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as the flying dirt sticks
and obscures their vision.

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It's gotta be a real
thrill just to reach up

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and find that tab at 100 miles an hour.

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The last thing they strap on before

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a race is their steel skid shoe.

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Custom-made for each rider,
with the shape of the bottom

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sliding surface varied to
suit the rider's style.

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The 20 lap, half mile in Columbus, Ohio.

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Mert had won the race two years in a row.

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A win today would put him in good shape

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to keep his

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A $6,000 purse and 60 points.

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Mert wanted both.

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On the starting line,
watching for a flicker

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of movement from the flagman,
he's like a gunfighter.

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No show of emotion, not even a blink.

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Total concentration.

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Mert was riding
beautifully, stretching out

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00:23:01,781 --> 00:23:04,115
his lead, he'd done everything right.

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He'd chosen the right
tire, he'd picked up

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those extra few RPMs by
grinding down his cam follower.

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00:23:11,623 --> 00:23:14,225
His machine was perfectly
set up and he was

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riding like the national champ he is.

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The crowd, sensing
victory and urging him on.

252
00:23:29,108 --> 00:23:33,945
On the last lap, the pack
came around, but no Mert.

253
00:23:33,946 --> 00:23:36,147
Here he came in last
place, out of the race,

254
00:23:36,148 --> 00:23:38,183
with a broken throttle cable.

255
00:23:38,184 --> 00:23:39,685
A two dollar part.

256
00:23:41,387 --> 00:23:45,123
It cost him the 60 points
he needed and his share

257
00:23:45,124 --> 00:23:49,295
of the purse, instead of
several thousand, was $116.

258
00:23:52,664 --> 00:23:55,501
It was a pretty disappointing day.

259
00:24:00,072 --> 00:24:01,907
It would be tough, with the races left,

260
00:24:01,908 --> 00:24:04,643
to earn enough points to keep

261
00:24:07,646 --> 00:24:09,848
By Monday, Mert was back on
the road, heading for more

262
00:24:09,849 --> 00:24:14,020
races and hitting the gourmet
restaurants along the way.

263
00:24:15,454 --> 00:24:19,458
You may survive the race,
but not the restaurant.

264
00:24:23,495 --> 00:24:26,764
Mert went on to win three national races.

265
00:24:26,765 --> 00:24:30,937
He greatly enjoys the things
that come with winning.

266
00:24:35,741 --> 00:24:37,008
What followed him through the season

267
00:24:37,009 --> 00:24:41,012
was an unbelievable string of bad luck.

268
00:24:41,013 --> 00:24:44,549
He broke down in nearly
half the championship races.

269
00:24:44,550 --> 00:24:46,952
Often little things,
like a throttle cable,

270
00:24:46,953 --> 00:24:51,489
or an electrical short, or
a tire tread coming off.

271
00:24:51,490 --> 00:24:54,993
Here at Terra Haute, Indiana,
with a half a lap lead,

272
00:24:54,994 --> 00:24:58,729
Jack Dunn just knew
something would happen.

273
00:24:58,730 --> 00:24:59,998
And it did.

274
00:24:59,999 --> 00:25:03,302
Mert pulling off with
a broken crank shaft.

275
00:25:08,140 --> 00:25:11,210
He'd break, bounce back, break again,

276
00:25:12,344 --> 00:25:15,013
race again, but now it was too late.

277
00:25:15,014 --> 00:25:17,548
With the races left to
run, there was no way Mert

278
00:25:17,549 --> 00:25:21,553
could earn enough points
to regain his

279
00:25:28,494 --> 00:25:30,896
The plate he'd ridden 12 years to win,

280
00:25:30,897 --> 00:25:35,266
and had one season, he'd now
have to give to someone else.

281
00:25:35,267 --> 00:25:36,935
There were four riders
who had enough points

282
00:25:36,936 --> 00:25:39,804
to have a shot at ending up

283
00:25:39,805 --> 00:25:42,240
One was Mert's best
friend, Dick 'Bugsy' Mann,

284
00:25:42,241 --> 00:25:44,375
number 2, the veteran of the circuit.

285
00:25:44,376 --> 00:25:47,078
Not only excels at each
of the five AMA events,

286
00:25:47,079 --> 00:25:49,780
but is highly skilled
in motocross, as well.

287
00:25:49,781 --> 00:25:51,316
There's no one who's more respected by

288
00:25:51,317 --> 00:25:55,720
his fellow riders, and
the fans, than Dick Mann.

289
00:25:55,721 --> 00:25:58,190
On the BSA number 2, Dick 'Bugsy' Mann.

290
00:26:01,961 --> 00:26:04,829
The second rider
who could win the

291
00:26:04,830 --> 00:26:07,232
one of the youngest, 20
year old Dave Aldana,

292
00:26:07,233 --> 00:26:10,535
his first year as professional expert.

293
00:26:10,536 --> 00:26:14,706
David Aldana, the crazy kid
from Santa Ana, California.

294
00:26:18,044 --> 00:26:19,544
Off the track, he's conservative

295
00:26:19,545 --> 00:26:22,548
compared to his action on the track.

296
00:26:26,818 --> 00:26:28,886
He crashed 15 times during the year

297
00:26:28,887 --> 00:26:33,059
at speeds up to 120 miles
an hour and was never hurt.

298
00:26:33,926 --> 00:26:35,094
David said, "You never know how

299
00:26:35,095 --> 00:26:38,496
"fast you can go
until you fall down."

300
00:26:38,497 --> 00:26:41,599
If he didn't crash, he often won.

301
00:26:41,600 --> 00:26:44,569
The third rider in
contention was Gene Romero.

302
00:26:44,570 --> 00:26:46,104
Gene's nickname is Burrito.

303
00:26:46,105 --> 00:26:49,007
He's the most flamboyant of
all the professional racers,

304
00:26:49,008 --> 00:26:51,342
but is very serious about his racing,

305
00:26:51,343 --> 00:26:53,278
particularly late in the season when

306
00:26:53,279 --> 00:26:55,614
he wanted the points for

307
00:27:02,888 --> 00:27:03,855
I don't want to hurt anybody,

308
00:27:03,855 --> 00:27:05,024
but I just want to get out there

309
00:27:05,025 --> 00:27:08,027
and I gotta get third, no matter what.

310
00:27:09,996 --> 00:27:11,496
It's gonna be either one.

311
00:27:11,497 --> 00:27:13,164
I've gotta get third or come
and visit me at the hospital.

312
00:27:13,165 --> 00:27:15,001
I dig carnations, man.

313
00:27:16,868 --> 00:27:18,103
The fourth and final

314
00:27:18,104 --> 00:27:20,638
rider who could be

315
00:27:20,639 --> 00:27:22,540
Jim, the winningest rider on the circuit,

316
00:27:22,541 --> 00:27:25,110
had taken the checkered flag six times,

317
00:27:25,111 --> 00:27:29,414
as many times as anyone
ever had in a season.

318
00:27:29,415 --> 00:27:31,749
The

319
00:27:31,750 --> 00:27:34,853
Sacramento, California, in September.

320
00:27:40,226 --> 00:27:41,926
Quite different from
the national circuit is

321
00:27:41,927 --> 00:27:45,031
the On Any Sunday World of Motocross.

322
00:27:52,671 --> 00:27:54,905
A motocross track is uphill, downhill,

323
00:27:54,906 --> 00:27:57,542
jumps, bumps, mud, rocks, and dust.

324
00:27:57,543 --> 00:27:59,545
The rougher, the better.

325
00:28:11,957 --> 00:28:14,059
Competition is still
the name of the game.

326
00:28:14,060 --> 00:28:15,593
It doesn't matter whether you're battling

327
00:28:15,594 --> 00:28:18,864
for first or 31st, it's just as fierce.

328
00:28:20,099 --> 00:28:23,534
Here's a classic
confrontation for tenth place.

329
00:28:23,535 --> 00:28:25,736
The guy in the yellow
figures he'll zap his buddy

330
00:28:25,737 --> 00:28:27,838
through the puddle and
cover his glasses with

331
00:28:27,839 --> 00:28:31,976
mud and water, so he can't see,
and that'll put him behind.

332
00:28:31,977 --> 00:28:35,913
But his pal just threw away
his $40 prescription lenses

333
00:28:35,914 --> 00:28:39,751
and passed him right
back again on the corner.

334
00:28:47,626 --> 00:28:49,227
When some riders start getting behind,

335
00:28:49,228 --> 00:28:53,864
they panic and try a shortcut
through the giggle weeds.

336
00:28:53,865 --> 00:28:58,036
When they can no longer race,
it's simple frustration.

337
00:29:03,609 --> 00:29:06,911
Getting your bike stuck
in the mud is bad enough.

338
00:29:06,912 --> 00:29:10,916
Getting your body stuck
in the mud is the worst.

339
00:29:14,186 --> 00:29:18,357
Especially when it's your
girlfriend who has to dig you out.

340
00:29:29,000 --> 00:29:30,868
Everyone makes mistakes riding motocross,

341
00:29:30,869 --> 00:29:32,737
even world champion Bengt Aberg,

342
00:29:32,738 --> 00:29:35,473
here going over the handlebars.

