RAINEY’S RETURN!
If you were there – it was an emotional weekend at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.
At the event threetime 500cc world champ Wayne Rainey was reunited with his 1992 championshipwinning YZR500. The event marked the first time Rainey, who was paralysed from the chest down in an accident at the 1993 Italian Grand Prix at Misano, had ridden a race bike since his career-ending crash. Over the years he has ridden converted road machines but thanks to work by Yamaha Motor Company engineers, his 1992 title-winning bike was converted so Wayne could ride it, using a gear-shift system on the left handlebar.
Rainey was not alone for this emotional event. He was joined by Marlboro Yamaha Team Roberts boss Kenny Roberts Snr, as well as former 500cc rivals Kevin Schwantz and Mick Doohan. The 1990, 1991 and 1992 champ had a test session on the Thursday before the event and first rode up the hill to applause from onlookers. He then did two runs each on Friday, Saturday and the Sunday in front of packed crowds.
Rainey said: “I was quite nervous about riding the YZR500, as when I rode the R1 it was all quite straightforward as the bikes these days have so much electronics on them but it’s a bit different with a 500cc Grand Prix bike! But, to be honest, it felt like an old friend. It was always a challenge to race the bike at that level, fighting for race wins and championships, but being here 30 years later, being able to get on the bike and ride it up the hill in a nice, easy, gentle setting is fantastic. To do it alongside those guys, Kenny, Kevin and Mick, I could not have asked more than sharing this experience with them. A huge thank you to the Duke of Richmond for having me and to Yamaha for taking the bike out of the museum and adapting it for me to ride.”
Adding to the emotion, Wayne was watched and aided at the event by wife Shae and son Rex.