Mert Lawwill
Encyclopedia
Mert Lawwill is an American
dirt-track
and road racer, born on September 25, 1940 in Boise, Idaho
.
He started his racing career as an amateur racer on the local TT track in Boise and, later, scramble races across the United States Northwest .
He turned professional in 1963 after moving to California and, in 1964, signed a contract to race dirt-track for manufacturer Harley-Davidson
, with which he would stay for the rest of his racing career. He won his first AMA national race at the famous Sacramento Mile on September 19, 1965.
He won the 1969 A.M.A. Grand National Championship
and was voted AMA's Most Popular Rider of the Year the same year. His popularity earned him a co-starring role in Bruce Brown
's classic 1971 motorcycle epic, On Any Sunday
with actor Steve McQueen
, and off-road
legend Malcolm Smith
.
This film revealed Mert Lawwill's talents as a technician but unfortunately showcased a series of "DNF
s".
But by the time he retired in 1977, due to an inner-ear disorder that affected his balance, he had amassed an incredible 161 career AMA Grand National finishes during his 15-year racing career.
He is now spending his time developing race motorcycles as well as mountain bike
s. He also developed a prosthetic
to allow arm amputees to ride a motorcycle.
He was inducted in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
in 1998.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
dirt-track
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
and road racer, born on September 25, 1940 in Boise, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Boise is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho, as well as the county seat of Ada County. Located on the Boise River, it anchors the Boise City-Nampa metropolitan area and is the largest city between Salt Lake City, Utah and Portland, Oregon.As of the 2010 Census Bureau,...
.
He started his racing career as an amateur racer on the local TT track in Boise and, later, scramble races across the United States Northwest .
He turned professional in 1963 after moving to California and, in 1964, signed a contract to race dirt-track for manufacturer Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
, with which he would stay for the rest of his racing career. He won his first AMA national race at the famous Sacramento Mile on September 19, 1965.
He won the 1969 A.M.A. Grand National Championship
A.M.A. Grand National Championship
The AMA Grand National Championship is an American motorcycle racing series. The race series, founded and sanctioned by the American Motorcyclist Association in 1954, originally encompassed five distinct forms of competitions including; mile dirt track races, half-mile, short-track, TT...
and was voted AMA's Most Popular Rider of the Year the same year. His popularity earned him a co-starring role in Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown
Bruce Brown is an American documentary film director, known as an early pioneer of the surf film...
's classic 1971 motorcycle epic, On Any Sunday
On Any Sunday
On Any Sunday is a 1971 American documentary feature about motorcycle sport, directed by Bruce Brown. It was nominated for a 1972 Academy Award for Documentary Feature....
with actor Steve McQueen
Steve McQueen
Terrence Steven "Steve" McQueen was an American movie actor. He was nicknamed "The King of Cool." His "anti-hero" persona, which he developed at the height of the Vietnam counterculture, made him one of the top box-office draws of the 1960s and 1970s. McQueen received an Academy Award nomination...
, and off-road
Enduro
Enduro is a form of motorcycle sport run on courses that are predominantly off-road. Enduro consists of many different obstacles and challenges...
legend Malcolm Smith
Malcolm Smith (motorcyclist)
Malcolm Smith is a Hall of Fame American off-road racer.-Career:Smith first raced in 1956 atop a 1949 Matchless 500cc motorcycle. Later, he was associated with Husqvarna motorcycles. His renown grew as he won races in the 1960s and 1970s...
.
This film revealed Mert Lawwill's talents as a technician but unfortunately showcased a series of "DNF
DNF
DNF may stand for:* Derek and Francis* Disjunctive normal form in boolean logic* Duke Nukem Forever, a video game notable for its extremely long development time* "Did not finish" in racing parlance* Dynamic No Fins - a discipline of freediving...
s".
But by the time he retired in 1977, due to an inner-ear disorder that affected his balance, he had amassed an incredible 161 career AMA Grand National finishes during his 15-year racing career.
He is now spending his time developing race motorcycles as well as mountain bike
Mountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
s. He also developed a prosthetic
Prosthesis
In medicine, a prosthesis, prosthetic, or prosthetic limb is an artificial device extension that replaces a missing body part. It is part of the field of biomechatronics, the science of using mechanical devices with human muscle, skeleton, and nervous systems to assist or enhance motor control...
to allow arm amputees to ride a motorcycle.
He was inducted in the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association that recognizes individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction and motorcycling in general. It displays motorcycles and riding gear and memoribilia. The museum is located in...
in 1998.