343
00:29:35,474 --> 00:29:37,007
Somehow, when Aberg gets off, he does

344
00:29:37,008 --> 00:29:39,677
it with a certain style and grace.

345
00:29:39,678 --> 00:29:41,146
Everyone crashes now and then,

346
00:29:41,147 --> 00:29:43,814
but not often with style and grace.

347
00:29:43,815 --> 00:29:47,286
More often, the classic flying W.

348
00:31:15,941 --> 00:31:19,844
Missing a turn and going off
the course is a common error.

349
00:31:19,845 --> 00:31:22,747
The classic was this guy, running 8th,

350
00:31:22,748 --> 00:31:26,918
who cut the course and
nailed his buddy running 3rd.

351
00:31:32,758 --> 00:31:33,692
Son of a bitch!

352
00:31:33,693 --> 00:31:36,262
What the hell were you thinking?

353
00:31:43,302 --> 00:31:44,270
You wonder how they

354
00:31:44,271 --> 00:31:46,738
get into the positions they do.

355
00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,977
The one kid was laughing so
hard, he got stomach cramps.

356
00:32:05,156 --> 00:32:06,391
Thousands off riders compete

357
00:32:06,392 --> 00:32:08,593
in motocross in the United States.

358
00:32:08,594 --> 00:32:11,029
One of them is Steve McQueen.

359
00:32:12,498 --> 00:32:14,064
On the starting line, he's not an actor

360
00:32:14,065 --> 00:32:18,069
out for a ride, he's
100% motorcycle racer.

361
00:32:28,914 --> 00:32:31,316
There's no one with a
more competitive instinct.

362
00:32:31,317 --> 00:32:33,217
When he gets on his race face,

363
00:32:33,218 --> 00:32:35,420
the world could be
falling down around him,

364
00:32:35,421 --> 00:32:37,856
but all he sees is the track.

365
00:32:43,295 --> 00:32:45,763
A one million dollar body out there,

366
00:32:45,764 --> 00:32:47,398
with a possibility of being used

367
00:32:47,399 --> 00:32:51,035
by someone for traction in a corner.

368
00:32:51,036 --> 00:32:53,638
If the movie studio moguls
realized what he was

369
00:32:53,639 --> 00:32:57,809
doing on a Sunday afternoon,
they'd have a coronary.

370
00:33:10,188 --> 00:33:12,289
The two best motocross
riders in the world

371
00:33:12,290 --> 00:33:16,394
are Bengt Aberg, 500cc
World Champion from Sweden,

372
00:33:16,395 --> 00:33:20,566
and Joel Robert, 250cc
World Champion from Belgium.

373
00:33:21,967 --> 00:33:23,768
Joel Robert, number 17, is a

374
00:33:23,769 --> 00:33:26,438
national sports hero in Belgium.

375
00:33:32,177 --> 00:33:34,311
Motocross races in Europe sometimes draw

376
00:33:34,312 --> 00:33:38,115
crowds of over a hundred thousand people.

377
00:33:38,116 --> 00:33:39,850
In Joel's home country of Belgium,

378
00:33:39,851 --> 00:33:41,586
fans have been known to lay in the track

379
00:33:41,587 --> 00:33:45,656
in front of other
riders to help Joel win.

380
00:33:45,657 --> 00:33:48,326
Except he doesn't need any help.

381
00:33:55,901 --> 00:34:00,071
With a
Aberg, 500cc World Champion,

382
00:34:01,239 --> 00:34:03,307
his riding skill is unbelievable.

383
00:34:03,308 --> 00:34:07,244
Here, using power to
straighten himself out.

384
00:34:07,245 --> 00:34:09,346
Scientific tests have
been made and motocross

385
00:34:09,347 --> 00:34:11,348
was found to be the
second most physically

386
00:34:11,349 --> 00:34:15,521
demanding sport in the
world, following only soccer.

387
00:34:16,922 --> 00:34:18,923
After 30 minutes of racing,
even a rider in perfect

388
00:34:18,924 --> 00:34:22,660
condition, like Bengt Aberg,
is almost totally exhausted.

389
00:34:22,661 --> 00:34:24,895
He's got maybe an hour
to rest between races,

390
00:34:24,896 --> 00:34:27,899
then do it again, three times a day.

391
00:34:34,540 --> 00:34:38,108
Motocross races run in
all kinds of weather.

392
00:34:38,109 --> 00:34:40,077
It's a race against the other man,

393
00:34:40,078 --> 00:34:44,249
but even more, it's man's battle
against the course itself.

394
00:34:45,383 --> 00:34:48,519
There's a certain brutal
beauty to motocross

395
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,690
that you can only see in slow motion.

396
00:36:31,990 --> 00:36:34,458
The classic example of the
Sunday competitor who rides

397
00:36:34,459 --> 00:36:38,630
for fun, with his usual
ear-to-ear grin, is Malcolm Smith.

398
00:36:39,965 --> 00:36:41,866
The only thing different
between Malcolm and the rest of

399
00:36:41,867 --> 00:36:45,269
the Sunday competitors is
Malcolm rides a greater variety

400
00:36:45,270 --> 00:36:48,739
of events, something
different almost every Sunday.

401
00:36:48,740 --> 00:36:49,808
He seems to enjoy it more than

402
00:36:49,809 --> 00:36:52,310
anyone and he's also the best.

403
00:36:58,650 --> 00:37:02,086
Back in 1968, when being
interviewed by Wide World of Sports

404
00:37:02,087 --> 00:37:04,354
about his amazing
performance the year before

405
00:37:04,355 --> 00:37:08,526
in the Mexican 1,000, he didn't
talk about how tough it was.

406
00:37:09,460 --> 00:37:12,096
Instead, typical Malcolm...

407
00:37:12,097 --> 00:37:14,198
Did you have any adventures
during that 9 hours

408
00:37:14,199 --> 00:37:16,500
and something last in this
wild country down there?

409
00:37:16,501 --> 00:37:20,004
No, it was easy going down,
but it was hard coming back.

410
00:37:20,005 --> 00:37:23,107
We had an old Volkswagen
that a friend of mine

411
00:37:23,108 --> 00:37:25,776
drove down there, my co-driver this year.

412
00:37:25,777 --> 00:37:28,378
And we started back and it gave up on us

413
00:37:28,379 --> 00:37:31,649
and we rode on a turtle
truck with live sea turtles.

414
00:37:31,650 --> 00:37:35,252
On the top of the turtles,
all the way, for five days.

415
00:37:35,253 --> 00:37:36,754
On the top of the live turtles?

416
00:37:36,755 --> 00:37:38,322
Top of the live turtles.

417
00:37:38,323 --> 00:37:41,291
And it smelled very bad all the way back.

418
00:37:41,292 --> 00:37:43,460
On the starting
line, most riders are nervous.

419
00:37:43,461 --> 00:37:45,964
Malcolm's usually got a smile.

420
00:37:49,267 --> 00:37:51,736
Of the many events Malcolm
rides, he's particularly

421
00:37:51,737 --> 00:37:54,138
outstanding in the rugged,
off-road races like the

422
00:37:54,139 --> 00:37:58,309
Mint 400, a 400 mile race
through the desert near Las Vegas.

423
00:37:59,678 --> 00:38:02,146
Like riding from San
Francisco to Los Angeles,

424
00:38:02,147 --> 00:38:04,314
through the roughest imaginable terrain

425
00:38:04,315 --> 00:38:06,918
and averaging 50 miles an hour.

426
00:38:08,887 --> 00:38:11,622
The race goes on night and
day and when it's all over,

427
00:38:11,623 --> 00:38:14,659
and the other riders are almost
in shock from exhaustion,

428
00:38:14,660 --> 00:38:16,026
there stands Malcolm in the middle

429
00:38:16,027 --> 00:38:18,429
of the night with a big grin.

430
00:38:21,566 --> 00:38:23,901
Malcolm is king of the Mexican 1,000.

431
00:38:23,902 --> 00:38:25,870
A 1,000 mile off-road race down

432
00:38:25,871 --> 00:38:28,906
the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico.

433
00:38:28,907 --> 00:38:32,342
He goes so fast, he should
be in a class by himself.

434
00:38:32,343 --> 00:38:34,912
One year, he drove a dune buggy,
to see what that was like,

435
00:38:34,913 --> 00:38:37,081
and was running 2nd before he broke down.

436
00:38:37,082 --> 00:38:39,316
Here again, at a pit stop, he didn't say,

437
00:38:39,317 --> 00:38:41,752
"Dust, tough, tired."

438
00:38:41,753 --> 00:38:44,354
Instead, typical Malcolm.

439
00:38:44,355 --> 00:38:45,555
Looked like you

440
00:38:45,556 --> 00:38:46,491
were having a good time, Malcolm.

441
00:38:46,492 --> 00:38:47,692
Oh, great, lots of fun.

442
00:38:47,693 --> 00:38:49,293
See any incidents out
there, any problems?

443
00:38:49,294 --> 00:38:50,494
Nope, nope.

444
00:38:50,495 --> 00:38:51,829
Turn around this way for just a second.

445
00:38:51,830 --> 00:38:55,199
The only one I ever
see is Larry Berquist.

446
00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:56,234
Yeah, they're up ahead of you still.

