INSPIRE
Vintage Emotions PRESENTS
RANDY MAMOLA text: Nelly Pluto-Prondzynska - photo: Gigi Soldano
A RIDER FOR WHO IT DOES NOT MATTER IF YOU LOOSE CHAMPIONSHIP BY FEW POINTS, BECAUSE AS LONG AS YOU GIVE EVERYTHING FROM YOURSELF, YOU ARE A WINNER!
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andy was growing up in California with a dream to be a musician one day. Being a child he trained to be a drummer, as he said many years “I wanted to be like a Ringo Star”. But when he was 12 years old, the motorcycles won the first battle – Mamola has fallen in love with them and quickly started to be a very fast rider. The beginnings were not easy, as he had to train at a small track – owned by the Police Athletic League – near his home in San José. In early years of his career, Yamaha sponsored him and his first idol was Kenny Roberts. Mamola also 120
wore the yellow-and-black leather as Kenny and even was named “Baby Kenny”. After proving his skills on flat track racing, Randy quickly turned to be a pro racer. He earned his AMA licence at the age of just 16 and finished as a runner-up in his rookie season back in 1977. He had to wait for his first wins till the next season when he also claimed a Championship title in 250cc class of AMA series. In 1979 an opportunity to go to World Championship came, firstly with a Bimota and later with Yamaha in 250cc class and also on a private Suzuki in 500cc.