Rob Muzzy

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Rob Muzzy is an American owner of Muzzy's Performance Products, a specialty engineering company that designs, manufactures and sells high performance parts for motorcycles. [1] He is also a successful motorcycle racing team owner, winning national and international championships in motorcycle road racing and drag racing. His contributions to motorcycle racing resulted in his induction into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame. [2]

Americans citizens, or natives, of the United States of America

Americans are nationals and citizens of the United States of America. Although nationals and citizens make up the majority of Americans, some dual citizens, expatriates, and permanent residents, may also claim American nationality. The United States is home to people of many different ethnic origins. As a result, American culture and law does not equate nationality with race or ethnicity, but with citizenship and permanent allegiance.

Motorcycle two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle

A motorcycle, often called a bike, motorbike, or cycle, is a two- or three-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycle design varies greatly to suit a range of different purposes: long distance travel, commuting, cruising, sport including racing, and off-road riding. Motorcycling is riding a motorcycle and related social activity such as joining a motorcycle club and attending motorcycle rallies.

Road racing

Road racing is a form of motorsport racing held on a paved road surfaces. The races can be held either on a closed circuit or on a street circuit utilizing temporarily closed public roads. Originally, road races were held almost entirely on public roads however, public safety concerns eventually led to most races being held on purpose built racing circuits.

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Motorcycle career

Muzzy began his motorcycle career during the 1950s when he competed in drag racing and dirt track racing in Southern California. [2] After his competitive riding career, he was hired by Kawasaki as a mechanic in the 1970s. [2] Muzzy built and tuned motorcycle engines for Kawasaki teams that won AMA Superbike Championships in 1981, 1982 and 1983 with riders Eddie Lawson and Wayne Rainey. [2] In 1984, Kawasaki disbanded their racing team and, Muzzy was hired to be the crew chief for the Honda racing team, tuning motorcycles that won the 1984 AMA Grand National Championship, the 1985 125cc AMA National Motocross Championship, the 1986 Daytona 200 and the 1987 AMA Superbike Championship. [2]

Drag racing type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete

Drag racing is a type of motor racing in which automobiles or motorcycles compete, usually two at a time, to be first to cross a set finish line. The race follows a short, straight course from a standing start over a measured distance, most commonly 1⁄4 mi, with a shorter becoming increasingly popular, as it has become the standard for Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars, where some major bracket races and other sanctioning bodies have adopted it as the standard, while the 1⁄8 mi is also popular in some circles. Electronic timing and speed sensing systems have been used to record race results since the 1960s.

Dirt track racing is a type of auto racing performed on clay or dirt surfaced oval tracks. It started in the United States before World War I and became widespread during the 1920s and 1930s. Two different types of race cars dominated—open wheel racers in the Northeast and West and stock cars in the South. While open wheel race cars are purpose-built racing vehicles, stock cars can be either purpose-built race cars or street vehicles that have been modified to varying degrees.

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Motorcycle & EngineCompany (川崎重工業モーターサイクル&エンジンカンパニー) is a division of Kawasaki Heavy Industries that produces motorcycles, ATVs, utility vehicles, jet ski personal watercraft, and general-purpose gasoline engines. Before the 2011 fiscal year it was called Consumer Products & Machinery. Its slogan is "Let the good times roll!"

In 1988, Muzzy opened his own business in Bend, Oregon, producing engines and exhaust systems for motorcycle racers. [2] He formed a racing team in 1990 using Kawasaki motorcycles with support from the Kawasaki factory. [2] In his first year as a team owner, his riders, Doug Chandler and Scott Russell finished first and second in the 1990 AMA Superbike Championship. [1] The Kawasaki factory then asked Muzzy's team to compete in the World Superbike Championship. [2] The height of his team's success came in 1993 when Muzzy Kawasaki riders Scott Russell and Aaron Slight won the Suzuka 8 Hours race in Japan. [2] [3] Russell then won the 1993 Superbike World Championship for the Muzzy Kawasaki team. [4] In the United States, Miguel Duhamel won the 1993 AMA Supersport Championship. [1]

Bend, Oregon City in Oregon, United States

Bend is a city in, and the county seat of, Deschutes County, Oregon, United States. It is the principal city of the Bend-Redmond Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bend is Central Oregon's largest city, and despite its modest size, is the de facto metropolis of the region, owing to the low population density of that area. Bend recorded a population of 76,693 at the time of the 2010 U.S. Census, up from 52,029 at the 2000 census. The estimated population of the city as of 2016 is 91,122. The Bend-Redmond metro population was estimated at 165,954 as of July 1, 2013. It is the fifth largest metropolitan area in Oregon.

Doug Chandler American motorcycle racer

John Douglas Chandler is an American former professional motorcycle racer. He earned a reputation as one of the most versatile racers of the 1980s and 1990s. Chandler is one of only four riders in AMA racing history to win the AMA Grand Slam, representing national wins at a mile, half-mile, short track, TT and road race. He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2006.