447
00:38:56,235 --> 00:38:57,467
Yeah, yeah, we know.

448
00:38:57,468 --> 00:39:00,371
We can't keep up with a motorcycle.

449
00:39:01,840 --> 00:39:03,373
He couldn't keep up with a motorcycle

450
00:39:03,374 --> 00:39:06,443
that year, but every other
year, the lone dust crown

451
00:39:06,444 --> 00:39:10,615
across Lake Chapala was Malcolm
Smith and his motorcycle.

452
00:39:14,252 --> 00:39:15,686
He never failed to lead.

453
00:39:15,687 --> 00:39:17,254
One year, he was two hours ahead of the

454
00:39:17,255 --> 00:39:19,890
next machine at the
halfway point and rode

455
00:39:19,891 --> 00:39:23,328
the final 200 miles on a flat front tire.

456
00:39:25,063 --> 00:39:27,898
The rougher and tougher
the event, the more skill

457
00:39:27,899 --> 00:39:32,069
and human endurance it takes,
the better Malcolm likes it.

458
00:39:32,070 --> 00:39:36,074
As he would say himself,
"That was really neat."

459
00:39:40,779 --> 00:39:42,980
El Escorial, Spain, near Madrid,

460
00:39:42,981 --> 00:39:45,850
the sight of the
international Six Day Trials.

461
00:39:45,851 --> 00:39:48,252
The ultimate test of man and machine.

462
00:39:48,253 --> 00:39:50,620
The Six Day Trials is
the Olympic games of

463
00:39:50,621 --> 00:39:54,524
motorcycle sport, held for the 45th year.

464
00:39:54,525 --> 00:39:58,628
348 riders from 16 countries
have gathered to compete.

465
00:39:58,629 --> 00:40:01,065
Among them, Malcolm Smith.

466
00:40:01,066 --> 00:40:02,499
Here getting his bike inspected

467
00:40:02,500 --> 00:40:05,336
and marked prior to the first day.

468
00:40:06,772 --> 00:40:09,339
Each part of the motorcycle is
marked with a special paint.

469
00:40:09,340 --> 00:40:11,041
In six days of riding, no part can

470
00:40:11,042 --> 00:40:14,212
be changed without being disqualified.

471
00:40:15,380 --> 00:40:16,814
Even internal engine parts are

472
00:40:16,815 --> 00:40:19,484
marked and the engine is sealed.

473
00:40:21,052 --> 00:40:22,619
The only parts that can be changed

474
00:40:22,620 --> 00:40:26,391
are control cables,
chains, tires, and tubes.

475
00:40:27,625 --> 00:40:29,526
At 6:45 in the
morning, the first

476
00:40:29,527 --> 00:40:31,561
of the riders get underway.

477
00:40:31,562 --> 00:40:33,397
They leave four per minute.

478
00:40:33,398 --> 00:40:36,033
The colors on their helmets
denote the rider's country:

479
00:40:36,034 --> 00:40:40,205
Germans in white, Spanish
in yellow, Italians red,

480
00:40:41,639 --> 00:40:44,976
English green, Czechoslovakians in blue,

481
00:40:45,977 --> 00:40:48,646
the Swedes with yellow and blue.

482
00:40:50,148 --> 00:40:53,852
Malcolm, number 242 would be
starting on the 60th minute.

483
00:40:55,420 --> 00:40:57,287
Of all the events Malcolm rides,

484
00:40:57,288 --> 00:40:59,891
this is the only one he
takes very seriously.

485
00:41:16,507 --> 00:41:17,942
There's no prize money involved.

486
00:41:17,943 --> 00:41:21,645
The top prize for an individual
rider is a gold medal.

487
00:41:21,646 --> 00:41:24,949
Off goes Malcolm and 348
others through the countryside

488
00:41:24,950 --> 00:41:28,954
of Spain, the beginning
of a grueling adventure.

489
00:41:30,655 --> 00:41:32,622
The concept of the event is quite simple.

490
00:41:32,623 --> 00:41:35,492
To ride about 200 miles per day for six

491
00:41:35,493 --> 00:41:39,663
straight days and keep on
a prescribed time schedule.

492
00:41:39,664 --> 00:41:41,999
The trouble is, none but
the best can keep up the

493
00:41:42,000 --> 00:41:45,735
time schedule and these riders
are the best in the world.

494
00:41:45,736 --> 00:41:49,140
It's an honor just to be
selected to ride the six days.

495
00:41:54,079 --> 00:41:57,081
You go through a series
of checkpoints each day.

496
00:41:57,082 --> 00:41:58,482
You can get there early, but you can't

497
00:41:58,483 --> 00:42:01,451
clock through until
your prescribed minute.

498
00:42:01,452 --> 00:42:02,719
You lose one mark for each

499
00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:04,855
minute you're late to any checkpoint.

500
00:42:04,856 --> 00:42:08,125
In all, there are 65 time checks.

501
00:42:08,126 --> 00:42:09,426
If you're only one minute late to

502
00:42:09,427 --> 00:42:11,929
any one of these, you lose a mark.

503
00:42:11,930 --> 00:42:13,363
To win a gold medal, you can't lose

504
00:42:13,364 --> 00:42:16,367
a single mark in six days of riding.

505
00:42:17,969 --> 00:42:19,803
It's hard to appreciate the difficulty

506
00:42:19,804 --> 00:42:21,605
of the six days without being there.

507
00:42:21,606 --> 00:42:23,773
It's hard to realize just how long

508
00:42:23,774 --> 00:42:26,711
six days on a motorcycle really is.

509
00:42:31,082 --> 00:42:33,083
The best riders are
usually the Europeans.

510
00:42:33,084 --> 00:42:35,886
Most are paid a salary
year-round to ride.

511
00:42:35,887 --> 00:42:37,888
A gold medal at the Six Day Trials

512
00:42:37,889 --> 00:42:41,291
sells a lot of motorcycles in Europe.

513
00:42:41,292 --> 00:42:42,492
Malcolm isn't paid.

514
00:42:42,493 --> 00:42:44,394
In fact, he pays all his own expenses

515
00:42:44,395 --> 00:42:46,997
just to go over there and compete.

516
00:42:46,998 --> 00:42:48,532
During the competition, the temperatures

517
00:42:48,533 --> 00:42:51,536
range from 80 degrees to 20 degrees.

518
00:42:55,206 --> 00:42:58,775
They went from 2,000
feet to over 8,000 feet,

519
00:42:58,776 --> 00:43:02,613
riding in the clouds in
the mountains of Spain.

520
00:43:04,415 --> 00:43:06,750
Of the 1,200 miles the event covers,

521
00:43:06,751 --> 00:43:10,154
about 800 of it is trails like this.

522
00:43:10,155 --> 00:43:13,590
They may last for 40
miles, on the foot peg,

523
00:43:13,591 --> 00:43:17,195
maneuvering like six
days on a bongo board.

524
00:43:18,396 --> 00:43:21,431
The speed average:
24 miles an hour.

525
00:43:21,432 --> 00:43:23,768
But very few can keep it up.

526
00:43:27,038 --> 00:43:28,738
All work on the machine must be done by

527
00:43:28,739 --> 00:43:32,776
the contestant himself
with no outside help.

528
00:43:32,777 --> 00:43:34,378
The bikes are locked up except during the

529
00:43:34,379 --> 00:43:37,481
time you're riding against the clock.

530
00:43:37,482 --> 00:43:39,950
The only time to make
repairs or adjustments

531
00:43:39,951 --> 00:43:43,988
is if you can get ahead of
schedule and stop to do it.

532
00:43:43,989 --> 00:43:46,290
If you can't change a
tire in four minutes,

533
00:43:46,291 --> 00:43:49,493
you're not competitive
in the Six Day Trials.

534
00:43:49,494 --> 00:43:50,794
The only tools you can use for

535
00:43:50,795 --> 00:43:53,864
anything are what you carry with you.

536
00:43:56,034 --> 00:43:57,567
If anyone hands you a tool or helps

537
00:43:57,568 --> 00:44:01,271
you in any way, you're disqualified.

538
00:44:01,272 --> 00:44:03,240
If you keep your bike
together, change tires

539
00:44:03,241 --> 00:44:06,510
fast enough, keep on
time, and lose no marks,

540
00:44:06,511 --> 00:44:09,013
you still haven't won a gold medal.

541
00:44:09,014 --> 00:44:11,315
You have to compete in a
series of special tests

542
00:44:11,316 --> 00:44:14,551
at the end of each days' riding.

543
00:44:14,552 --> 00:44:17,321
One is this 200 meter acceleration test.

544
00:44:17,322 --> 00:44:21,225
Clocked top speed at the end
earns needed bonus points,

545
00:44:21,226 --> 00:44:23,593
except there's a sound meter in that tent

546
00:44:23,594 --> 00:44:25,862
and if you make too much noise going by,

547
00:44:25,863 --> 00:44:29,634
bonus points are subtracted
instead of added.

548
00:44:34,839 --> 00:44:37,207
Another special test
at the end of each day

549
00:44:37,208 --> 00:44:40,444
is a five mile timed cross-country route.

550
00:44:40,445 --> 00:44:43,113
Sort of a motocross against the clock.

551
00:44:43,114 --> 00:44:46,383
The fastest times earn
the most bonus points.

