Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Scott Russell and Jamie James lead Yamaha privateer Rich Arnaiz in the AMA Superbike race at Road America in 1989. The thing that made me stop and look at this photo was trying to figure out what turn at Road America this was taken. I then realized why I didn’t recognize it – it was taken under the old Billy Mitchell Bridge at turns 13 – 13A. Any photographer who shot Road America will attest that this was a great location to shoot if you had the nerve. If a rider crashed there they were on you in a split second with a slender row of haybales and a guardrail between you and a motorcycle impacting at 100 mph-plus. Obviously it was not a place you’d like to fall as a rider. The angle is gone now, the bridge eliminated in favor of a massive tunnel and the run-off widened. Too bad for photographers. It was always a good place to get the heart rate up by tucking in behind the guardrail directly in the impact zone, popping your head up and start hitting the shutter button all the while listening for that distinctive crashing sound just in case. Naturally the trade off for rider safety is well worth it.

Yoshimura Suzuki teammates Scott Russell and Jamie James lead Yamaha privateer Rich Arnaiz in the AMA Superbike race at Road America in 1989. Shot under the Billy Mitchell Bridge, one of the most dangerous locations on the track for both rider and photographer. (Larry Lawrence photo)