Lance David (122) dodges armco, concrete barriers, bridge supports and tire walls to lead the field at the start of a WERA E Superbike race at Gateway International Raceway on July 14, 1985. David was amazingly fast on his Yamaha TT500-based racer. Almost unbelievably he briefly held the lap record at the twisty Grattan circuit on the bike. In this turn one shot David leads Doug McIntosh (980), Frank Brotz (45), Brian French (718), Greg Comstock (480), Larry Sutherby (182), Gary Brennan (168) and Bob Tapscott, the first novice rapidly moving up from the second wave.
Lance David (122) leads Doug McIntosh (980), Frank Brotz (45), Brian French (718), Greg Comstock (480), Larry Sutherby (182), Gary Brennan (168) and Bob Tapscott, the first novice rapidly moving up from the second wave in a WERA E Superbike race at Gateway International in 1985. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
I have the coolest and best Dad in the world!! I think he was winning this one for his first daughter that would be born less than 2 months after this race!
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Dawn
So glad you found the site. My jaw dropped the first time I watched your dad race. He had such high cornering speed it didn’t seem possible. Many great memories of covering his numerous victories.
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He IS the coolest. I’m going to print this out and frame it. I hope I’m half as cool as pop some day.
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Now my curiosity is up. Michael Richter from Erik Buell Racing sent me this link but I can’t find any information about this site. My guess is that Larry Lawrence is admin. Whoever it is, thanks for the little piece of my history. It brings back memories. Now I am back on the track just for fun, track days on a Buell 1125r. It’s taken a while to bet back up to speed.
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Yep, it’s me Lance. Click on the “About” link over in the right column to see what I’ve been up to since the WERA days. So glad you landed on the site.
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Lance
Glad to know you were able to teach your kids how to ride they sure seem proud of you. I was able to teach my son and daughter as well.
My son and I are spending more time with “Guitars” than bikes for now but– those big v-twin supermotos look tempting. Wish you well !
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Those Yamaha 500 singles were a blast! Steve Holmes and I made guys on big motors crazy running by them on the outside of the corners, only to get our helmets sucked off on the straights!
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I remember all these guys! Some fast company in that group.
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Nice post from 2010, Larry. Lance was so fast and able to beat riders on bigger bikes there were rumors he was using an illegal motor in that 500 thumper. Not so. He was just that much of a better rider. The illegal motor theory falls down when his corner speeds are considered, plus if it was motor then why wasn’t I able to do what he was doing when I rode his bike during the endurance races we did as “Team thump”? Lance was a former AMA pro flat tracker and just damn fast!
Also, In this pic, both Lance and Doug were instructors for my motorcycle rider ed programs back then. Did you know Doug was a former trials champion?
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BTW – One of Doug’s feats of balance and entertainment for our trailriding course students was to do a head stand on a bike. He’d ride up to the group standing on the pegs, stop & balance, walk his feet across the front wheel, get his hands turned around on the handlebar, have his whole body facing the rear fender, take one hand off the bar and with a smile & flourish brush off the seat, then bend over put his head on the seat and do a head stand. The bike’s kickstand stayed folded up. This was all balance and skill. After the headstand, dropped jaws and applause, he would reverse all the movements to get into riding position, kickstart the bike and ride away. Amazing.
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