Episode 2: Eddie Lawson, 4x Grand Prix Motorcycle Racing World Champion - SCAR TISSUE Podcast

[@stevebigansky9372]

A little known fact about my relationship with Eddie that goes back to 1976 when we raced TZ250's in the novice class- I won my heat race and qualified 2nd to Eddie for the 250cc novice race at Daytona - Me, Eddie, and 2 other guys scrapped it up for about half the race until I retired with a gearbox issue- Fast forward to 1996 - I was helping Eddie with the early development of his Swiff chassis TZ250 powered super kart - He called me one day and asked if I would accompany him to the superkart world finals at Las Vegas motor speedway- I sat shotgun next to him in his motorhome for the 5 hour drive from Upland to Vegas and was treated to some of most entertaining stories you've ever heard- I'll always cherish that weekend for the rest of my like - I thought I had died and went to HEAVEN- Thanks for putting up with me that weekend-

[@wesspence438]

Great story! Thank you for sharing!!

[@jaygdav]

Best KZbin comment I have ever read! Thanks for posting 👍

[@stevebigansky9372]

@@jaygdav thanks -

[@stevebigansky9372]

yea, we still stay in touch to this day - Ed finally left California and moved to Arizona a few years ago - he lives pretty close to Kenny Roberts who also left California after selling his infamous ranch in Hickman -​@@wesspence438

[@justinstilwell7841]

Steady Eddie Awesome Lawson

[@copperaudio9664]

I was lucky to see Eddie, Kenny, Randy, Freddy and many other greats at Laguna Seca multiple years. These guys have Superman skills and were a delight to watch.

[@tomtaylor6163]

Glad to see this interesting video. Big fan of Eddie from way back , particularly his KZ1000 Superbike Days. He wasnt flashy but got the job done which makes him great

[@LegosDeus]

My first bike was a Kawazaki GPz 550 Eddie Lawson edition... 19 inch front wheel... But then, Spencer got me, I bought the Honda NS400R... Best bike I ever had.

[@graemeadamson7272]

What a top top bloke , his attitude is sadly missed in the modern era !! Fantastic interview ❤

[@wesspence438]

Thank you!

[@MattWarburton-Emdoubleyu]

Eddie is such a great guy. So laid back yet deadly serious about being the best. Thanks for getting him in front of a microphone!

[@grahamcox8385]

Eddie lawson is such a cool, funny and down to earth guy, awesome rider and a true champion, yee ha Eddie lawson 🏍️👍👊😊

[@DBurnham87]

Eddie had an amazing career. The mental toughness it must have taken to get through those races is hard to imagine.

[@alexman8800]

That part about Kenny Roberts giving Eddie Lawson a hard time as a team-mate; read about it years ago that in the 1983 season Roberts won the last race but lost the championship to Freddie Spencer on points. Roberts wanted Lawson to get ahead of Spencer who came in 2nd place in the race but failed to do so as he could only managed 3rd place. Roberts was furious with Lawson.

[@Geletemol]

Yamaha & Honda

[@patmays7344]

I saw Eddie have one of his crashes, this wasn’t often. In 1992 500; gp. practice, Donington park. UK. I saw him and his Cagiva, coming down Cramer curves, he had a slide, and he ended up, summersaulting down the grass, over & over, it looked scary. & painful. But, he was in the race next day, so, that was a relief. I was & still am a fan of Eddies. So, great to see him in this.

[@user-io4ui9dr5q]

Definitely one of my heroes growing up...

[@RickyJr46]

Four times I watched Eddie race the big green #21 Kawasaki and he won all four. Saw his 1988 USGP win, too! Awesome Lawson is the pure no-BS western gunfighter - it's in the eyes.

[@bradwilliams5242]

I saw him at Daytona on Vance and Hines bike him and the team made it look easy

[@joshuamervis]

Thank you! What a great interview. The greatest American road racer ever.

[@kevinshea2097]

What an awesome video but you can see why he was a 4x grand prix champion eddie was the g.o.a.t. 👍👍👍👍

[@steakmeal74]

Eddie is a legend and a hero of mine from childhood - his style, attitude and will to win was just something else. Lucky to see him race a few times, late 80’s at the British Gp

[@gmazz0913]

Went to to high school in Ontario Calif. With the man. He is "the man". Followed his career always. Rode bikes up to Laguna Sega every year he raced. What an awesome time.

[@6114457]

Wonderful interview! I only saw Lawson race live once, at Anderstorp, Sweden in 1990. Lawson missed the first 7 races of the season due to broken ankles, but got back on the podium as soon as he was well enough to race again. At Anderstorp, Eddie seemed to be faster than Rainey (his trammate), but stayed in 2nd place, blocking Gardner in 3rd, as he promised Rainey earlier (since his season was shot anyway). A true champion! My favorite driver ever. If he'd stayed with Honda longer, he'd surely have won even more chamionships.