Scott Russell (motorcyclist) American motorcycle racer

Raymond Scott Russell, a.k.a.Mr. Daytona, is an American sportscar racer and former championship motorcycle road racer, born in East Point, Georgia. He is a former World Superbike and AMA Superbike Champion, has won the Daytona 200 a record five times, and won the Suzuka 8 Hours in 1993. Russell is the all-time leader in 750 cc AMA Supersport wins.

After his success in international competition, Muzzy returned to the United States to focus on racing in the AMA Superbike Championship. Muzzy's team won two consecutive Daytona 200 races in 1994 and 1995 with rider Scott Russell. [1] Doug Chandler returned to the team in 1996 and won two consecutive AMA Superbike Championships in 1996 and 1997. [1] In 2000, The Muzzy team shifted their focus into motorcycle drag racing with riders Rickey Gadson and Ryan Schnitz winning several major AMA and NHRA titles. [1]

NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series

The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series is a drag racing series organized by the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA). It is the top competition series of the NHRA, comprising competition in four classes, including Top Fuel Dragster, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Over his motorsports career, Muzzy has won 21 AMA National Championships in Superbike, Supersport, Drag Racing, Dirt Track, Motocross plus a World Superbike Championship, a victory at the Suzuka 8-hour endurance championship race and 4 Daytona 200 wins. [2] His team of championship winning riders includes; Eddie Lawson, Ricky Graham, Scott Russell, Doug Chandler, Ron Lechien, Miguel Duhamel and Rickey Gadson. [2] He was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2014. [2]

Related Research Articles

American Motorcyclist Association nonprofit organization

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is an American nonprofit organization of more than 200,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights. Its mission statement is "to promote the motorcycling lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling." The organization was founded in 1924 and as of October 2016 had more than 1,100 chartered clubs.

AMA Superbike Championship

MotoAmerica Superbike Championship is an American motorcycle racing series. It is the premiere superbike racing series in the United States, part of the American Motorcyclist Association sanctioned events group.

Eddie Lawson American racing driver

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Daytona 200 motorcycle race held in Daytona, United States

The Daytona 200 is an annual motorcycle road racing competition held in early spring at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. The 200-mile (320 km) race was founded in 1937 when it was sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). The original course used the beach itself before moving to a paved closed circuit in 1961. The Daytona 200 reached its zenith of worldwide popularity in the 1970s when the race attracted the largest crowds of any AMA race along with some of the top rated international motorcycle racers.

Miguel Duhamel is a Canadian former professional motorcycle racer. He is the son of Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame member Yvon Duhamel. He is the third-winningest rider in the AMA Superbike series with 32 wins. Duhamel was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2016.

Anthony Gobert is a professional motorcycle road racer nicknamed The Go Show. He was a rider of immense promise and talent who had his career derailed by a personal struggle with drug abuse. Winning the final leg of the 1994 season at Philip Island, he became the youngest ever World Superbike race winner at the age of 19 years old, a record that was improved by 18 year old Yuichi Takeda at Sugo in 1996. Gobert won that race at Phillip Island from Pole and is still (2018) the youngest rider to do that.

Doug Polen American motorcycle racer

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Hideo "Pops" Yoshimura was a Japanese motorcycle tuner, race team owner and manufacturer of speciality motorcycle accessories. He is remembered for his ties to the beginnings of AMA Superbike racing and the Suzuki factory racing team.

Kurtis Roberts is a motorcycle road racer, born on 17 November 1978 in Turlock, California. He is the youngest son of three-time 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts, and the younger brother of 2000 500cc World Champion Kenny Roberts, Jr.. He has raced in most major US and international motorcycle racing championships, in both Grand Prix and Superbike categories.

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Sportbike motorcycle drag racing

Sportbike motorcycle drag racing involves racing motorcycles, often imported from Japan. Many sportbikes such as the Suzuki Hayabusa, the Kawasaki ZX-14, or the BMW S1000RR can perform a 1/4-mile drag race in the 9-second range with little to no modifications. 1/8th-mile racing is also popular in some parts of the country.

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Leandro Denis Mercado is a motorcycle racer from Argentina. In 2018 he competes in the Superbike World Championship aboard a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R. He won the National title of the AMA Supersport Championship in 2009 and the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup in 2014.

Jason Pridmore American motorcycle racer

Jason Pridmore is a retired American professional motorcycle racer who turned pro in 1990. He last raced professionally in the 2014 FIM World Endurance Championship on a BMW S1000rr for Team Penz 13. His professional career spanned 22 years, during which he won 21 American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) national races 17 of which are Superstock class wins which is second to Scott Russell. Pridmore was the AMA Formula Extreme Championship in 2002, the AMA 750 Supersport Championship in 1997 as well as the FIM Endurance World Championship title in 2003 & 2012 respectively. In addition to his professional racing career Pridmore gained notoriety for being one of the top riding coaches in the United States through his STAR Motorcycle school and JP43 Training programs. Pridmore also spends time as an expert analyst for Bein Sports coverage of the Moto America championships.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Muzzy company profile". muzzys.com. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Rob Muzzy at the AMA Hall of Fame". motorcyclemuseum.org. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "1993 Suzuka 8 Hours results". motoracing-japan.com. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "World Superbike Champions". worldsbk.com. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
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