The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, has named its 2006 inductees, who will be enshrined Oct. 7:
– DOUG CHANDLER
In a career that spanned more than two decades, Chandler received accolades for dirt-track and road-race riding, including AMA Camel Pro Rookie of the Year in 1983 and AMA Superbike titles in 1990, 1996 and 1997. He is also one of five racers to complete a “Grand Slam” in AMA National Championship racing. Chandler has returned to the AMA Superbike Series this year.
– ALFRED RICH CHILD
Harley-Davidson’s first export representative to Africa in 1922, Child also served as managing director of sales in pre-WW II Japan. After the war, Child founded the Rich Child Cycle Co., a distributor of BSA and Sunbeam motorcycles.
– WALLY DALLENBACH
Dallenbach’s passion for motorcycling created the Colorado 500 Charity Dirt Bike Ride in 1975. These byinvitation gatherings of cyclists not only advance the cause of environmentally sound land use, but also continue to raise significant funds for communities and charitable institutions in the Rockies.
– DENIS MANNING
Manning built the innovative streamliner that allowed Cal Rayborn to shatter Don Vesco’s land-speed cycle record in 1970. Manning also founded aftermarket motorcycle exhaust pipe company B.U.B. Enterprises.
– HEIKKI MIKKOLA
The “Flyin’ Finn” was one of the most popular and feared motocross racers of the 1970s. Mikkola racked up four World Motocross Championship titles and 32 Grand Prix victories.
– BURT MUNRO
A New Zealand native, Munro devoted his life to pursuing his dream of setting a world land-speed record with his 1920 Indian Scout. His 50-year quest–and 1962 success at Bonneville–were immortalized in the 2005 film “The World’s Fastest Indian.”
– COOK NEILSON
As editor of Cycle magazine in the 1970s, Neilson published the first head-to-head tests of individual bikes, a format now used in every category of enthusiast media. And Neilson was a leading AMA Superbike racer in the 1970s.
– ROGER “SODIE” SODERSTROM
The affable Soderstrom not only knew how to win races, he also knew how to capture the hearts of fans, topping the AMA’s “Most Popular Rider” lists for years. His racing career included five national wins in Class C competition.
– MIKE WILSON
From an expert dirt tracker to a dealer and sponsor of racers such as Leo Payne, Wilson lives cycling. Wilson, with his wife, Margaret (inducted into the hall in 2004), are proponents for preserving motorcycling’s heritage.
Call 614-856-2222 or visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org