[@winstonsmith8240]

Those 500cc 2 strokes were absolute beasts. Gotta respect those guys. Eddie was certainly one of the greats.Kenny Roberts sounds fun. Great content. Thanks.

[@hermanschweizer9717]

I seen Eddy competing in the super bike in the 80this on the 1000 green Kawasaki. I think he helped Yamaha Grand Prix division a great deal, assume motorcycle racer . Cool 😎 interview.

[@ericjacobsen3912]

Excellent, Eddie was awesome!!

[@oldironnow]

Great interview, Mr. Spence - Thank you. Props and thanks to Mr. Lawson for sharing his time and tales. Reading about his stoic relentlessness back in the days of analog media made me a Lawson fan and a Yamaha man. In my mind, seeing the "Eddie Would Go" bumpstickers around town (honoring Eddie Akiau) brings forth a personal reminder of Lawson's drive to survive and triumph in the face of great challenges. His style and approach to his craft still inspire me to push through my everyday life. And I can still feel myself squinting into the afternoon sun from a spot in the grass up on Corkscrew Hill, watching Mr. Lawson duck under MacKenzie and Gardner to win the 1988 USGP. Like it was yesterday. Thanks, champ.

[@wesspence438]

Thank you for your kind words! And thank you for sharing some great memories! It was an honor getting to know Eddie; a true champion.

[@phillpearson7531]

Excellent interview. You hit all the bases on how the great become great.

[@alanrodriguez7341]

Wow!!!! What a treat to see Eddie the straight and forward racer and brave person. I always wanted to be a motorcycle mechanic on his team. He was very smooth and concise through the racing corners. I remember seeing him in Riverside racing the big ship Kawasaki 🚢. I always wanted to meet him and ask him some battle questions. I hope he can come to Wa. State at the Vintage ARHMA races 🏁. Thanks, Eddie and Lu are my heroes. Al

[@shinima1861]

エディは87年ごろミュータントと言われた。 フレディは天才だけど天然だね、

[@NoName-ds5uq]

I had the pleasure of seeing Steady Eddie race only once, at Eastern Creek in 1992 at the Australian GP, although by then he was riding an uncompetitive Cagiva. I instantly saw how he earned that name at Friday practice! I remember listening to the engine out of turn 1 and how smooth he sounded compared to everyone else! He has always been one of my favourite racers!

[@DavidSmith-ve5kj]

Excellent interview, Eddies a great champion and better person.

[@Geletemol]

Steady Eddie 1234

[@richardcarr7557]

Great interview thank you. Eddie was my favourite rider loved his smooth style, hardly out of shape fast but not looking fast. Loved the Yamaha years but moving to Honda in 89 and winning championship was amazing! Also the Cagiva win shows Eddie's amazing talent Such a down to earth guy.

[@kevinduran9337]

Thank you sir! Great interview! I can't say that I would have asked anything else. A true glimpse of what it took to be in that championship class during those times. I also want to the mr. Lawson for sharing all of his experience, it's priceless knowledge!

[@wesspence438]

Thank you! It was such a great opportunity to glean at least a bit of knowledge from a true racing legend!

[@patthewoodboy]

power sliding a BSA 175 on a grass field (by accident) was my introduction to motorcycles ..hooked from the age of 13 🙂 he sums it up

[@DealMe-wv3iu]

@ Richardo Juliet . Your bang on man , it's in the eyes . There would be Eddie , on the front row , on the Yamaha , Camera's rolling around everywhere , mechanics , tyre guys , skinny assed models in bikini's holding umbrella's over the riders etc , and you would get a shot of those steely eyes , totally focused and deep in thought about the race and you just knew . . . He's gonna win . I miss the 500 's and the guys that rode them . I barely watch the GP's anymore , too much technology and electrics on the bikes now . I watch the World Superbikes these days because the riders still have to ride the wheels off them to win . Talent over technology .

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

I watched an Eddie Lawson interview a couple of months ago, and when asked, Eddie wasn’t too impressed with the modern MotoGP. Back in his time it would take a year to learn how to master a 500 GP-bike and today they can win from the word “go”. Something is obviously missing - like a lethal 500 2-stroke rocket ship.

[@DealMe-wv3iu]

@@kasperkjrsgaard1447 For sure . None of the old 500gp riders are very impressed with the new style of bikes . Corner speed is up on the new style bikes but so are the tyres under them . Imagine what guys like Lawson , Doohan , Rainey etc could have done with the rubber of todays bikes

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

@@DealMe-wv3iu Oh yeah, no doubt about that. Or even racing them without the electronics. The throttle control in the right wrist and the ride modes between the ears.

