Wednesday, October 22, 2014 | 4:05 PM
Racer Productions and the AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series presented by Maxxis, an AMA National Championship, is pleased to congratulate Five-Time GNCC Champion Scott Summers on becoming a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. The AMA Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony took place on Friday evening at the Orange County Convention Center’s Chapin Theater in Orlando, Florida, in conjunction with the second annual American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo).
Summers paved the way for off-road racers all over the world through his racing success and impeccable promotion of himself, his sponsors and the sport as a whole. Summers is perhaps most well known for racing a Honda XR600R to five GNCC championships (1990-’92, 1996, 1997) against riders on much lighter and more agile two-stroke motorcycles. Summers also won AMA Harescrambles National Championships in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1995, and collected three gold medals competing for the U.S. team at the International Six Days Enduro.
Off the track, Summers and his crew put together a professional program to interact with fans and media, drawing a spotlight on off-road racing, which had largely been ignored by mainstream outlets. By engaging with the local press at each race, and also promoting the off-road set to traditional motocross fans, Summers became a legend, and also grew his sport for those that followed. Nearly any rider that has held a factory ride off-road since Summers’ reign can draw a line to the success he had, and the opportunities he created.
Other members of the Class of 2014 include: race tuner and innovator Byron Hines; Tom White, acclaimed motorcycle collector, former nationally ranked racer and founder of White Brothers Cycle Specialties; George Barber, founder of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum and the Barber Motorsports Park; and legendary tuner, engine builder and team owner Rob Muzzy.
Also honored was AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend William "Willie G." Davidson. Willie G. is the grandson of Harley-Davidson founder William A. Davidson and is responsible for many of the innovative motorcycle designs that ushered in a new era for the iconic company.
Racer Productions congratulates all of the inductees to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame and thanks them for their important contributions.
The 2014 AMSOIL Grand National Cross Country Series heads to Crawfordsville, Indiana this weekend, Oct. 25 and 26 for the AMSOIL Ironman GNCC finale. For more information on the series, please visit www.gnccracing.com.