ROOKIES TO THE RESCUE

CLASS OF ’79 ROOKIES TO THE RESCUE

By Kali Kotoski

Sometimes, really good things happen totally out of the blue. And in this particular instance, the azure hue was the blue sky high above a 2009 golf weekend that reunited six members of the professional dirt track rookie class of 1979 — Tommy Duma, Ronnie Jones, Scott Parker, Wayne Rainey, Charlie Roberts and John Wincewicz, with Lance Jones and Jackie Mitchell joining later.

As the story goes, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Parker instigated a little friendly bet on the links, “which he of course won,” remembered Roberts. But instead of Parker pocketing the winnings, the group got creative and decided to set up a charity to help

Forged in the Golden Era of flat track, the Rookies of ’79 have helped countless racers in their time of need

Charlie Roberts TOmmy Duma

Scott Parker

ROOKIES TO THE RESCUE Photos courtesy of Rookies of ’79 and Friends, Tommy Duma, Ronnie Jones and David Hoenig

injured dirt track riders of any age or skill level.

“We saw a great way to give back,” Duma told American Motorcyclist, “because, if you don’t have sponsors or supporters or notoriety and there is an accident, nobody is there to help. We want to help the victims of accidents keep on living and, if they can’t recover enough to ride and race again, help find a new purpose.”

The charity, Rookies of ’79 and Friends, primarily raises funds by selling memorabilia online and at flat

Wayne Rainey track races donated by past and present legends, and is the official charity of American Flat Track. It also has an ongoing partnership with Tim Estenson’s Estenson Racing, which is the single largest financial supporter of the char-

Johnny Wincewicz

Ronnie Jones

ity, according to Roberts.

The organization has helped over 180 riders deal with injuries and raised nearly $2 million since 2009. “Anybody that requests help, receives help,” Roberts, who serves as Executive Director, said. “I realize now that my contribution to the sport was not racing and podiums, but this organization.”

When the literal rookie class of 1979 stepped into the Grand National Championship spotlight in that last year of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, the sport of professional flat track was in a different universe altogether. The sport had flourished during the 1970s, with big sponsors, even bigger stars (Kenny Roberts and Jay Springsteen, to name just two) and lots of attention from the motorcycling (and non-motorcycling) worlds. And there was more of that to come during the 1980s, with Honda challenging Harley-Davidson and guys like Ricky Graham, Bubba Shobert and others helping carry the dirt track torch.

It was a different world for those ’79 rookies, too. “The times were totally different,” AMA Hall of Famer Ronnie Jones told American Motorcyclist. “We were all still kids, and our parents let us get out there with our vans, cross the country and try to make some money over the summer — can’t imagine letting a 16-year-old do that alone today. But after a couple wins I could finance my entire racing program for the season. You win a championship and you could buy a nice house.” The six formed a rolling carnival of dream chasers, all smelling like oil and leather, and before the 1979 season even started the group had already built friendships, having raced against each other in Amateur and Novice classes. “There was just a special comradery of us living out of our vans,” added Jones. “I guess it was because these guys were always the ones to beat and were on my mind 24/7.”

For AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, that 1979 rookie season was the culmination of a childhood dream and the launchpad for a successful racing career, especially in road racing later on. “In 1979,” Rainey said, “we were all just so lucky that we had such a talented class to bring in the next generation of champions.”

Things are different today, for sure, but what’s evergreen in dirt track and

brad baker

Charitable donations by fans have gone to Brad Baker, Jared Mees, Bryan Smith, Brandon Robinson, James Rispoli, Brandon Price, Rob Pearson, James Monaco, Oliver Brindley, Jeremy Higgins, Stevie Bonsey, Jeremy Werner, Mikey Rush, Henry Wiles, JR Addison, Sandriana Shipman and many more!

Left to right: Scott Parker, Charlie Roberts, Wayne Rainey (center), Ronnie Jones and Tommy Duma at the 2009 Indy Mile that brought the gang back together and launched the charity. Below: Executive Director Charlie Roberts and a Bultaco Astro.

all other forms of racing is the everpresent threat of injuries and a general lack of a safety net to help riders deal with the financial burden of them. And that’s where the charity comes in. 2013 Grand National Champ Brad Baker calls the Rookies charity lifechanging. A 2018 crash left Baker paralyzed with a spinal injury. Through the charity’s catastrophic injury fund, Baker has received $100,000 which alone supports his therapy. After insurance coverage maxed-out, Baker was looking at therapy payments of $1,000 a week.

“The charity has been huge for so many people because otherwise I couldn’t continue my therapy,” Baker told American Motorcyclist. “The problem fans don’t realize is that they see injured racers on TV and in a wheelchair and think ‘Well, they must be doing okay.’ That is not the case with all the pain people like me face.”

Baker also received from the charity a functional electrical stimulation bicycle that prevents muscle atrophy and the loss of bone density — something insurance wouldn’t have covered.

The charity also answered the call of Oliver Brindley, the British dirt track phenom who crashed during the final race of the 2019 American Flat Track series. He has received spinal cord injury equipment that helps trigger nerve activity to regain some mobility.

“Oliver’s crash resulted in one of the worst brain injuries we’ve ever seen,” Roberts said. “At first, he was never going to survive. Then he was never going to wake up. Then he never was going to be able to move again. But he miraculously did wake up, and we are extremely proud to be able to help him with his therapy. The work is not over though, and we are in the process of rekindling his funds.”

Jeremy Werner, another crash victim who was paralyzed, received a truck outfitted to accommodate his injuries. The charity has also hired him as the

first satellite operator to help raise funds and instill confidence that there is a path forward. “This is not a job he will have for the rest of his life,” Roberts said. “But he will be in full control, and my hope — my belief — is that this will help him gain confidence to start a career.”

The charity doesn’t just work to help racers that have suffered tragic injuries, but also to cover any financial burden faced while recuperating, whether that is a van, house or any non-therapy related payments. “The truth is that 90 percent of the riders out there have no safety net or adequate insurance,” said Baker. “The charity isn’t just for riders like me.”

For Jones, the charity is essential in today’s sport because the risk versus reward equation has greatly changed. “Unfortunately, the reward has continued to diminish and there isn’t that pot of gold out there like there used to be,” he said. “We are doing good work, but as former racers we always wish we could do more to provide some sort of safety net.”

For Baker, there is no way to limit the danger of the sport, but injury support is where fans and sponsors can have the greatest impact. “We don’t want tragedy to strike, but unfortunately it is always just a matter of time,” he said. “Now, we are working to be ready for it with support from fans.”

Fans. They are key, and Roberts echoes Baker’s point strongly and often. “This is a fan-based charity,” he says. “Fans make it all happen with their dollars and their interest. Fans are the heroes here! We’re just a conduit for them to help.”

Visit rookies79.com to learn more about the charity and how to help the athletes that make the sport so inspiring.

Rookies of ’79 and Friends Board Member Jackie Mitchell (left) and Charlie Roberts pose with memorabilia sold to raise funds for injured riders. Parker and Duma battle back in the day. Parker would become one of the most celebrated champions in history; Duma retired early and became a successful highend jeweler.

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