Post by Jon "bustanut" on Nov 10, 2008 22:50:44 GMT -5
In a homage to a fallen friend, Ben Spies will run the number nineteen next year on his Yamaha World Superbike machine.
Spies isn't the first American rider to run nineteen in world championship racing, in fact the number has a long history of being identified with American riders. Three-time world champion Freddie Spencer used the number in the 1980s when he battled for his titles. Later John Kocinski used it several times in 250 and GP racing (Kocinski's use of the number was always said to be a homage to his first racing hero, Freddie Spencer).
Spies says the number choice is a way to remember his best friend, Ryan Smith, who used 19 as his number and was killed in a club race in Texas. Since then the frequency it appears in Spies' life is astounding. "Every time I look up the number 19 is there," Spies said yesterday.
Spies isn't the first American rider to run nineteen in world championship racing, in fact the number has a long history of being identified with American riders. Three-time world champion Freddie Spencer used the number in the 1980s when he battled for his titles. Later John Kocinski used it several times in 250 and GP racing (Kocinski's use of the number was always said to be a homage to his first racing hero, Freddie Spencer).
Spies says the number choice is a way to remember his best friend, Ryan Smith, who used 19 as his number and was killed in a club race in Texas. Since then the frequency it appears in Spies' life is astounding. "Every time I look up the number 19 is there," Spies said yesterday.
![MaYo (((d[0_o]b))) Avatar](http://cdn.vidilife.com/image/2006/2/24/398945/1586904L.gif)
