On lap three of the 1991 Seattle WERA Formula USA race you would swear you were at a football game and the home team had scored – Joe Pittman had just taken over the lead by outbraking Rich Oliver and Donald Jacks into the downhill Turn Three. It was a thing of beauty to watch Pittman going into that tricky turn. He would wait very late to hit the binders, then when he did the back wheel of his Yamaha Superbike would go airborne before he flicked the bike hard in the turn. Much to the crowd’s delight, Pittman led the next four laps, holding off repeated attempts by Oliver and Jacks to get back by him. The inevitable finally happened on lap seven when Oliver pulled past Pittman to take the lead, but for a few laps the local hero gave the hometown fans something to really cheer about.

Joe Pittman (171) gave hometown fans a thrill by passing and leading Formula USA regulars Donald Jacks (59) and Rich Oliver (97) during a 1991 Formula USA race at Seattle International Raceway. Oliver, riding a Marlboro/Roberts Yamaha YZR500 GP machine, eventually won the race. (Larry Lawrence photo)