Eddie Lawson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Eddie Lawson |
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Lawson aboard the Yamaha YZR500, 1990.
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| Nationality |  American |
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| Born | March 11, 1958 Upland, California, U.S. |
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Eddie Ray Lawson (born March 11, 1958) is a retired American motorcycle racer. He was a top competitor in the Grand Prix motorcycle racing world championships from 1981 to 1992.
Eddie Lawson won the FIM 500cc road racing world championship four times. He is famous for being the first rider to win two 500cc world championships in a row on motorcycles from different companies. He was known for almost never crashing and always finishing races, which earned him the nickname "Steady Eddie".
In 2005, Lawson was added to the MotoGP Legends Hall of Fame. After his motorcycle career, he also raced open-wheel cars for a short time in the United States. He competed in the Indy Lights series and later in the CART racing series.
Contents
Biography
Early Racing Days
Eddie Lawson was born in Upland, California. He started his motorcycle racing journey on dirt tracks in Southern California. It became hard to find bikes that could beat the strong Harley-Davidsons. So, he decided to switch to road racing.
In 1979, Lawson finished second in the AMA 250cc road racing National Championship. After this, he got a chance to ride for the Kawasaki Superbike team. He won the AMA Superbike Series in both 1981 and 1982. He also won the AMA 250cc road racing National Championship in 1980 and 1981 for Kawasaki.
Becoming a World Champion
In 1983, Lawson joined Yamaha to race in the 500cc World Championship. He was teammates with the legendary Kenny Roberts. Lawson spent his first year learning about the Grand Prix circuit.
In 1984, Lawson started winning races often. He went on to win the 1984 World Championship. This was the first of his four world titles.
In 1985, he won the important Imola 200 race before the main season began. Lawson started the 1986 season by winning the Daytona 200 race. He won easily, giving Yamaha their first AMA Superbike victory. He set a new track record and finished the race much faster than the previous record.
Switching Teams and More Wins
Lawson won two more 500cc world championships for Yamaha in 1986 and 1988. Then, he surprised everyone by leaving Yamaha. He signed with their main rivals, Rothmans Honda. His teammate there was his rival, 1987 World Champion Wayne Gardner. By changing teams, Lawson also got to work with Erv Kanemoto, whom he admired.
In 1989, Lawson won the title for Honda. This made him the first rider to win championships in a row on bikes from different manufacturers. Later, Valentino Rossi did the same in 2004. Lawson also became the fourth "satellite rider" (a rider not on the main factory team) to win the top class world title.
In 1991, Lawson moved to Cagiva. The next year, he achieved his last victory, which was also Cagiva's first win in 10 years. This win proved that he could be successful away from the factory Marlboro Yamaha team. He joined a small group of great riders who won races in the top class with three different motorcycle brands.
Lawson also won the ABC Superbikers event in Carlsbad, California, in 1983 and 1985. This event brought together top riders from different types of racing on a track with both dirt and paved sections. He rode a special Yamaha YZ 490.
In 1990, Lawson won the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race with his teammate Tadahiko Taira. When he retired from Grand Prix racing in the early 1990s, he was third on the list of all-time 500GP class wins with 31 victories. Lawson came out of retirement briefly to win his second Daytona 200 in 1993.
Life After Motorcycles
After his motorcycle career, Lawson started racing open-wheel cars. He competed in the Indy Lights series and then in CART. In the 1996 IndyCar season, he raced in 11 events. His best results were two sixth-place finishes.
Lawson still loves speed. He now enjoys driving 250cc Superkarts. He often rides with his good friend and former rival, Wayne Rainey. Rainey uses a special Superkart because of his spinal injuries. Lawson also drives historic Formula One cars at vintage events.
Honors
- Lawson was added to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999.
- He was added to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2002.
- Lawson was added to the FIM MotoGP Hall of Fame in 2005.
Racing career statistics
Eddie Lawson had a very successful career in motorcycle racing. He competed in many Grand Prix races and won several championships.
American open-wheel racing results
After his motorcycle career, Eddie Lawson also tried racing open-wheel cars in the United States.
Images for kids
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Lawson in 1989 riding a Honda NSR500
See also
In Spanish: Eddie Lawson para niños