552
00:44:46,384 --> 00:44:48,452
And to earn enough bonus
points for a gold medal,

553
00:44:48,453 --> 00:44:52,056
you have to be in the top 30%.

554
00:44:52,057 --> 00:44:54,224
The motorcycles have mufflers and lights,

555
00:44:54,225 --> 00:44:56,093
which are under the number plate.

556
00:44:56,094 --> 00:44:58,862
You can be stopped at any time
and have your light checked.

557
00:44:58,863 --> 00:45:00,130
If it doesn't work, you have to

558
00:45:00,131 --> 00:45:02,900
stay there until you make it work.

559
00:45:05,336 --> 00:45:06,736
In this special test, Malcolm has

560
00:45:06,737 --> 00:45:09,339
to go fast, but not too fast.

561
00:45:09,340 --> 00:45:12,942
He's got to save the machine,
he's got to save his body.

562
00:45:12,943 --> 00:45:15,280
There are more days to come.

563
00:45:20,818 --> 00:45:22,286
Day after day, Malcolm left in

564
00:45:22,287 --> 00:45:24,921
the morning chill from El Escorial.

565
00:45:24,922 --> 00:45:27,325
Stiff and sore, but on time.

566
00:45:32,197 --> 00:45:33,563
Each day, he left to do battle with

567
00:45:33,564 --> 00:45:36,466
the clock and the elements of Spain.

568
00:45:36,467 --> 00:45:40,470
Mostly fatigue in his face, but on time.

569
00:45:40,471 --> 00:45:43,407
The six days, more than
any event, tests a man's

570
00:45:43,408 --> 00:45:47,244
all-around ability, his
riding, his endurance,

571
00:45:47,245 --> 00:45:49,879
mechanical skill, and
his ability to think

572
00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:53,183
clearly when tremendously fatigued.

573
00:45:53,184 --> 00:45:55,319
If you do everything
right, don't make one

574
00:45:55,320 --> 00:45:59,556
mistake in six days,
you win this gold medal.

575
00:45:59,557 --> 00:46:03,127
Malcolm won one in Poland,
he won one in Germany,

576
00:46:03,128 --> 00:46:06,631
and he won this one
in El Escorial, Spain.

577
00:46:13,538 --> 00:46:16,206
Back in the United
States, what's Malcolm do?

578
00:46:16,207 --> 00:46:17,707
Heads for another motorcycle race

579
00:46:17,708 --> 00:46:21,077
with his friend, Steve McQueen.

580
00:46:21,078 --> 00:46:24,149
The event is the Elsinore Grand Prix.

581
00:46:25,783 --> 00:46:28,485
1,500 motorcyclists line up in the

582
00:46:28,486 --> 00:46:30,855
main street waiting for the start.

583
00:46:45,903 --> 00:46:50,074
1,500 riders and 50,000
spectators fill the little town.

584
00:46:51,776 --> 00:46:54,778
It's a 100 mile race through
the streets of the city

585
00:46:54,779 --> 00:46:58,315
and into the foothills outside of town.

586
00:46:58,316 --> 00:47:01,185
The average age of the
2,000 Elsinore residents

587
00:47:01,186 --> 00:47:03,553
is 60 years old and it's the only town

588
00:47:03,554 --> 00:47:06,022
in America that welcomes such an event.

589
00:47:06,023 --> 00:47:09,594
The residents love it
and so do the riders.

590
00:47:16,401 --> 00:47:19,236
Malcolm will be starting
in the second row,

591
00:47:19,237 --> 00:47:22,006
Steve starting in the fourth row.

592
00:47:23,308 --> 00:47:25,375
Held back by a rope, riders leave at

593
00:47:25,376 --> 00:47:28,345
ten second intervals, ten abreast.

594
00:47:28,346 --> 00:47:30,214
It was supposed to be
ten second intervals,

595
00:47:30,215 --> 00:47:33,817
but it got a lot shorter than that.

596
00:47:33,818 --> 00:47:35,385
You could tell the most eager riders

597
00:47:35,386 --> 00:47:38,055
by the rope burns on their neck.

598
00:47:50,401 --> 00:47:53,437
By the time the race was two miles old,

599
00:47:53,438 --> 00:47:57,608
Malcolm passing the last
rider and taking the lead.

600
00:47:59,510 --> 00:48:03,447
It had rained a few days before
and there was a big puddle.

601
00:48:03,448 --> 00:48:05,282
As the pack came thundering through,

602
00:48:05,283 --> 00:48:08,752
the water puddle turned
into a mud puddle.

603
00:48:08,753 --> 00:48:11,288
Then it turned into a mud hole.

604
00:48:11,289 --> 00:48:13,223
The first 200 riders made it through,

605
00:48:13,224 --> 00:48:17,428
but for the 1,300 yet to
come, it was all stopped.

606
00:48:38,616 --> 00:48:40,817
There's no money involved in the race.

607
00:48:40,818 --> 00:48:43,219
A trophy for the winner.

608
00:48:43,220 --> 00:48:47,392
In fact, they pay a $15 entry
fee for the honor of riding.

609
00:48:51,296 --> 00:48:52,562
While they were getting
out of the mud hole,

610
00:48:52,563 --> 00:48:55,900
Malcolm had opened up a commanding lead.

611
00:49:01,739 --> 00:49:03,973
Malcolm rides so smoothly
and effortlessly,

612
00:49:03,974 --> 00:49:06,343
he doesn't appear to be going very fast.

613
00:49:06,344 --> 00:49:07,278
He is.

614
00:49:07,279 --> 00:49:09,947
There's 1,499 riders behind him.

615
00:49:11,582 --> 00:49:14,083
When he came back through town
at the end of the first lap,

616
00:49:14,084 --> 00:49:18,255
he was so far ahead, there
were no other riders in sight.

617
00:49:32,036 --> 00:49:33,903
For the rest of the riders
thundering through town,

618
00:49:33,904 --> 00:49:35,739
it was sport for the spectators to see if

619
00:49:35,740 --> 00:49:37,006
they could get across the street

620
00:49:37,007 --> 00:49:40,445
before they got run over by a motorcycle.

621
00:49:47,685 --> 00:49:49,018
Everyone rides Elsinore.

622
00:49:49,019 --> 00:49:50,320
If there's one event you ride a year,

623
00:49:50,321 --> 00:49:52,356
it's usually the Elsinore Grand Prix.

624
00:49:52,357 --> 00:49:56,527
People of all ages, girls,
the pig farmer from Marietta.

625
00:49:59,864 --> 00:50:02,699
There's only about 200 riders
who are seriously competitive.

626
00:50:02,700 --> 00:50:05,769
For the rest, it's a
great Sunday adventure.

627
00:50:05,770 --> 00:50:08,137
Doing wheelies through town
to dazzle their friends,

628
00:50:08,138 --> 00:50:10,875
bouncing off any object in sight,

629
00:50:12,076 --> 00:50:14,611
missing half the corners
and ripping out ten

630
00:50:14,612 --> 00:50:18,783
miles of banners and dragging
them back through town.

631
00:50:20,785 --> 00:50:22,285
The people of Elsinore can't believe

632
00:50:22,286 --> 00:50:24,789
what's going on in their town.

633
00:50:31,295 --> 00:50:32,262
They pull a chair up in their front

634
00:50:32,263 --> 00:50:34,932
yard and have a grandstand seat.

635
00:50:59,156 --> 00:51:01,425
Number 48, Steve McQueen, entered

636
00:51:01,426 --> 00:51:04,093
under the name of Harvey Mushman.

637
00:51:04,094 --> 00:51:05,795
But it didn't take
long for the spectators

638
00:51:05,796 --> 00:51:09,066
to figure out who number 48 really was.

639
00:51:11,268 --> 00:51:15,472
She was dazzled, but her
husband wasn't too impressed.

640
00:51:15,473 --> 00:51:17,307
Yeah, I could do that.

641
00:51:21,612 --> 00:51:23,847
Steve really earned the
respect of his fellow riders.

642
00:51:23,848 --> 00:51:27,083
Some of them didn't realize
what a good rider he really is.

643
00:51:27,084 --> 00:51:29,419
His car racing experience
gives him the ability

644
00:51:29,420 --> 00:51:33,190
to pick the perfect line
through the corners.

645
00:51:46,203 --> 00:51:48,938
In a subsequent Elsinore
race, Steve crashed, broke his

646
00:51:48,939 --> 00:51:53,110
foot, got up and finished
8th, broken foot and all.

647
00:52:02,019 --> 00:52:04,153
It was Malcolm Smith's day.

648
00:52:04,154 --> 00:52:05,354
When Malcolm passes you, it's a

649
00:52:05,355 --> 00:52:07,992
mistake to try and stay with him.

650
00:52:13,363 --> 00:52:14,764
In the lead, but still time for a

651
00:52:14,765 --> 00:52:17,668
wave to a friend beside the course.

652
00:52:23,340 --> 00:52:26,476
Malcolm's got an uncanny sense
for doing the right thing.

653
00:52:26,477 --> 00:52:28,478
Here, swerving off the
course, through a hole

654
00:52:28,479 --> 00:52:30,647
in the barbed wire fence, and around

655
00:52:30,648 --> 00:52:33,083
the now cleaned out mud hole.

