Mike Baldwin (motorcyclist)

Mike Baldwin
Nationality	American
Motorcycle racing career statistics Grand Prix motorcycle racing Active years 1979, 1981, 1985 - 1988 First race 1979 500cc Austrian Grand Prix Last race 1988 500cc British Grand Prix Team Yamaha Championships 0 Starts Wins Podiums Poles F. laps Points 37 0 6 1 1 133

Mike Baldwin (born January 15, 1955, in Pasadena, California) is an American former professional motorcycle road racer. He was a top contender in AMA Superbike racing during the 1980s who also competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing. Baldwin was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001. ^[1]

Baldwin led the American team to an upset win over the favored British team when he was the highest points scorer at the 1979 Transatlantic Trophy match races. ^[2] The Transatlantic Trophy match races pitted the best British riders against the top American road racers on 750cc motorcycles in a six-race series in England. Baldwin won five AMA Formula 1 titles as well as becoming the first rider to win three Suzuka 8 Hours races. ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Baldwin's best finish in the 500cc world championships was a fourth place in the 1986 season while racing for the Kenny Roberts-Yamaha team. ^[6] He seemed poised to become one of the top American road racers, but injuries curtailed his career. He rode a Bimota at the WSBK Championship in 1989, scoring a podium finish in France.

In 2001, Baldwin was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. ^[1]

Grand Prix career statistics

Points system from 1969 to 1987:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Points	15	12	10	8	6	5	4	3	2	1

Points system from 1988 to 1992:

Position	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15
Points	20	17	15	13	11	10	9	8	7	6	5	4	3	2	1

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)

Year	Class	Team	Machine	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	Points	Rank	Wins
1979	500cc	Zago-Suzuki	RG500	VEN -	AUT 14	GER 10	NAT 5	ESP 3	YUG -	NED -	BEL -	SWE -	FIN -	GBR -	FRA -				17	13th	0
1981	500cc	Suzuki	RG500	AUT -	GER -	NAT -	FRA NC	YUG -	NED -	BEL -	RSM -	GBR -	FIN -	SWE -					0	-	0
1985	500cc	Michael Baldwin Racing	NS500	RSA 9	ESP 7	GER NC	NAT 11	AUT 7	YUG -	NED NC	BEL 11	FRA 10	GBR -	SWE 7	RSM 8				18	11th	0
1986	500cc	Lucky Strike Yamaha	YZR500	ESP 3	NAT 3	GER 3	AUT 5	YUG 5	NED 3	BEL NC	FRA 4	GBR 18	SWE 3	RSM 4					78	4th	0
1987	500cc	Lucky Strike Yamaha	YZR500	JPN NC	ESP NC	GER -	NAT -	AUT -	YUG -	NED -	FRA -	GBR -	SWE -	CZE -	RSM -	POR NC	BRA 10	ARG 6	6	18th	0
1988	500cc	Katayama Racing Team	RS500	JPN -	USA 10	ESP NC	EXP -	NAT -	GER -	AUT -	NED -	BEL 20	YUG 14	FRA 13	GBR 13	SWE -	CZE -	BRA -	14	19th	0

Suzuka 8 Hours results

Year	Team	Co-Rider	Bike	Pos
1978	Yoshimura Racing	Mike Baldwin Wes Cooley	Suzuki GS1000	1st
1981	Honda France	David Aldana Mike Baldwin	Honda RS1000	1st
1984	Honda America	Fred Merkel Mike Baldwin	Honda RVF750 RC45	1st

References

1. "Mike Baldwin at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 23 February 2022.
2. Assoc, American Motorcyclist (July 1979). "Underdog Yanks Blitz British" . Retrieved 2 March 2016.
3. "1978 Suzuka 8 Hours results at Moto Racing Japan". Archived from the original on 2017-10-08. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
4. "1981 Suzuka 8 Hours results at Moto Racing Japan". Archived from the original on 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
5. "1984 Suzuka 8 Hours results at Moto Racing Japan". Archived from the original on 2016-03-15. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
6. Mike Baldwin career statistics at MotoGP.com

External links

• Motorcycle Hall of Fame