31 Facts About Brad Lackey

Brad Lackey was born on July 8,1953 and is an American former professional motocross racer.

Brad Lackey competed in the AMA Motocross Championships from 1970 to 1972 and, in the Motocross World Championships from 1973 to 1982.

Brad Lackey grew up riding off-road motorcycles in the mountains around the San Francisco Bay area.

Brad Lackey began racing motocross at the age of 13 and progressed to become an expert-ranked rider.

Early in his racing career, Brad Lackey made a political statement during the Vietnam War by mounting a white plastic peace dove onto his motorcycle's handlebar.

Brad Lackey's first racing success came when he rode a Sachs motorcycle to win the support class at a 1969 Inter-Am event near his home in northern California.

In 1970, Brad Lackey received sponsorship from a local CZ dealer and in 1971, CZ sent him to Czechoslovakia to enter a training camp to develop his physical fitness and riding abilities.

Brad Lackey gained his first experience on the world championship motocross Grand Prix circuit when CZ entered him into a few 250cc Grand Prix races while he was in Czechoslovakia.

Brad Lackey returned to the United States and competed for CZ in the 1971 AMA 500cc motocross national championship, finishing in second place just one point behind champion Mark Blackwell.

Brad Lackey began the 1972 AMA Motocross National Championship season winning 4 of the first 7 races on a CZ, at which point the Kawasaki factory offered Brad Lackey a contract to race for them.

Brad Lackey won his fifth race of the season on a Kawasaki and clinched the 1972 AMA 500cc 1972 AMA Motocross National Championship in dominating fashion.

Brad Lackey finished as the highest ranked American rider in the 1972 Trans-AMA motocross series.

Kawasaki wanted Brad Lackey to stay in America and defend his national championship however, after winning the national championship, he was determined to go to Europe to race against the best riders in the world in the world championship Grand Prix events.

Brad Lackey became the first American competitor to make a long-term commitment by moving to Europe in pursuit of a motocross world championship.

Brad Lackey continued to make progress in the 1974 season, placing third behind Roger De Coster and Mikkola in the second moto at the Italian Grand Prix.

Brad Lackey improved to 10th in the season's final standings while his teammate Mikkola won the world championship.

Brad Lackey's experience continued to grow and in 1975, he won his first world championship race at the final race of the season in Luxembourg with a second moto victory over the eventual world champion De Coster.

On July 3,1977, almost one year after Pat Hennen won the 1976 Finnish Grand Prix to become the first American rider to win a 500cc road racing world championship Grand Prix, Brad Lackey won the British Grand Prix to become the first American rider to score an overall victory in a 500cc motocross world championship Grand Prix.

Brad Lackey improved , finishing the season ranked fourth in the world as he helped Honda develop their new motorcycle.

Brad Lackey had his best world championship season to date 1978 however, Yamaha's Heikki Mikkola dominated the season with 14 moto victories in 24 races.

Mikkola won the world championship with a record 299 points with Brad Lackey finishing the season in second place ahead of five-time world champion De Coster, who was seriously injured in a pre-season training accident and had to have his spleen removed.

Brad Lackey dropped to fourth in the final championship points standing as, his former teammate, Graham Noyce claimed the world championship for the Honda team.

Brad Lackey later admitted that leaving the Honda team was the biggest mistake of his career, probably costing him the world championship in 1979.

Brad Lackey struggled through injuries and mechanical problems and dropped to sixth in the 1981 world championship.

When Malherbe broke his leg at midseason, the two Suzuki teammates continued to battle for the championship until the final race in Luxembourg where, Brad Lackey came from behind to pass Vromans just before the end of the race to secure second place behind Hakan Carlqvist in the first moto.

Brad Lackey finished the race in 3rd place to secure his first 500cc world championship.

Brad Lackey won 21 individual heat races and 8 Grand Prix victories during his world championship racing career.

Brad Lackey won the 1972 500cc AMA Motocross National Championship and the 1982 500cc Motocross World Championship.

Brad Lackey was a member of four American Motocross des Nations teams and one American Trophee des Nations team.

Brad Lackey was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and, in 2013 he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.

Today, Brad Lackey continues his involvement in the sport of motocross taking part in vintage motocross racing.