Motocross/Supercross team owner to be inducted into AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

by Jon Crowley on 26/05/10 at 10:24 pm

PICKERINGTON, Ohio — The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is pleased to
announce the first member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2010: accomplished
race team owner Mitch Payton. Payton, whose teams have collected 26 AMA Pro Championships
in Motocross and Supercross since 1991, will be among the legends of motorcycling
honored at the 2010 induction ceremony at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas this
Nov. 19.
“In AMA Pro Motocross and Supercross, one team is perhaps more synonymous with winning
than any other, Pro Circuit, and the motive force behind that team is one of the
industry’s most driven individuals, Mitch Payton,” said Jack Penton, incoming AMA
director of operations and a Hall of Famer himself. “Payton is an architect of not
only championship teams, but champions, having developed some of this sport’s greatest
racers.”
Payton’s parents, James and Norma Payton, introduced him and his brother, James
Jr., to motorcycling at a young age. By the time he was 10, Payton was competing
in family enduros and a few years later was racing competitively in AMA District
37. In 1977, at the age of 17, Payton was one of the district’s top desert racers
and won the 125 class in that discipline. Unfortunately, the next year Payton’s
racing career was cut short by injury.
Instead of allowing discouragement to turn him away from motorcycling, Payton refocused
his efforts on the business side of the sport. At 18, he bought and ran a local
Husqvarna shop. His skill and reputation as a tuner grew, and his parts were being
used by some of the biggest motocross teams of the mid-1980s. Then, in 1991, Honda
asked Payton to run its 125 team. Payton accepted, and over the next 19 years, racing
other brands as well, his teams won more championships than any other.
Tom White is chairman of the Hall of Fame Motocross/Supercross committee, and the
company he founded, White Brothers, was one of the first distributors of Payton’s
products.
“I’ve known Mitch from when he was racing to when he was starting his company,”
White said. “It is one of my proudest moments to see somebody who overcame what
some might see as a major disability and not only build the best motorcycles, but
to be able to pick the riders and bring them up to a level of performance that makes
them better than they ever thought they could be. Mitch Payton is absolutely what
the Hall of Fame is about — recognizing the people who have made the best and most
lasting contributions to motorcycling.”
Payton, an AMA Life Member, said that he’s honored by his induction into the Hall
of Fame. But, he said, he recognizes the legends he looked up to in his youth are
the true heroes of the sport.
“I look around the industry, and there are a few guys I hold in real regard,” Payton
said. “One is Malcolm Smith. When I was a kid, we’d go to Malcolm’s shop, and I
was the 10-year-old punk who would bother the guys at the counter for stickers and
sit on all the bikes. Another is Roger DeCoster. Those guys are just awesome.
“So, to be in the same Hall of Fame, for that honor, I’m really proud about that,”
Payton continued. “It’s there forever. It means that anyone looking back on history
years from now will see what you’ve done.”
Payton, and the other members of the class of 2010, will officially be inducted
into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame this Nov. 19 as part of the AMA Legends & Champions
Weekend. In addition to the induction ceremony, the weekend includes the 2010 AMA
Concours d’Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 20, featuring some of the country’s most impressive
original and restored classic motorcycles. The AMA Racing Championship Banquet closes
out the weekend on Sunday, Nov. 21, where AMA Racing amateur champions of all ages
will be recognized for their 2010 accomplishments
The event will be held at the Las Vegas Red Rock Resort, a world-class spa, hotel
and casino, featuring a range of entertainment, dining and family-friendly attractions.
The facility’s expansive ballrooms will provide a stunning backdrop for the AMA
Legends & Champions Weekend, which is certain to be memorable for the 2010 inductees,
champions, families, friends and fans. More information is available online at RedRockLasVegas.com

Lodging reservations can be made now at AmericanMotorcyclist.com/Accommodations

An announcement regarding ticket information will be made after June 1.
Located on the park-like campus of the AMA in Pickerington, Ohio, the AMA Motorcycle
Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made lasting contributions to protecting
and promoting the motorcycle lifestyle. Its members include those who have excelled
in racing, road- and off-road riding, pushed the envelope in motorcycle design,
engineering and safety, and championed the rights of riders in both the halls of
government and the court of public opinion.
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Committee includes nine members in addition
to the chairman. There are eight committees, each representing a different aspect
of motorcycling.
More information about the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame can be found at MotorcycleMuseum.org

About the American Motorcyclist Association
Since 1924, the AMA has protected the future of motorcycling and promoted the motorcycle
lifestyle. AMA members come from all walks of life, and they navigate many different
routes on their journey to the same destination: freedom on two wheels. As the world’s
largest motorcycling rights organization, the AMA advocates for motorcyclists’ interests
in the halls of local, state and federal government, the committees of international
governing organizations, and the court of public opinion. Through member clubs,
promoters and partners, the AMA sanctions more motorsports competition and motorcycle
recreational events than any other organization in the world. AMA members receive
money-saving discounts from dozens of well-known suppliers of motorcycle services,
gear and apparel, bike rental, transport, hotel stays and more. Through its Motorcycle
Hall of Fame Museum, the AMA preserves the heritage of motorcycling for future generations.

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