Krumple said that John Kocinski turned up to race at Pomona on a nice Wood Rotax (he was hardly going to ride a nail, was he?). But, we didn't know just how nice until we saw these shots on Poppawheelie. This is beautiful. A monoshock with rare RWU Ohlins (UPDATE - I've looked at these photos more closely and the forks look like Yam R6, with nitrided stanchions. Sorry) and PM wheels. If, by any weird quirk, you are reading this Mr Kocinski, can we come take some photos of it please?
The 40-year-old Kocinski was flying, it seems, winning a semi in the Open Class and losing the final to the XR750-mounted Wiles, who won the National and was obviously on fire.
There's a cool interview on Cycle News.
This is one highlight
Do the [MotoGP] 800s interest you?
Nah... I enjoy the flat track racing and that's why I put this bike together. When I stopped dirt tracking at a very young age and went road racing, that's when the Rotax were just coming out. It was a bike I never got to ride and I always wanted one so I figured, ‘what the hell I'll start right here.' We've got a big task ahead of us to do well and we have to make sure we don't fall short of our expectations.
We told you John Kocinski was back into flat track exactly one year ago. We love the Wood Rotax patches on John's leathers. That's the respect Ron Wood deserves. Want to learn more about Wood's bikes? Buy Sideburn 3 for the eight-page feature. GI
That is tight
ReplyDeleteWhat a surprise, it is obsessively clean...
ReplyDeleteI wondered when someone was going to say something like that. It doesn't look too clean in the race photo. Look, the fella likes clean stuff. I like clean stuff too. Not that you'd tell from looking at my bikes. G
ReplyDeleteclean-oh la la!
ReplyDeleteWow, the HERO, Kocinski on a dirt tracker that also looks amazing! Best news and blog post in months! This must be followed up here. Please try to get a article about him and that bike for a coming SB issue! Whatta great way of starting a Friday morning! :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic looking bike! It's good to see the weird one from Arkansas out and about.
ReplyDeleteMmm. Superbike detailing on a tracker. I'm salivating. Please get this one photographed properly!
ReplyDelete/D
Yes he was odd. And anal. And he may have been a bit of a jerk.
ReplyDeleteBut he was also really, really talented. People forget about his 250GP World Championship where he stands shoulder to shoulder with Roberts and Spencer; the only other Americans to have won the 250 title (I think?)
He raced 500GP at the tail end of the glory days, against a field deep with talent ... Lawson, Rainey, Schwantz, Doohan ...and he won races and podiumed regularly.
That he can show up at 40 and run ahead of young fast guys like JD Beach warms my 46 year old heart.
His name is often forgotten amongst the greats ... but he was no doubt, great, as anyone who saw him race will attest.
I have seen him race a couple years at our local 1/4 track on his two stroke honda.
ReplyDeleteThat bike is equally clean and detailed. And super fast.