Mechanic Gary Medley talks to his rider John Ashmead before the start of the 1986 Sears Point AMA Superbike race. It was with Ashmead and team owner Peter Brady that the legendary Medley got his start being a race mechanic. Gary went on to tune for Scott Russell, Ben Bostrom, Doug Chandler among others and became one of the most respected tuners in AMA Superbike history. He’s still working on the circuit today helping develop young riders as race director for LTD Racing. In the background of this photo I believe that’s Bill Foster (or his brother Jim, I never could keep them straight since they looked exactly alike) holding Scott Gray’s Vance & Hines Suzuki. Byron Hines is standing next to the bike.
Mechanic Gary Medley talks to his rider John Ashmead before the start of the 1986 Sears Point AMA Superbike race. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
Johhny is still racing!
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Is that Johns bike in the background? Wasn’t Eric Moes’ pro number 57?
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Oops, read the text Ed!
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We hung out with Ashmead and Jimmy Felice at Picacho’s down at Clear Creek the day John fell asleep at the wheel of the boxvan that Felice was sleeping in the back when they hit an empty flat bed 18 wheeler parked on the side of Interstate 5…. Strange, but Ashmead, earlier that day told us a story about falling asleep at the wheel in Texas and driving off into a field before waking up!
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