Lackey was always something of a free spirit in my eyes, a rider who came to Europe in a time when coming to Europe was really a huge challenge for a non-European and in a time that Motocross in Europe and the rest of the World was owned by Grand Prix racers.

We didn’t have leading Australian’s, South African’s or New Zealanders racing in the FIM series in the 1970s; it was Russians, East Germans, Swedes, and Belgians who ruled the European Grand Prix series.

As America’s first ever World Motocross Champion Lackey can feel proud of his success. It came from hard work and years of travelling through countries where the English language didn’t exist and the culture of Northern California was a million miles away.

Lackey scored nine Grand Prix wins in his 10 years in Europe, doesn’t seem a lot, but that just makes his 1982 World 500cc Championship all that more impressive. Lackey was a worker and never gave up on his dream to be the best in the World.

Now some 30 years after his Championship winning year Lackey might be older, slower and a little broader, but the former World 500cc Champion is very much a lot wiser. Having arrived in Europe some 40 years ago the 58 year old Lackey can rest easy knowing he will always be the only America racer to come to Europe and win a 500cc Championship.

History Lesson – The Long Haul

In his first full season in Europe Lackey finished 13^th in the World 500cc Championship, scoring just 26 points, Roger De Coster the man who won the 500cc title that year finished with 161 points, and was a mile faster and his racing craft was in another league to the young American.

Lackey though slowly built on those 26 points and a year later 10^th, although this time with 60 points. 1975 and this time the California moved into 6^th place, and scored 102 points. Still though De Coster, Heikki Mikkola, Gerrit Wolsink, Ake Jonsson and Jack Van Velthoven were still too strong.

A place higher in 1976 and Lackey finishes fifth behind De Coster, Wolsink, Weil, and a young British rider Graham Noyce. A Grand Prix victory made his year worthwhile and he continued to improve his technique.

Read the rest of this interview at Motocross Illustrated.