656
00:52:39,824 --> 00:52:42,291
Back through the fence
again without missing a beat

657
00:52:42,292 --> 00:52:45,295
and passing six guys in the process.

658
00:52:51,602 --> 00:52:52,936
What's a guy who rides motorcycles

659
00:52:52,937 --> 00:52:55,071
every Sunday do for a living?

660
00:52:55,072 --> 00:52:57,642
Malcolm owns a motorcycle shop.

661
00:53:06,216 --> 00:53:09,620
In ten laps, Malcolm passed 7,000 riders,

662
00:53:10,555 --> 00:53:13,122
some of them three times.

663
00:53:13,123 --> 00:53:17,426
Malcolm almost never makes
a bobble or a mistake.

664
00:53:17,427 --> 00:53:21,599
It's about 200 feet down
off the side of the road.

665
00:53:38,949 --> 00:53:41,651
When it was all over,
it was Malcolm Smith.

666
00:53:41,652 --> 00:53:44,453
There he stood in the pits
with his ear-to-ear grin.

667
00:53:44,454 --> 00:53:46,624
He didn't even look tired.

668
00:53:47,992 --> 00:53:50,794
Steve turned in a great
ride, finishing 10th overall,

669
00:53:50,795 --> 00:53:52,228
riding against the best riders in

670
00:53:52,229 --> 00:53:55,198
the country for this kind of event.

671
00:53:55,199 --> 00:53:57,767
Every time I start thinking
the world is all bad,

672
00:53:57,768 --> 00:53:59,769
then I start seeing some people
out there having a good time

673
00:53:59,770 --> 00:54:02,505
on a motorcycle and it
makes me take another look.

674
00:54:02,506 --> 00:54:03,841
It was good fun.

675
00:54:08,579 --> 00:54:10,013
There are a lot of things that are

676
00:54:10,014 --> 00:54:12,849
good fun on a motorcycle,
like sidecar racing.

677
00:54:12,850 --> 00:54:14,951
So specialized, that only about 200

678
00:54:14,952 --> 00:54:17,788
people do it in the United States.

679
00:54:21,992 --> 00:54:23,793
The passenger is called the monkey,

680
00:54:23,794 --> 00:54:26,296
he's usually flat on one side.

681
00:54:38,943 --> 00:54:40,576
Motorcycle drag racing is another

682
00:54:40,577 --> 00:54:43,814
highly specialized form of competition.

683
00:54:51,555 --> 00:54:55,726
They hit speeds of 160 miles
an hour in the quarter mile.

684
00:55:00,665 --> 00:55:02,666
Before they leave the
line, they burn their tires

685
00:55:02,667 --> 00:55:06,302
to get them hot and sticky
for better traction.

686
00:55:06,303 --> 00:55:10,807
This guy was going to donate
his lungs to the Mayo clinic.

687
00:55:10,808 --> 00:55:12,842
Special machines and riders who usually

688
00:55:12,843 --> 00:55:15,478
specialize in nothing but drag racing.

689
00:55:15,479 --> 00:55:17,480
It's won or lost in a
hundredth of a second

690
00:55:17,481 --> 00:55:20,484
at the finish, or even at the start.

691
00:55:27,057 --> 00:55:28,557
Probably the least number of people

692
00:55:28,558 --> 00:55:33,229
in all of motorcycle sport
race their motorcycles on ice.

693
00:55:33,230 --> 00:55:36,766
Quebec City, Canada, is the site of one.

694
00:55:36,767 --> 00:55:38,601
The fans try to stay alive in the

695
00:55:38,602 --> 00:55:41,105
ten degree below zero weather.

696
00:55:47,311 --> 00:55:49,178
The riders wear leather masks to keep

697
00:55:49,179 --> 00:55:51,014
their faces from
freezing and protect them

698
00:55:51,015 --> 00:55:54,351
from cuts from flying ice off the track.

699
00:55:55,986 --> 00:56:00,824
Two inch spikes in the tires
for traction on the ice.

700
00:56:00,825 --> 00:56:04,060
Before a race, they have to be wondering,

701
00:56:04,061 --> 00:56:08,065
it would be like getting
run over by a buzz saw.

702
00:56:12,136 --> 00:56:14,570
If you go down, the main
thought is to get off the track,

703
00:56:14,571 --> 00:56:18,207
because there's more buzz saws coming.

704
00:56:18,208 --> 00:56:19,608
This guy set a world record for a

705
00:56:19,609 --> 00:56:22,679
20 foot crawl on his hands and knees.

706
00:56:25,783 --> 00:56:28,251
They hit tremendous speeds
on this half mile ice track.

707
00:56:28,252 --> 00:56:31,655
20 second lap times, averaging almost 80.

708
00:56:35,425 --> 00:56:40,096
Absolutely no wheels spin
with those spiked tires.

709
00:56:40,097 --> 00:56:42,966
They ride with different
styles - some foot down,

710
00:56:42,967 --> 00:56:47,137
dirt track style, others slide
on a knee on a hockey pad.

711
00:56:48,939 --> 00:56:51,540
There's only about 50 or
60 people who ice race in

712
00:56:51,541 --> 00:56:56,112
North America and only a
couple of big ice races a year.

713
00:56:56,113 --> 00:57:00,284
It's popular in certain parts
of Europe, especially Russia.

714
00:57:01,752 --> 00:57:04,187
Ice racing in Canada, ten degrees

715
00:57:04,188 --> 00:57:07,457
below zero, in the middle of a snowstorm.

716
00:57:14,965 --> 00:57:18,467
From ten degrees below
to 115 degrees above

717
00:57:18,468 --> 00:57:20,569
at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah,

718
00:57:20,570 --> 00:57:23,739
where once again, men
on motorcycles compete,

719
00:57:23,740 --> 00:57:25,809
trying to set speed records.

720
00:57:25,810 --> 00:57:28,611
Once a year, they have
speed week for motorcycles.

721
00:57:28,612 --> 00:57:30,947
There's about 200 different
classes and anyone

722
00:57:30,948 --> 00:57:33,582
with a two-wheeled
machine gets into the act.

723
00:57:33,583 --> 00:57:36,085
Some of the bikes are a little strange.

724
00:57:36,086 --> 00:57:40,257
This guy had a 60 horsepower
skateboard and steel kneecaps.

725
00:57:43,560 --> 00:57:46,662
Some guy got an old bomb
and put a motor in it.

726
00:57:46,663 --> 00:57:48,665
Didn't handle very well.

727
00:57:51,301 --> 00:57:54,170
From the backyard specials
to the exotically engineered

728
00:57:54,171 --> 00:57:57,674
and computer-designed,
stream-lined bikes.

729
00:58:00,577 --> 00:58:02,678
There was a fellow named Cal Rayburn,

730
00:58:02,679 --> 00:58:04,914
a professional racer, who
was going to make an assault

731
00:58:04,915 --> 00:58:09,285
on the motorcycle land speed
record of 250 miles an hour.

732
00:58:09,286 --> 00:58:10,586
He was going to drive one of those

733
00:58:10,587 --> 00:58:14,257
slide rule, super-engineered specials.

734
00:58:14,258 --> 00:58:16,725
He lost a little faith in
the computers and engineers

735
00:58:16,726 --> 00:58:20,363
when he got in and found
out an interesting thing.

736
00:58:20,364 --> 00:58:21,564
He didn't fit.

737
00:58:24,501 --> 00:58:27,403
By then, Cal was beginning
to have some second thoughts.

738
00:58:27,404 --> 00:58:30,407
He kept saying,
"You guys are nuts."

739
00:58:32,742 --> 00:58:35,044
They said his helmet visor
must be too big, so they

740
00:58:35,045 --> 00:58:39,815
sawed it off, that way it
wouldn't dig into his chest.

741
00:58:39,816 --> 00:58:43,686
It didn't dig into his chest,
but his chin still did.

742
00:58:43,687 --> 00:58:45,989
In this position, he was
supposed to try and go faster than

743
00:58:45,990 --> 00:58:50,160
anyone ever had with a
motorcycle over 250 miles an hour.

744
00:58:52,696 --> 00:58:54,030
Once the lid was in the place, he found

745
00:58:54,031 --> 00:58:56,365
out interesting point number two.

746
00:58:56,366 --> 00:58:58,601
He couldn't see out.

747
00:58:58,602 --> 00:59:00,436
His feet were too big and
blocked his view out the

748
00:59:00,437 --> 00:59:04,140
front window and his knee
blocked his view out the side.

749
00:59:04,141 --> 00:59:06,675
So all he had to do was
peer out the side window,

750
00:59:06,676 --> 00:59:09,812
over his knee, and follow
this black line painted

751
00:59:09,813 --> 00:59:12,549
on the salt at anything over 250.

752
00:59:15,252 --> 00:59:16,852
Late in the afternoon, they launched him,

753
00:59:16,853 --> 00:59:20,489
and he found out interesting
point number three.

754
00:59:20,490 --> 00:59:24,494
It didn't handle very
well at six miles an hour.

755
00:59:37,074 --> 00:59:39,442
He kept saying,
"You guys are nuts."

756
00:59:39,443 --> 00:59:41,011
But he was driving.

