RIP Charlie Mavros???

I did an AHRMA race at Road America a few years ago and Charlie was pitted next to us. I knew Charlie thru a mutual friend but hadn't really spent much time around him. He'd come all the way from Florida and blew up his 848 first practice, I had a spare bike, an 1198 and told him he could race it if he'd just pay me for the tires. He switched his plastic to it and raced it against the air cooled Ducs and 848s and finished second, the guys in the Moto Corse pits he was racing against knew what was going on and asked him to DQ himself. Charlie got pissed and there was a huge shouting match, he didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with racing an 1198 against 848s. He ended up buying the bike from me at the end of the weekend, that was Charlie.

 

Amen!

 

I first met Charlie in Daytona about 15 years ago. It was before he was racing LW alot, and he had a GSXR. We pull into the RV lot Wednesday afternoon, there was like 4 RV's in the lot. Me, Mavros Motorsports, Mr. Editor Ulrich, and maybe one or two more. About 6 AM Thursday morning I hear a GSXR damn near bouncing off the rev limiter. WTF? I jumped out of bed afraid that I'm missing something important, like tech. I see Charlie riding back to the RV (garages weren't even open yet), no helmet, on his GSXR race bike. He comes whipping around a corner, revving the shit out of this thing, and he crashes right there in the RV lot. Broke his wrist. I'm like, who is this spaz?

You have to hand it to the guy, whatever he did, he did it with major enthusiasm. As I got to know him, I saw another side- but that was much later. Seeing him at NJMP with his daughters was another eye opener.

I hope he's remembered this way, with lots of funny stories, rather than a bunch of depressing sad shit about how he died.

 

We used to give him shit all the time about parking it in the corners. "Hey Charlie, ever been to PARK City, Utah?" Etc. I remember one specific time at Homestead, another LW racer was trying to convince Charlie to let him past in the next race, and they could both go faster. You can imagine what Mavros thought of that! We were all standing around and the guy says to Charlie "But you're parking it everywhere!" Mavros revs his scooter and says "F*ck you, I park it all the way to first place!" Classic Charlie.

 

All these stories of this racer are awesome! I wish I had known him.
I park it all the way to first place had me laughing out loud. R.I.P. racer

 

I asked him if he worked nights as a valet. I don't think he ever put 2 and 2 together..

 

You confused him with his day job ... lol

 

Charlie could sure piss a lot of people off but having him at any event sure made it a lot more fun. We are all going to miss Charlie Mavros. RIP

 

I enjoyed talking with him about old yamaha 2 strokers when he was taking delivery of his rz500 at NJMP. He said he thought I was nuts for racing old bikes........I took it as a compliment. RIP fellow Thunderbiker

 

First time I met him was at Road America about 5 years ago.

Charlie: "Do you know who the fuck I am?"
Me: "No, who the fuck are you?
Charlie: "I'm Charlie Fucking Mavros"

LMFAO

At Daytona a couple weeks ago I see him in the bathrooms. Last time I talked to him.

Me: "Hey Charlie where's your cheater 565?"
Charlie: "What you mean cheater it's fair"
Me: "What about the guy who ripped you off that was supposed to build you a 565 motor?"
Charlie: "I'll cut his fucking guts out!"

I'm still laughing about that one.

 

he had another one built, we raced against it in Team challenge a couple years back and he still had it .. but probst never did make good on fucking him over, or a few other people.

 

Great Charlie stories. Wish I would have known him. Sounds like a racer's racer

 

When I won the Florida ccs lw f40 for 2017 in Feb down at homestead award ceremony with his heavy accent "my gift to you I give you that one ". Gonna miss him talking all the time he was one of a kind...

 

Man, sorry to read about this. You could hear him across the paddock and it was either laughter or arguing, or some combination of both ! Was definitely a full of life character, he either just always said what he thought without a filter or liked to try and test people to see how they'd react to what he just said. Full on nutter and he'll be missed!

 

Charlie was always fun to hang out with at the track and also once when I met him at his establishment in the Bronx. He had a great enthusiasm for life.

I remember in 2007 at VIR I was reeling him in lap after lap. Finally I caught him on the last lap and made a move on him in the right before you go down the hill. Then I was able to go around a lapped novice in the hogs pen and carry good speed onto the front straight. I though for sure that’s I’d pulled enough gap because there was no way he could have gotten a good drive with that novice in his way, but right before the finish line, out of the corner of my left eye, I saw his wheel go in front of me. Dammit! Beat me out of my first expert podium. Then when I got back to the pit I heard that loud Greek accent, “I can’t believe you passed me there!” He kept saying it the rest of the weekend. Melka might remember this. He was right behind us. Only behind us because it was his first time at that track.

A few years later, when Charlie asked me why I hadn’t been racing much and I told him I didn’t have the money to spare, he offered me a job. He was a good guy in my book. Even though he still owes me an iPhone charger he borrowed.

One of the things I always looked forward to when I eventually race again was more battles with him. Unfortunately that won’t happen, but I will never forget Charlie or the fun times we had at the track. Rest In Peace my friend.

 

Me - "Charlie, I got something for you this year"
Charlie - "bullshit, this is my year, no body beat me ever this year"
Me - "What do you mean it's your year? We haven't even raced yet"
Charlie " you just stay out of my way , it's my year. I beat you. I beat you again, you see"

 

Many years ago at Daytona Race of Champions I was gutted to find out I placed 2nd when I thought I won. Charlie stood there silent for several minutes listening to me ranting and all my excuses then looked me straight in the eye and said “ You are full of shit” turned and walked away.

He was right. There are so many more stories! Huge loss to all of us more than we perhaps realize

 

I remember posting his picture on Facebook with the caption, "Never has more money been spent to win a #2 plate!"

 

Silvia could use some help.

https://www.gofundme.com/silvia-vallardes
Silvia Valladares is a loving, kind-hearted, mother of three children. Recently she got in a tragic car accident with her now-passed fiancé. She is suffering with 3rd degree burns on 30% of her body, broke her leg and arm, has already undergone 3 surgeries, and is currently in a medically-induced coma. Her three kids need funds to pay for insurance, car payment, apartment rent, food and hospital bills. Unfortunately, due to her severe injuries, she will be in the Augusta Burn Hospital for two months which is 7 hours from her hometown of Tampa, FL. It breaks my heart to know my one of my dearest friend, a woman with a heart of gold, a woman who always put others before herself, a woman who is friendly and compassionate to everyone is going through this traumatic experience.
Please consider donating to Silvia’s fund. She is self-employed therefore she has no means of income coming in.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

 

Fixed.