I’m scanning in photos from Grattan in May of 1986 right now and here’s Jerry Sievers cornering his new Suzuki GSX-R750 at Grattan Raceway in that WERA race. This was very likely the first race outing for Jerry’s new Suzuki. You can just tell by looking at the bike it’s just off the showroom floor. The GSX-R was introduced in America in 1986 and Jerry was just one of hundreds of club racers who went out and bought the motorcycle. The GSX-R took racing technology and put it directly into a street motorcycle. The GSX-R was a quantum leap in 750cc production racing. I clearly remember riders who were mid-pack the year before were suddenly running up front on the new Suzuki. It instantly became the club racing motorcycle of choice and has largely kept that title for 24 years.

Jerry Sievers corners his new Suzuki GSX-R750 at Grattan Raceway in May of 1986. (Larry Lawrence photo)