757
00:59:42,446 --> 00:59:45,781
After a week of trying and
crashes from six to 206,

758
00:59:45,782 --> 00:59:48,251
Calvin finally set a new
motorcycle land speed

759
00:59:48,252 --> 00:59:50,988
record of over 265 miles an hour.

760
00:59:52,923 --> 00:59:54,890
The steering changed with the speed.

761
00:59:54,891 --> 00:59:57,626
Under 100, turn right to go right.

762
00:59:57,627 --> 01:00:00,464
100 to 200, turn left to go right,

763
01:00:01,631 --> 01:00:04,401
and over 200, back to normal again.

764
01:00:35,599 --> 01:00:39,036
The mile track at Sacramento, California.

765
01:00:40,237 --> 01:00:43,672
This is where the
plate will be decided.

766
01:00:43,673 --> 01:00:45,009
A $12,000 purse.

767
01:00:46,210 --> 01:00:49,745
But more important to
Dick Mann, Dave Aldana,

768
01:00:49,746 --> 01:00:52,916
Gene Romero, and Jim Rice, 101 points.

769
01:00:54,484 --> 01:00:56,987
Enough to make any of them

770
01:00:59,023 --> 01:01:03,127
All the riders were there, but
the pressure was on the four.

771
01:01:04,261 --> 01:01:06,029
If Dave Aldana won, it would be the

772
01:01:06,030 --> 01:01:09,065
first time a first year expert ever had.

773
01:01:09,066 --> 01:01:13,136
Romero was not his usual laughing self.

774
01:01:13,137 --> 01:01:16,640
Jim Rice was off alone,
walking the track.

775
01:01:19,943 --> 01:01:21,444
Dick Mann arrived.

776
01:01:21,445 --> 01:01:23,779
He'd broken his leg in
a race only three weeks

777
01:01:23,780 --> 01:01:27,616
before and no one
expected him to compete.

778
01:01:27,617 --> 01:01:31,688
But he'd sawed off his
cast and was going to try.

779
01:01:34,791 --> 01:01:38,727
He jammed his swollen leg
into his boot and steel shoe,

780
01:01:38,728 --> 01:01:42,466
went out on the track,
and won his heat race.

781
01:01:49,373 --> 01:01:52,908
Mert won the second heat,
Gene Romero the third,

782
01:01:52,909 --> 01:01:54,343
with Dave Aldana transferring to the

783
01:01:54,344 --> 01:01:58,514
point-paying main by
finishing third in his heat.

784
01:01:58,515 --> 01:01:59,549
The first four riders in each

785
01:01:59,550 --> 01:02:02,152
heat transfer to the main event.

786
01:02:04,654 --> 01:02:06,855
Jim Rice, number 24, playing it cool

787
01:02:06,856 --> 01:02:10,526
in the final heat and transferring.

788
01:02:10,527 --> 01:02:13,830
After the finish, at 120 miles an hour...

789
01:03:19,163 --> 01:03:23,167
An hour later, they lined
up for the main event.

790
01:03:40,049 --> 01:03:41,750
Jim Rice was getting out of the ambulance

791
01:03:41,751 --> 01:03:43,820
and was going to try and ride the race.

792
01:03:45,289 --> 01:03:46,989
Jim Rice walking out

793
01:03:46,990 --> 01:03:49,326
and he'll be back in action.

794
01:03:50,494 --> 01:03:52,161
In a lot of pain with a bandanna

795
01:03:52,162 --> 01:03:54,830
covering his broken nose, Jim quietly

796
01:03:54,831 --> 01:03:57,167
took his place on the line with the rest.

797
01:04:22,792 --> 01:04:26,630
And down the backshoot
at 125 miles an hour.

798
01:04:35,038 --> 01:04:37,440
It was Dave Aldana.

799
01:04:37,441 --> 01:04:39,676
The race was black-flagged.

800
01:04:41,010 --> 01:04:43,312
Aldana's bike was completely
totaled, but David,

801
01:04:43,313 --> 01:04:46,682
as he had all year, walked away unhurt.

802
01:04:46,683 --> 01:04:49,752
But he also walked away
from any chance of being

803
01:04:49,753 --> 01:04:53,923
No way he could make the
three minute restart rule.

804
01:05:00,129 --> 01:05:03,466
The restart was a carbon
copy of the first.

805
01:05:03,467 --> 01:05:05,868
Mert in fourth, working
his way back to third.

806
01:05:05,869 --> 01:05:08,272
Romero second and Mann first.

807
01:05:16,680 --> 01:05:18,281
And Romero, again, getting by

808
01:05:18,282 --> 01:05:21,285
Dick Mann at exactly the same place.

809
01:05:24,220 --> 01:05:26,890
Jim Rice, running in last place.

810
01:05:28,425 --> 01:05:30,659
Ten laps later, the field spreading out,

811
01:05:30,660 --> 01:05:33,462
Romero further ahead and
Rice dropping further back,

812
01:05:33,463 --> 01:05:35,264
his bike running poorly and Jim just

813
01:05:35,265 --> 01:05:38,301
too physically shaken to be competitive.

814
01:05:38,302 --> 01:05:41,405
It's amazing he tried to ride at all.

815
01:05:42,772 --> 01:05:45,240
On the 20th lap, Dick Mann pulled in.

816
01:05:45,241 --> 01:05:46,675
He'd caught his shoe in a hole and

817
01:05:46,676 --> 01:05:48,744
was in too much paint to continue.

818
01:05:48,745 --> 01:05:50,914
For him, that's got to be a lot.

819
01:05:54,918 --> 01:05:58,621
Mert hung on to Romero's
tail for the first 20 laps

820
01:05:58,622 --> 01:06:01,223
and then, as it happened so
often during this season,

821
01:06:01,224 --> 01:06:05,295
smoke began pouring out
as his engine went south.

822
01:06:07,230 --> 01:06:08,731
It was Romero's day.

823
01:06:08,732 --> 01:06:12,935
50 laps, wire to wire, his
father cheering him on,

824
01:06:12,936 --> 01:06:15,237
a beautiful ride, the checkered flag,

825
01:06:15,238 --> 01:06:18,007
and Gene Romero, the new

826
01:06:35,392 --> 01:06:37,526
It was a day of happiness for Gene.

827
01:06:37,527 --> 01:06:41,063
For Rice, Aldana, and Mann, it
was a very disappointing day.

828
01:06:41,064 --> 01:06:43,333
Rice was lucky to be alive.

829
01:06:48,271 --> 01:06:51,574
What kind of men are these
that take tremendous chances?

830
01:06:51,575 --> 01:06:55,378
That saw off a cast and
ride with a broken leg

831
01:06:55,379 --> 01:06:59,048
and say, "It'll be okay,
I'm a fast healer."

832
01:07:02,486 --> 01:07:04,553
Why do they do it?

833
01:07:04,554 --> 01:07:06,789
There's no answer to that.

834
01:07:06,790 --> 01:07:09,525
If you ask them, they say simply,

835
01:07:09,526 --> 01:07:12,295
"Because it's what
I like to do."

836
01:07:13,630 --> 01:07:14,731
For Mert, the day at Sacramento

837
01:07:14,732 --> 01:07:16,832
had been a mirror of the season.

838
01:07:16,833 --> 01:07:19,301
With as much bad luck as
Mert had had during the year,

839
01:07:19,302 --> 01:07:22,104
he still finished with
enough points to be the

840
01:07:22,105 --> 01:07:26,275
number sixth ranked rider in
the national point standings.

841
01:07:31,548 --> 01:07:32,781
Let's see what's happening in

842
01:07:32,782 --> 01:07:34,750
the rest of the motorcycle world.

843
01:07:34,751 --> 01:07:36,251
It's Sunday and we're about 20

844
01:07:36,252 --> 01:07:38,922
miles from Salt Lake City, Utah.

845
01:07:40,089 --> 01:07:41,524
There's a hill there called Widowmaker.

846
01:07:41,525 --> 01:07:43,626
It's 600 feet high and the angle

847
01:07:43,627 --> 01:07:47,296
up the face is 89%, roughly 45 degrees.

848
01:07:53,136 --> 01:07:57,306
It's the sight of the annual
Widowmaker hill climb.

849
01:08:07,817 --> 01:08:09,284
No one's ever made it over the top

850
01:08:09,285 --> 01:08:13,388
and they've been trying for seven years.

851
01:08:13,389 --> 01:08:16,058
Riders come from all over
the country to compete in yet

852
01:08:16,059 --> 01:08:20,128
another highly specialized
form of motorcycle competition.

853
01:08:20,129 --> 01:08:22,264
As I said, no one's ever made the top,

854
01:08:22,265 --> 01:08:24,367
but they give it a hell of a try.

855
01:08:55,164 --> 01:08:57,633
Wherever the bike stops is
where the measurement is taken,

856
01:08:57,634 --> 01:09:01,337
so they get some bizarre
push off techniques.

857
01:09:05,875 --> 01:09:07,676
This guy nearly nailed
a couple of spectators

858
01:09:07,677 --> 01:09:10,346
and lost 12 feet in the process.

859
01:09:15,351 --> 01:09:19,255
That's a whole lot better
than losing 387 feet.

