Wow, I can’t believe I came across this photo. This is Roebling Road, maybe 1990, Kurt Hall (60) leading Valvoline Suzuki teammate Mike Smith and coming up fast is Mike Harth (65) on a bike he borrowed from a novice racer on the spur of the moment. About 15 minutes after this photo was taken all hell broke loose in the pits. Harth, who won, had been protested by Smith I think. Smith said the decision wasn’t up to him. The novice rider Harth borrowed the bike from had to work the next morning, had a long way to travel and couldn’t stay to get his bike torn down. Harth was furious with being protested. This was $1000 Suzuki money he’d just lost. What he did next has become part of WERA racing lore and I will tell the tale someday soon.
This is Roebling Road, maybe 1990, Kurt Hall (60) leading Valvoline Suzuki teammate Mike Smith and coming up fast is Mike Harth (65) on a bike he borrowed from a novice racer on the spur of the moment. Harth went on to win the race, but about 15 minutes after this photo was taken all hell broke loose in the pits. Someday soon I’ll tell the story of just what happened. It’s a doozy. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
why not tell it now
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Enjoyed racing in Savannah. Also the scene of my worst crash and only ambulance ride so far…
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Let me guess…
a certain endurance team owner was given a extra happiness courtesy of Mike Harth.
Merry Christmas Mike!
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Somebody should publish a book…you can’t find this stuff anywhere!
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Great story, and indeed, RIP Mike Harth, one of the nicest guys and greatest competitors to ever throw a leg over a racing motorcycle.
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Wow!
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Great story, Doug! Somehow I missed all this, but I was there that weekend doing my novice thing. You and Mike were big help to me when I got started. I still have a pic you took of me on the morning of my first track laps!
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I believe I was at RRR that weekend, but missed that excitement. It may have been the same weekend Snyder had his crash and abulance ride he referenced. Hi, Mike!!
Any of us that were racing or in the pits back then can probably come up with some Mike Harth stories. He was certainly a dichotomy and I did not know him well, just greetings in the pits when things appeared to be going well with him and staying away and watching when they were not. I remember him abusing a GSXR in the pits at Road Atlanta, probably the GNF, when he did not get the results he wanted and held the bike to blame.
Ken
RIP Mike
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Aye laddie twas always thus.
Well Lawrence of Arabia you kicked over the hornets nest with this one. WERA has flushed three pages of angst down their bbs and there would be more on this blog that did not pass the editor. We can quibble over the details but mostly we will agree on the essential truths of each Iron Mike saga.
This guy exuded charisma — like moths to the eternal flame men and women were attracted to him — the same cannot be said for his arch-nemesis John Ulrich. Classic under-dog and uber-dog.
Mike’s compelling charm solicited help from fellow racers (including me) who would vicariously thrive on his success. My priceless reward from Mike would be a couple of “atta-boys”, like — “Hey man, you had it going pretty good in morning practice!” Which was enough to boost my feeble ego for the rest of the weekend. Most other racers that I helped back in the day lacked this innate charm.
John was all business at the track, and tended to repel boarders with a force field honed from years of freeloaders and wanna-beez trying to get support from “da mann”
There is enough material to make an “Iron Mike Harth” movie in the under-dog theme of the “Worlds Fastest Indian”. Heck, LL and JU could play minor roles. Get to it Larry!
R.I.P. — Iron Mike Harth
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Good stories. Makes me laugh. Laughing is good. Harth would like.
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Mike Harth (is) was my father,I just want to say..I only had him for 6 years..but he was the best damn dad I could ask for,R.I.P dad.
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Joseph,
It is your older brother here, I have not gotten to talk to you in years. We all have tried to no avail. The whole family loves you and misses you and we hope you are doing well. Please give me a call anytime, I would love to talk to you and get to know you again somehow. My telephone number is (405)370-2484 or home number is (405)844-8045.
We miss you, Dustin Harth.
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