This is a great photo that Frank Camillieri sent me. It’s Frank stuffing up the inside of Ron Pierce on the last lap of a 250 Grand Prix heat race in 1969. Camillieri just edged the factory bike of Pierce at the line to take the heat win. Looking at the expression on both riders’ faces it looks like they are enjoying the close racing. Camillieri was a leading GP rider in the Northeast during the 1960s. One of the highlights of his career was finishing fifth in the 1967 Canadian round of the FIM 250cc World Championships. Pierce went from racing 250s to racing a factory Honda in AMA Superbike. He won the Daytona Superbike race in 1979.

With smiles on their faces Frank Camillieri (190) and Ron Pierce (97) battle to the line in an AMA 250 Grand Prix (then called Lightweight) heat race at Loudon in 1969. Local ace Camillieri nipped Californian Pierce for the heat win. (Frank Camillieri collection)