Mike Baldwin (motorcyclist)

Mike Baldwin
NationalityAmerican
Motorcycle racing career statistics
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Active years1979, 1981, 1985 - 1988
First race1979 500cc Austrian Grand Prix
Last race1988 500cc British Grand Prix
Team(s)Yamaha
Championships0
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]

His best finish in the 500cc world championships was a fourth place in the 1986 season while racing for the Kenny Roberts-Yamaha team.[6] Baldwin 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, he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame.[1]

  1. ^ a b "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