Dale Singleton on the podium celebrating his upset win in the 1981 Daytona 200. The Georgian went on to win the AMA Road Racing Championship that year. The baby pig Elmer can be seen at the bottom of the photo. Singleton’s nickname was the “Flying Pig Farmer” even though he wasn’t really a pig farmer Singleton was a smart enough marketer to know that cultivating that image would spread his image throughout the world. It paid off as Singleton was paid big money by promoters to come to Europe to compete in various races. (Rich Chenet photo)
Here is another in the series of classic photos by American photographer Rich Chenet. This shot is of Dale Singleton celebrating his upset 1981 Daytona 200 victory. By 1981 Singleton reached the zenith of the racing career when he won his second Daytona 200, this time against a much deeper field of factory entries (including Yamaha’s Kenny Roberts and Honda’s Freddie Spencer) than he faced during his ’79 victory. Again, Singleton rode a Yamaha TZ750 he built himself with sponsorship from Taylor White and Beaulieu, an Oriental rug manufacturer.
When asked about his success at Daytona in the face of big-budget teams, Singleton said it all came down to preparation and race strategy.
“Most of my advantage at Daytona is the fact that I got to the level I’m at by doing my own thing mechanically,” Singleton explained after winning his second Daytona 200. “I know the inside of the bike’s engine like the back of my hand. When I race Daytona I increase the tolerances and build it to last. I’m real aware of all the small details and know how to push the bike when it counts. I know how easy it is to ruin an engine turning 11,000 rpm at 180 mph.
“As far as strategy, I always try to stay in touch with the leaders, but not show my hand too early. It’s the last 20 laps or so of the race when I would start to gamble a bit, sliding both wheels and really making that final push to the checkered flag.”
Singleton went on to win the AMA National Road Racing Championship in 1981. It was the culmination of a sure and steady ascent up the ranks of American road racing. Racing earned Singleton the money to build a beautiful home in the foothills of Northern Georgia. He also had a large workshop where he prepped his race machines. By the mid-1980s Dale began to pursue a career in NASCAR racing. In 1985, he died in a private plane crash while traveling from a stock car race.
Today Singleton is in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. You can read more about his career here.
Rider Files 