860
01:09:26,295 --> 01:09:28,797
Some of the bikes have
a lot of character.

861
01:09:28,798 --> 01:09:32,969
The hill climbers, themselves,
are safe to say, characters.

862
01:09:37,273 --> 01:09:39,374
There was the mortician from Waukegan who

863
01:09:39,375 --> 01:09:42,712
thought hyperventilation was the answer.

864
01:09:43,813 --> 01:09:46,382
It got him up the hill 15 feet.

865
01:09:48,685 --> 01:09:52,320
The classic guy that day
was old Hawkeye Hillbilly.

866
01:09:52,321 --> 01:09:54,156
He spent considerable time mentally

867
01:09:54,157 --> 01:09:56,926
psyching himself up for the hill.

868
01:09:59,328 --> 01:10:00,596
Didn't know whether that was his

869
01:10:00,597 --> 01:10:03,199
number plate or a traffic citation.

870
01:10:18,782 --> 01:10:22,952
On the hill, Hawkeye the
bouncer turned in a great run.

871
01:10:36,299 --> 01:10:39,302
Only about 50 feet short of the top.

872
01:10:45,041 --> 01:10:46,474
Ol' Malcolm was there.

873
01:10:46,475 --> 01:10:47,644
He'd never ridden the hill climb,

874
01:10:47,645 --> 01:10:49,511
but he thought it would be fun.

875
01:10:49,512 --> 01:10:52,581
On his first try, in
typical Malcolm Smith style,

876
01:10:52,582 --> 01:10:54,984
he forgot to turn on the gas.

877
01:11:10,033 --> 01:11:11,767
Later in the day, he got his second run

878
01:11:11,768 --> 01:11:15,271
and more than made up
for his first error.

879
01:11:20,309 --> 01:11:23,345
Riding his stock motorcycle
in the 500cc class,

880
01:11:23,346 --> 01:11:25,981
against the specially
built hill climbers,

881
01:11:25,982 --> 01:11:28,550
he got up to around 500 feet,

882
01:11:28,551 --> 01:11:31,987
right in there with the best of 'em.

883
01:11:31,988 --> 01:11:33,355
Going back down the hill is a

884
01:11:33,356 --> 01:11:36,124
major operation for most riders.

885
01:11:36,125 --> 01:11:37,726
Malcolm dazzled folks when he turned

886
01:11:37,727 --> 01:11:40,730
around and rode his motorcycle down.

887
01:11:43,700 --> 01:11:44,900
Holy cow.

888
01:11:51,274 --> 01:11:52,808
One of the final riders of the day

889
01:11:52,809 --> 01:11:54,943
was Mike Gibbon, who'd
driven all the way from

890
01:11:54,944 --> 01:11:58,281
Grants Pass, Oregon, to ride this event.

891
01:12:05,621 --> 01:12:09,925
Chains on the tires and
nitromethane fuel in the tank,

892
01:12:09,926 --> 01:12:11,960
Mike Gibbon made the first tire

893
01:12:11,961 --> 01:12:14,329
mark on the top of Widowmaker.

894
01:12:14,330 --> 01:12:17,300
After seven years, it had been done.

895
01:12:27,443 --> 01:12:29,644
He got a big trophy and
the local Lions Club

896
01:12:29,645 --> 01:12:33,817
gave him $100 to help him pay
his expenses back to Oregon.

897
01:12:35,351 --> 01:12:36,952
It had been quite a day.

898
01:12:36,953 --> 01:12:40,123
Widowmaker had at last been conquered.

899
01:12:41,324 --> 01:12:43,591
Malcolm got 100 feet further up the hill

900
01:12:43,592 --> 01:12:46,228
than any other stock
bike, finishing third

901
01:12:46,229 --> 01:12:49,565
against the special hill climb machines.

902
01:13:01,878 --> 01:13:04,546
This fellow's a trials rider.

903
01:13:04,547 --> 01:13:07,649
The magicians of the motorcycle world.

904
01:13:07,650 --> 01:13:10,753
Good trials riders can do
wheelies like this for miles.

905
01:13:10,754 --> 01:13:12,487
Around corners, everywhere,

906
01:13:12,488 --> 01:13:16,524
just bopping along, watching the scenery.

907
01:13:16,525 --> 01:13:18,060
Trials riders are the violin

908
01:13:18,061 --> 01:13:19,795
players of the motorcycle world.

909
01:13:19,796 --> 01:13:22,866
Tremendously skilled at what they do.

910
01:13:24,433 --> 01:13:28,604
The kid couldn't believe it,
but there was nobody to tell.

911
01:13:29,705 --> 01:13:31,606
In riding trials events,
all you have to do

912
01:13:31,607 --> 01:13:33,641
is get through a difficult
section of terrain

913
01:13:33,642 --> 01:13:35,610
without putting your foot down.

914
01:13:35,611 --> 01:13:39,783
A good trials rider's ability
to do this is amazing.

915
01:13:40,917 --> 01:13:42,918
It would seem impossible
to get a motorcycle

916
01:13:42,919 --> 01:13:46,354
with ten inches of
clearance over a 30 inch log

917
01:13:46,355 --> 01:13:47,990
and then make a sharp right turn

918
01:13:47,991 --> 01:13:51,761
to stay in bounds and
not put your foot down.

919
01:13:55,999 --> 01:13:57,266
It can be done.

920
01:14:08,477 --> 01:14:10,512
Here's a beautiful example.

921
01:14:10,513 --> 01:14:13,181
Lift the wheel at the precise instant,

922
01:14:13,182 --> 01:14:14,850
turn it in midair so when you land

923
01:14:14,851 --> 01:14:17,052
your turn has already begun.

924
01:14:17,053 --> 01:14:19,722
It looks easy, don't believe it.

925
01:14:21,457 --> 01:14:22,958
Malcolm rides one or two trials

926
01:14:22,959 --> 01:14:24,592
a year on his Sunday outings.

927
01:14:24,593 --> 01:14:28,230
In fact, he rides one or two
of almost everything a year.

928
01:14:28,231 --> 01:14:30,900
In trials, too, he is very good.

929
01:14:37,006 --> 01:14:38,240
Try this someday if you want

930
01:14:38,241 --> 01:14:40,810
to do something really difficult.

931
01:14:46,682 --> 01:14:47,882
Neat, Malcolm.

932
01:14:50,219 --> 01:14:51,486
Quite a different breed from the

933
01:14:51,487 --> 01:14:53,288
trials riders are the desert racers.

934
01:14:53,289 --> 01:14:57,460
Unique to the southwest,
particularly southern California.

935
01:14:58,594 --> 01:14:59,928
There's even a group of girls called

936
01:14:59,929 --> 01:15:03,398
The Desert Daisies,
who race in the desert.

937
01:15:03,399 --> 01:15:05,968
A great variety of people,
from all walks of life,

938
01:15:05,969 --> 01:15:08,204
gather each Sunday to race.

939
01:15:10,373 --> 01:15:13,808
Number one plate holder in
the desert, Whitey Martino.

940
01:15:13,809 --> 01:15:16,913
When they line up for the
start, it's quite a sight.

941
01:15:30,693 --> 01:15:33,328
Down there on the line
are doctors, lawyers,

942
01:15:33,329 --> 01:15:36,198
carpenters, plumbers,
engineers, salesmen,

943
01:15:36,199 --> 01:15:38,868
students, anyone, and everybody.

944
01:15:40,269 --> 01:15:43,138
A thousand riders ready
to race a hare and hound

945
01:15:43,139 --> 01:15:45,673
over 100 miles of desert terrain.

946
01:15:45,674 --> 01:15:48,043
50 miles from the nearest town.

947
01:15:48,044 --> 01:15:50,412
This scene takes place
every Sunday of the year,

948
01:15:50,413 --> 01:15:53,582
which starts from 500 to 2,000 riders.

949
01:15:54,850 --> 01:15:57,219
The prize - a trophy for the winner

950
01:15:57,220 --> 01:16:01,324
and the satisfaction of knowing
you did it, for the rest.

951
01:16:05,494 --> 01:16:07,029
They head first to a smoke bomb

952
01:16:07,030 --> 01:16:09,664
about five miles from the start.

953
01:16:09,665 --> 01:16:12,835
At 10:00am, the banner drops.

954
01:17:01,317 --> 01:17:05,488
About 10% never make the first
five miles to the smoke bomb.

955
01:17:07,156 --> 01:17:10,326
It's a cross between a race and a war.

956
01:17:21,070 --> 01:17:22,570
They raise a cloud of dust that

957
01:17:22,571 --> 01:17:25,574
settles three weeks later on London.

958
01:17:26,976 --> 01:17:28,876
Once through the smoke bomb,
they start to thin out,

959
01:17:28,877 --> 01:17:31,513
following a trail marked
with a ribbon and line.

960
01:17:31,514 --> 01:17:33,381
No one's allowed to
ride the course first,

961
01:17:33,382 --> 01:17:36,018
so it's all new terrain to them.

962
01:17:36,019 --> 01:17:37,519
Three stripes of line across the trail

963
01:17:37,520 --> 01:17:39,887
mean a dangerous spot ahead.

964
01:17:39,888 --> 01:17:41,423
To the experienced desert rider,

965
01:17:41,424 --> 01:17:43,891
mounds of dirt mean danger, too.