[@DealMe-wv3iu]

@@kasperkjrsgaard1447 Yes that too hahaha. Greetings from Australia Kasper

[@graemeadamson7272]

Have a look at the Isle of Man TT . Riders and bikes completely on the limit . Watch a lap with an on-board camera .......it will be in real-time .

[@JRConck1]

Spent some time on the track with Eddie (and others). Best spectator viewpoint. Seing him on that Kawasaki 250 at Road America was amazing.

[@stzw613]

One of the best 500 riders ever!, if you ask me. The best don't need a lot of attention because they are alway's on the appointment.

[@cavscout62]

That was Irv Kanemoto that did 13 Chassis changes because they were an independent Honda Team, the Factory Team struggled because they couldn’t do what Eddie & Irv did with the NS500.

[@dougstitt1652]

C-7 be damned . Good stuff , Thank you both

[@fantared5263]

Steady Eddie! Competitive even on that Cagiva.

[@aggravatedprogressive7443]

Steady Eddie, thanx so many great memories, don't forget eraldo feracchi

[@f3verMonkey]

Great interview!

[@mchristr]

Eddie was the consummate pro. When the motorcycle was right he was always up front. When the bike wasn't right he would salvage the best finish and not toss it down the road.

[@scary9077]

I first saw Eddie at a southern california short track racing another kid for the lead. Those two were fast! The other kid was some nobody named Wayne Rainey.

[@Edison73100]

Cool Eddie.

[@rider65]

What an outstanding interview! Eddie is SO under-recognized in u.s. sports. A FOUR-TIME GP world champion, Lawson, Rainey, Schwantz, Roberts- stalwarts. A shame the u.s. ignores 2-wheeled motorsports. It's all mostly high-dollar, whiny, pussy stick and ball. One track day with Eddie would be priceless. Hell, even a half day of bench racing would pay dividends for any rider.

[@zezee8591]

Eddie absolutely demolished the Cagiva down Craner Curves Donington Sunday morning warm up at the British gp, fortunately Eddie walked away. We avoided Eddie and went to retrieve all the debris from the bike as Eddie walked to the exit gate towards the crowd area, he was not in the best of moods as the crowd arrived wanting autographs, but still held his composure, and yes i still Marshal on Craner.

[@Geletemol]

Eddie won 1 race with cagiva and i think it deserve a Ferrari

[@cavscout62]

I remember the 1st time Eddie rode a Muzzy Prepped Kawasaki, when he came in all he could say was “The Horsepower, The Horsepower!” If there is one word I’d use to describe Eddie that word would be, Relentless. Wow I’m getting old.🤣

[@wgnwheels333]

As a mountain biker I know what he means about how good it is for the soul

[@EmperorNerox]

Eddie was fast he even won the superbikers at Carlsbad he smoked everyone the year I was there 84 I think. Magoo was gunna catch him but hit a haybale. 89 usgp at Laguna he almost hit Magee but bubba hit him as he and Eddie were congratulating ea other

[@darrenparkinson4576]

No,not exactly. Magee pulled up to do a burnout on the cooling down lap and Bubba hit Magee from behind. Magee broke his ankle and Bubba sustained a serious head injury which pretty much ended his career.

[@COLLEZZIONI]

✌️✌️✌️

[@lawsonfan5797]

Yo Ed, lemme ride that bike. Man, he went easy on Ago. That's a dope ass lamp shade....is it a lamp shade? If it is, I want one. "They just go, well you suck, or you're the quickest" I didn't know there was an "or" to that statement......never got said to me.

[@mattjacomos2795]

If you don't know, Agostini lied about the tobacco sponsorship being reduced and Eddie found out it had actually been increased. Kind of like Ducati did to Stoner after he won their only championship, but that's how the day goes...

[@lawsonfan5797]

@@mattjacomos2795 I knew......hence the "he went easy on Ago".

[@mattjacomos2795]

@@lawsonfan5797 I thought you did, but I posted that for the benefit of the public...

[@gs1100ed]

Thanks for pointing out the lamp shade! Super cool!

[@perrym6937]

eddie seems like a fun guy.... i bet i could beat him on a dirt kart though lol

[@artmodeling1147]

エディ、とっつあんになったなあ。。。

[@Geletemol]

Crack YAMAHA=HONDA

[@guschristensen5671]

it was 93 at the Daytona 200 I had my 9 year old son with me, I had purchased him a photo of Eddie coming out of the horseshoe in a wheelie, he wanted it autographed so we went to the V&H pits, Eddie was sitting at a table with 3-4 team members he looked over and seen us he held up a finger to the team and got up and walked over to us and asked Mike if he wanted him to sign his pic, he signed his pic his new Daytona coat put his arm around him and I took a pic we talk about that time often what a nice guy we is thanks Eddie