Danny LaPorte (born December 3, 1956) is an
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, p ...
former professional
motocross
Motocross is a form of off-road motorcycle racing held on enclosed off-road circuits. The sport evolved from motorcycle trials competitions held in the United Kingdom.
History
Motocross first evolved in Britain from motorcycle trials competi ...
racer.
He was one of the top motocross racers in the 1970s and 1980s and, was the first American to win a 250cc motocross world championship.
Biography
Born in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, LaPorte began riding in the early 1970s when the sport of motocross enjoyed a period of explosive growth. He began racing professionally when he turned 16 and by 1976 he was offered a job with the
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational mobility manufacturer headquartered in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, Shizuoka. It manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a va ...
factory
A factory, manufacturing plant or production plant is an industrial facility, often a complex consisting of several buildings filled with machinery, where workers manufacture items or operate machines which process each item into another. Th ...
racing team.
In 1979, LaPorte won the
AMA 500cc national championship for Suzuki. He was part of the victorious American
Motocross des Nations
The Motocross of Nations (MXON), also known by its original French name (''MXDN'') is an annual team motocross race, where riders representing their country meet at what is billed as the " Olympics of Motocross". The event has been staged since ...
team in 1981, marking the first time an American team had won the prestigious event.
Seeking new challenges, LaPorte decided to compete at the world championship level in 1982 riding for the
Yamaha
Yamaha may refer to:
People
* Torakusu Yamaha, a Japanese businessman and founder of the Yamaha Corporation
Companies
* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese musical instrument and audio equipment manufacturer
** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organi ...
factory racing team. In his first attempt, he claimed the
FIM
FIM may refer to:
Organizations and companies
* Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, the International Motorcycling Federation
* Flint Institute of Music, in Michigan, United States
* Fox Interactive Media, now News Corp. Digital Media
* ...
250cc motocross world championship against the heavily favored
Georges Jobé
Georges Jobé (6 January 1961 – 19 December 2012) was a Belgian professional motocross racer. He competed in the Motocross World Championships from 1979 to 1992. Jobé is notable for being a five-time FIM motocross world champion and a nine ...
.
Returning to America, LaPorte began to compete in
desert racing
Desert racing is the act of racing through the desert in a two- or four-wheeled off-road vehicle. Races, which generally consist of two or more loops around a course covering up to , can take the form of Hare and Hound or Hare scramble style eve ...
and won the famous
Baja 1000
The Baja 1000 is an annual Mexican off-road motorsport race held on the Baja California Peninsula, with a course of up to about 850 or more miles. It is one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world, having attracted competitors from ...
three times as a member of the
Kawasaki racing team.
In the 1990s, he competed in international
rally
Rally or rallye may refer to:
Gatherings
* Political demonstration, a political rally, a political demonstration of support or protest, march, or parade
* Pep rally, an event held at a North American school or college sporting event
Sport ...
events, winning a stage and finishing second overall in the
1992
1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General.
* January 6
** The Republ ...
Paris-Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally () or simply "The Dakar" (), formerly known as the Paris–Dakar Rally (), is an annual rally raid organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO). It is an off-road endurance event traversing terrain much tougher than conventi ...
.
He also is the winner of 1991
Pharaohs rally in Egypt.
LaPorte currently resides in
Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural List of regions of California, region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. Its densely populated coastal reg ...
and still competes occasionally. In 2000, he was inducted into the AMA
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association, recognizing individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction, or motorcycling in general. It also displays motorcycles, ...
.
He was inducted again in 2003, this time as a member of the victorious 1981
Motocross des Nations
The Motocross of Nations (MXON), also known by its original French name (''MXDN'') is an annual team motocross race, where riders representing their country meet at what is billed as the " Olympics of Motocross". The event has been staged since ...
team.
References
External links
Danny LaPorte at the AMA Motorcycle Hall of fame
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laporte, Danny
1957 births
Living people
Sportspeople from Torrance, California
American motocross riders
AMA Motocross Championship National Champions
Enduro riders
Off-road motorcycle racers