966
01:17:43,892 --> 01:17:45,527
Because the mounds had
to come out of something

967
01:17:45,528 --> 01:17:48,430
like a mine shaft or a ditch or a hole.

968
01:17:48,431 --> 01:17:49,831
You can tell when someone found one

969
01:17:49,832 --> 01:17:52,901
by the way they disappear so quickly.

970
01:18:12,721 --> 01:18:15,490
It's 100 miles of uphills, washes,

971
01:18:15,491 --> 01:18:18,994
brush, sand, cactus,
downhills, and rocks.

972
01:18:25,534 --> 01:18:28,137
A struggle just to get through.

973
01:18:33,142 --> 01:18:34,609
But the biggest hazard to a desert

974
01:18:34,610 --> 01:18:37,113
racer is another desert racer.

975
01:18:44,553 --> 01:18:47,656
In the spring, the B-29 bugs come out

976
01:18:49,024 --> 01:18:52,761
and hitting one is like
running into a medicine ball.

977
01:19:13,716 --> 01:19:16,219
Desert racers are good people.

978
01:19:17,986 --> 01:19:21,523
There's even a guy who rides
the desert with his dog.

979
01:19:21,524 --> 01:19:24,426
There's a rug in the
tank the dog hangs on to.

980
01:19:24,427 --> 01:19:26,829
He's got claws like an eagle.

981
01:19:27,963 --> 01:19:30,799
Their pit stops are kind of unusual.

982
01:19:47,216 --> 01:19:50,819
Some of the hairiest
racing is in the pits.

983
01:19:52,121 --> 01:19:54,656
The best riders can
invariably be found way

984
01:19:54,657 --> 01:19:57,993
in front of the dust and really hauling.

985
01:19:59,562 --> 01:20:03,732
Here, J. N. Roberts, one of
the really great desert racers.

986
01:20:09,938 --> 01:20:11,539
Steve McQueen riding here.

987
01:20:11,540 --> 01:20:13,074
Still rides an occasional desert race,

988
01:20:13,075 --> 01:20:15,377
although he prefers motocross now.

989
01:20:15,378 --> 01:20:17,312
A few years back, he rode every Sunday

990
01:20:17,313 --> 01:20:20,483
and was ranked the 11th amateur rider.

991
01:20:24,853 --> 01:20:26,120
And here, Malcolm Smith.

992
01:20:26,121 --> 01:20:27,555
He rarely rides the desert.

993
01:20:27,556 --> 01:20:30,358
Says he doesn't like the heat and dust.

994
01:20:30,359 --> 01:20:31,993
He's ridden about 12 desert races

995
01:20:31,994 --> 01:20:35,197
in his life and he won six of them.

996
01:20:35,198 --> 01:20:37,633
The other six, he broke down.

997
01:20:41,504 --> 01:20:45,674
King of the desert and
plate holder, Whitey Martino.

998
01:20:49,111 --> 01:20:50,645
There's a great deal of skill involved,

999
01:20:50,646 --> 01:20:53,248
not just riding, but reading the terrain.

1000
01:20:53,249 --> 01:20:54,916
This is the way it looks
to Whitey, weaving through

1001
01:20:54,917 --> 01:20:58,587
the pucker bushes at
60 to 70 miles an hour.

1002
01:21:02,525 --> 01:21:03,925
You don't go straight, but it's

1003
01:21:03,926 --> 01:21:06,594
almost like a slalom through the bushes.

1004
01:21:06,595 --> 01:21:10,032
If you hit a bush, it's an instant end-o.

1005
01:21:13,035 --> 01:21:16,671
After battling your way through
sand, rocks, turtles, bugs,

1006
01:21:16,672 --> 01:21:21,075
and mine shafts, you'd expect
the finish to be exciting.

1007
01:21:21,076 --> 01:21:23,010
The finish of a desert race is

1008
01:21:23,011 --> 01:21:25,313
like the finish of no other race.

1009
01:21:25,314 --> 01:21:26,549
It's just over.

1010
01:21:27,716 --> 01:21:30,117
There's usually about 100 people watching

1011
01:21:30,118 --> 01:21:34,055
and they're waiting for
somebody else, anyway.

1012
01:21:34,056 --> 01:21:36,658
Desert races are a very
personal experience.

1013
01:21:36,659 --> 01:21:38,760
No spectators to cheer you, but a great

1014
01:21:38,761 --> 01:21:42,431
personal satisfaction
in knowing you did it.

1015
01:21:56,612 --> 01:21:58,212
If 1,000 start, there's usually

1016
01:21:58,213 --> 01:22:01,015
about 300 or 400 that finish.

1017
01:22:01,016 --> 01:22:03,818
The rest are strewn out
over 100 miles of desert

1018
01:22:03,819 --> 01:22:08,055
and are picked up by a crew
that sweeps the course.

1019
01:22:08,056 --> 01:22:10,625
But there's always someone
who gets off the course,

1020
01:22:10,626 --> 01:22:14,028
gets lost, and breaks
a chain or something.

1021
01:22:14,029 --> 01:22:18,200
He has no idea where he is
and neither does anyone else.

1022
01:22:29,244 --> 01:22:32,680
The desert racer's
handbook says build a fire.

1023
01:22:32,681 --> 01:22:33,881
The rescue squad will see the

1024
01:22:33,882 --> 01:22:36,485
smoke and come and pick you up.

1025
01:22:41,524 --> 01:22:42,890
Desert racers don't lean toward

1026
01:22:42,891 --> 01:22:45,760
tinder and the one-match fire.

1027
01:22:45,761 --> 01:22:49,264
It's high-test and a
pucker bush for them.

1028
01:23:11,487 --> 01:23:15,122
The nearest water is in
the radiator of his truck,

1029
01:23:15,123 --> 01:23:19,127
but he doesn't have any
idea where his truck is.

1030
01:23:23,899 --> 01:23:26,068
That's $1,000 signal fire.

1031
01:23:31,206 --> 01:23:33,641
Probably the most fun
in all of motorcycling

1032
01:23:33,642 --> 01:23:35,343
is to load your bike in a pickup

1033
01:23:35,344 --> 01:23:38,347
truck and head out into the country.

1034
01:23:43,619 --> 01:23:44,886
The pressure of racing over,

1035
01:23:44,887 --> 01:23:48,155
it's time to relax and have some fun.

1036
01:23:48,156 --> 01:23:51,158
Malcolm, Steve, and
Mert all like to race,

1037
01:23:51,159 --> 01:23:54,396
but they think this kind
of riding is the most fun.

1038
01:23:54,397 --> 01:23:56,465
It's called cow trailing.

1039
01:23:59,668 --> 01:24:03,772
If your friends aren't paying
attention, how can you resist?

1040
01:24:13,549 --> 01:24:15,783
Steve could have picked
better people to fool

1041
01:24:15,784 --> 01:24:19,221
with than Mert Lawwill and Malcolm Smith.

1042
01:24:41,844 --> 01:24:44,646
There's something about going
riding with your friends.

1043
01:24:44,647 --> 01:24:48,215
A feeling of freedom, a feeling of joy

1044
01:24:48,216 --> 01:24:51,285
that really can't be put into words.

1045
01:24:51,286 --> 01:24:55,458
It can only be fully shared
by someone who's done it.

1046
01:26:59,915 --> 01:27:04,019
♪ On Any Sunday looking back on the crowd

1047
01:27:05,220 --> 01:27:09,591
♪ From the far out place I've found

1048
01:27:09,592 --> 01:27:14,562
♪ Screaming inside of
me and laughin' out loud

1049
01:27:14,563 --> 01:27:18,032
♪ I'm losing contact with the ground

1050
01:27:18,033 --> 01:27:20,468
♪ I'm flyin'

1051
01:27:21,904 --> 01:27:26,074
♪ Over my shoulder
through the dust and quiet

1052
01:27:27,275 --> 01:27:31,913
♪ Run where they'll catch me, if you can

1053
01:27:31,914 --> 01:27:35,984
♪ On Any Sunday I'm a flyin' man

1054
01:27:39,187 --> 01:27:43,858
♪ Free as the wind, faster than time

1055
01:27:43,859 --> 01:27:48,730
♪ Reason and rhyme are running behind

1056
01:27:48,731 --> 01:27:53,534
♪ Tastin' the sun, feelin' the Earth,

1057
01:27:53,535 --> 01:27:57,706
♪ Knowing my worth and freeing my mind

1058
01:28:01,243 --> 01:28:06,147
♪ On Any Sunday like the tail of a kite

1059
01:28:06,148 --> 01:28:11,052
♪ Flying and dancing in the wind

1060
01:28:11,053 --> 01:28:15,223
♪ I'd like to break the
string and drift out of site

1061
01:28:16,224 --> 01:28:19,460
♪ I may not pass this way again

1062
01:28:19,461 --> 01:28:21,864
♪ I'm flyin'

1063
01:28:23,465 --> 01:28:28,369
♪ Over my shoulder
through the dust and quiet

1064
01:28:28,370 --> 01:28:33,207
♪ Run where they'll catch me if you can

1065
01:28:33,208 --> 01:28:37,379
♪ On Any Sunday I'm a flyin' man ♪