Has anyone else been seeing these going's-on with the AMA Hall Of Fame and Nobby Clark? The guy's a Vintage ledgend, no doubt. I've had alot of reading time lately, and have been into Kenny Roberts book about roadracing techniques....Nobby is mentioned and pictured several times. Anyhow, Nominated, about to be inducted, then rescinded.....Over some criminal history....but shouldnt that discovery have been part of the nomination process?....Brought to light before they announced? I also hear there may be some extenuating circumstances with the charges, and history with the plaintiff.... I'm sure none of us are perfect, and some have bigger skeletons than others....but I believe his induction should be based MOSTLY on his career in motorcycling.....thoughts? http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=48859
Sounds to me like the AMA is disorganized / mismanaged / corruptible in their HOF nomination process and Mr. Clark should have never been a candidate to begin with. As for whether Mr. Clark deserves recognition in the HOF, well, that's up to the folks who run the HOF and manage (or mismanage) the process of nominating and inducting members. As for whether someone with a criminal record should be inducted into the HOF, I would say it really depends on the nature of the crime. The criminal conviction in a US court for stealing rare and valuable motorcycle parts is pretty damaging to the sport as a whole and to Mr. Clark's reputation in particular. If I had a say in this matter, I would probably vote against his induction, as I don't think that behavior is becoming of a HOFer. It's funny how one mistake can erase a lifetime of good deeds.
I agree with alot of your points Free.....By looking at things, they appear very bad. I just get the funny feeling things are not as they seem....Kenny's comment leads that way also. I'd read on another forum that the parts were some form of payment, or something, and there is more to the story. There are always at least 2 sides to every story.....I sure would like to hear the other side of this one.....I bet its interesting.
Man, why does it appear the hate never ends?...this cant all be from the protest / J Smith / all that crap, can it? I dunno Buff, but I sure would like to hear more of the story sometime, maybe over a cold one. :up:
Well, if Nobby did steal from Rob I can't really blame him for still being upset - and that's totally different from the AHRMA crap. Seems like the main issue is someone finally called the HoF out for not actually following the process as they should.
its all there in the article... Former Grand Prix crewman Derek "Nobby" Clark pleaded guilty September 28 in a New York State Court to stealing Honda and MV Agusta Grand Prix racebike parts, falsifying business records and improperly attempting to sell a racebike belonging to Rob Ianucci's Team Obsolete. Clark was facing trial for five criminal charges for theft, possession of stolen property, falsifying business records and soliciting a bribe when he elected to take a plea bargain deal and "fully admit his guilt to all charges in return for leniency." According to court documents released to the press by Team Obsolete in response to a newsletter item which claimed Clark had been framed on trumped-up charges, the evidence against Clark included stolen parts recovered from Clark's luggage and from several boxes being shipped by Clark to relatives in South Africa, documents in Clark's handwriting, a videotape witnessed by a NYPD detective showing actually recovery of some of the stolen parts and testimony from several independent witnesses, including a Texas attorney. A press release accompanying the court documents stated "Before reporting matters to the police, Team Obsolete had first offered Clark 30 days to return the stolen property without any penalty or disclosure. Clark denied all knowledge and refused." The release quoted Ianucci as saying "Team Obsolete takes no joy in the fact that Nobby Clark has entered a plea of guilty in this extended criminal matter. All of us were personally affected by this long criminal proceeding and we really only agreed to the reduced charge so that we as victims could get on with the business of racing historic motorcycles. You work with someone and you think you know them, but this shows that there are people who are prepared to risk prison to take motorcycles or even motorcycle parts. This might be a lesson to owners everywhere." Ianucci added that he was "issuing a worldwide appeal for the safe return of" still-missing parts, including "a GP Honda 350/4 crankshaft and for several Honda 250/6 original pistons and con rods...No questions will be asked." More information is available from Team Obsolete at (718) 596-0504, e-mail [email protected].
If all the above is true, I agree. There just seems to be more than 1 story I guess. So are you kinda saying the AMA had maybe let it slide, or was not informed (wink wink), and Mr. I happened to have a problem with that?...which like I said, if all true, I would tend to be pissed too. Shame...the guy is real vintage stuff...charges aside.
He is a legend. He is also a thief. Sad thing altogether really and it seems as if Rob gave him all the chances he could. I honestly don't know anything about the HoF or their procedures, I just know people involved are bitching about how they weren't followed. No clue if Rob had anything at all to do with this issue - he was just involved in prosecuting someone who stole from him.
"but this shows that there are people who are prepared to risk prison to take motorcycles or even motorcycle parts. This might be a lesson to owners everywhere" Seems like a heck of chance to take just for some bike parts (even what I am sure are very hard to find vintage pieces), especially considering the guy's history. Just the damage to a person's reputation given how small this community is would be bad enough, but given the criminal ramifications it is certainly too bad all the way around.
Its a very strange thing. I am basically a nobody. No one really knows me. If any of you saw me walking down the street, you'd have zero idea who I am. (ok, well, kenny might recognize me....then avoid me.) Anyway, I worked for a guy who felt for one reason or another that a certain person he knew owed him some money. So he thought it was going to be a fair trade to steal the guys dr350sm. He asked me multiple times if I could help get it, fence it for him, etc... Because he knew I had some decent knowledge of motorcycles, could work on them, etc.... I told him, every single time he brought it up, that the motorcycling community was too small for me to ever be even the slightest bit involved in any sort of activity like that and just no effin way. Id never be able to go back at the track or be involved in motorcycling events ever again. Everyone would then know exctly who I am. And that if I ever found out he was involved in doing it, Id have no choice. A guy like nobby, not that I know him on any level at all, but a guy like that you would think would know his reputation was going to be forever marred if caught. If he did it. I was more under the impression parts may have been taken because nobby was felt he was owed some money, or something, for being one of the team o wrenches. I of course have zero to back that up, but remembering back to when that was going on....I thought that was the rumor. Of course, there seems to have been some animosity between all of them before this really went down. I also believe if it looks like a duck, and it quacks like a duck.....well.......
I believe Dale Smilie is a member of the AMA's Hall of Fame. Dale Smilie the same guy that did serve time in prison for stealing from the AMA. And I'd bet that Nobby was given the option to sign a piece of paper stating his guilt in exchange for no jail time. Or he could have fought Rob I. in a legal battle. Which probably would have taken a very large sum of money. And we all know how well that worked out for AHRMA in their legal battle with Rob I.
I'll say one thing - Nobby is welcome in my shop, anytime. Joe C, you too. Shame this all had to go down in such a timely fashion against the impending Mid O VMD backdrop. That helped with my decision whether to attend or not. Everyone wins here, right?
