WALWORTH, Wis. - Mecum Auctions will sponsor dirt track and roadracing icon and AMA Hall of Famer Kenny Roberts during the 2011 American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Nov. 18, 2011, during the Capital One Visa Card AMA Legends & Champions Weekend at Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa in Las Vegas.
During the ceremony, Mecum's motorcycle division manager Gavin Trippe Sr. will present "King Kenny" Roberts with an award honoring his contributions to the motorcycling community, effectively graduating his Hall of Fame status to "Legend."
"I have known Kenny since he was a teenager at the start of his racing career, and I am very proud to join other industry leaders in honoring him at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Ceremony," said Trippe, a fellow AMA Hall of Famer.
Roberts, who was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998, won his first-ever AMA Grand National race in 1972 and went on to win 33 AMA Nationals in dirt-track and roadracing, including the prestigious Daytona 200 three times. A master of the dirt oval, Roberts achieved legendary status when he fielded a dirt-tracker powered by a TZ750 two-stroke roadracer engine at the Indianapolis Mile in 1975, made a dramatic last-lap pass for the win and then stated: "They don't pay me enough to ride that thing."
"We are proud to support the AMA and the Legends & Champions Weekend," said Dana Mecum, president of Mecum Auctions and an avid motorcycle collector himself. "Presenting 'King Kenny' with this award is an honor, and we're excited to have Roberts and this great event be part of the kick off to our 2012 season as Mecum celebrates 25 years in business. I have always believed that motorcycles were a natural fit for car collectors."
Trippe agrees, and is looking forward to bringing motorcycles to the major collector car market throughout 2012. "It's great to be able to get two wheels to the major auction arena, where they belong, and to expose them to a much broader audience," commented Trippe.
Mecum's 2012 auction schedule will feature a variety of classic and special interest motorcycles for sale, kicking off during the annual Kissimmee Auction, Jan. 24-29, 2012 at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Fla. The auction will broadcast with four days of live national TV coverage on Discovery's all new Velocity network during the "Mecum Auto Auctions: Muscle Cars & More" show.
The AMA Legends & Champions Weekend features history's motorcycling legends, today's amateur champions and collectible motorcycles of every genre. More information about the Motorcycle Hall of Fame can be found at www.MotorcycleMuseum.org.
The Mecum Kissimmee Auction is open to the general public with tickets available in advance or at the door for just $15 per day. For information about consigning a motorcycle, contact Gavin Trippe directly at 949.337.5307 or visit www.Mecum.com.