REVIVAL
AMA Hall Of Famer Mary McGee Is Revved Up
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hen the American Motorcyclist Association needed someone to help revive the Hall Of Fame and drive donations, they turned to one of their own — Mary McGee. Inducted into the Hall Of Fame in 2018, Mary is an icon, inspiration and the best brand ambassador motorcycling has ever had. “Mary is one of the most pioneering motorcyclists in history,” AMA noted. “She not only broke barriers for women riders, but all riders. Her accomplishments transcend gender and have impacted the sport in innumerable ways.” Despite the legendary Rolf Tibblin telling her brakes are the most important part of racing, Mary is showing no signs of slowing down any time soon! Eric Anderson interviewed this motorcycling legend about the challenges of being a woman in the powersports world and a pioneer advocate for our entire industry. The stories are amazing, including how she was never sponsored by a dealer, did the Baja 500 solo and was convinced by friend and fellow racer Steve McQueen to start riding dirtbikes in the desert... You’ve been instrumental in breaking down gender barriers everywhere inside what was and still remains to this day of a male-dominated sport and industry. One thing we’ve never heard from you is what your dealership experience has been in the 1960s, 70s and even the 1980s… How challenging was it for serious women riders at the point of purchase in those days?
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Well, first of all, you mentioned dealership, right? I did work for a dealership back them. I worked for Paul Collins at Continental Imports. He sold Hondas, Triumphs and Bultacos. Yes, it was great fun. I made commissions on those sales but it was a struggle with the two male salespeople. Paul said to just ignore them and I was selling motorcycles like crazy. Was it hard in the 1960’s? Did things get better? They eventually got better. When I started roadracing in 1960, they were slightly older guys. And they were pretty much accepting. I did have to try out at Willow Springs, they wouldn’t let me race, but a guy could just show up with his leathers, a helmet and a bike and race. After my try out at Willow Springs, that was no problem. They said, “You’re good. You can race the next race.” Now when I started motocross it was different. First of all, it was all desert guys at the first motocross — it started in the first week of December 1965, at Castaic Junction. When the kids came into motocross, they didn’t know what to do with me because I wasn’t their mother. I wasn’t their sister. And I was older… But you were a competitor. Mostly they were faster. But yeah, I was a competitor. I was there and I was definitely a participant. Back to the dealership for a second. Was it interesting being the only woman working at that dealership? Did you receive respect from the men when you outsold them? I kind of outsold them. They got a little upset because guys would come in and ask for me and they wanted to buy a motorcycle. The guys did complain to Paul Collins and he just said ‘deal with it.’ What was your advantage in selling? Riding! I rode a motorcycle. Oh, you know what else I did? Paul Collins’ shop was on Artesia Boulevard. And it was an angle. So I had a skateboard and I would ride down Artesia Blvd. on it. Everybody just laughed and thought it was funny… but they followed me to the dealership. You’re a daredevil? No, no, but it was fun. The dealership wasn’t busy all the time. Right? You cleaned the bikes, you straightened up the brochures — the guys never did any of that — so if there was nobody there, you had to do something. I rode my skateboard. There were a couple of guys that were very, very nice in the beginning. One was Mark Blackwell, his father and his younger brother, Greg, and John DeSoto, he’s such a great guy, and Jim Wilson. But it took a while for guys to get used to having a female out there at the track or in the shop. Were men who worked inside dealerships back then surprised at what motorcycle parts and accessories you were buying in the shop? In 1960 my husband and I went to see Joe Kubicek who’s from Czechoslovakia and had opened a tiny little CZ dealership in Redondo Beach looking to buy a 2-stroke. I had been riding
