{"id":9156,"date":"2022-01-07T06:07:52","date_gmt":"2022-01-07T06:07:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advwisdom.com\/a\/legendary-racing-manager-kenny-clark-passes-6\/"},"modified":"2022-01-07T06:07:52","modified_gmt":"2022-01-07T06:07:52","slug":"legendary-racing-manager-kenny-clark-passes-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advwisdom.com\/a\/legendary-racing-manager-kenny-clark-passes-6\/","title":{"rendered":"Legendary racing manager Kenny Clark passes"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\t\t\t\t\tLarry Lawrence<\/span> | January 6, 2022\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Kenny Clark, one of the most successful racing managers of all time, died last week at his Idaho home, according to his family.<\/p>\n

\"Legendary<\/a>
Kenny Clark (standing, far right), Team Yamaha Race Manager with Kenny Roberts, recently passed away.<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

From 1978 onwards, Clark directed Yamaha’s racing activities in the United States for a little over a decade, overseeing a very successful period of almost all of Yamaha’s racing programs. Clark also had a huge impact on US Yamaha supporting Kenny Roberts’ efforts to compete in the FIM 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix World Championships.<\/p>\n

In an interview with 2013 Cycle messages<\/em>, Clark was asked what was the most memorable act he had undertaken over the years while running Yamaha’s racing programs, and his answer was a little surprising.<\/p>\n

It was the market launch of the Yamaha FZR600 in 1989. The AMA 600 Supersport had become the “Win on Sunday, sell on Monday” class and 600cc sport motorcycles were selling like hot cakes. The FZR was undoubtedly a strong entry point to challenge Honda’s 600 Hurricane and Suzuki’s Katana, but Clark didn’t take any chances.<\/p>\n

They call it “outside-the-box” thinking today and the driver choice Clark made was inspired to say the least. He decided to put John Kocinski on the new FZR along with four other drivers. Kocinski, who had ridden 250GP motorcycles, had no experience with supersport motorcycles, but he was absolutely brilliant on the new FZR and ran away with a dominant win. It was one of the most successful sports motorcycle launches of all time. Sales went through the roof.<\/p>\n

Clark left Yamaha in 1989 after budget disputes with Japan-based management. “I don’t think anyone ever knew I was kicked out,” said Clark. “I just told the media that Yamaha can afford to pay me or Damon Bradshaw and Bradshaw is way faster.”<\/p>\n

Clark then led a team that won personal watercraft championships with the help of Bombardier. Clark brought in his old Yamaha cohort, Kel Carruthers, to build the engines for the watercraft. That was Clark’s last job in racing.<\/p>\n

In his retirement years, Clark lived in Idaho and enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, riding his various off-road motorcycles, and riding his Chevy Trailblazer SS.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n