Dave Knapp was doing Supermoto long before the mid-2000s revival of the sport in America. Here’s Knapp racing a Rotax-powered Can-Am to victory in a WERA Unlimited Twins race at Putnam Park Road Course in July of 1993. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Knapp Wins at Putnam Park on Can-Am(1993)
Rider Files 
And a guy named Ray Hill was doing the same on a Can-Am MX bike, with street tires in the late ’70’s in WERA. He did VERY well.
As I recall, Ray worked for Popular Mechanics magazine.
Talk about a pioneer !
LikeLike
Dave,
Thanks for that. Ray was a bit before my time, but I always loved watching riders take those big four-stroke singles MX bikes and turn them into road racers. Who can forget Lance David on his Yamaha XT500?
LikeLike
Ray Hill did work for Popular Mechanics magazine. I raced on track with Ray Hill at Summit Point in West Virginia. And he did VERY well.
LikeLike
Your welcome Larry. Neat old times.
Actually Ray’s bike was a TWO stroke Can-Am. A mid ’70 model like Jimmy Ellis raced in AMA Pro MX.
Here’s a link to Bob Pressler’s Smug-Mug picture collection.
http://pvr-405.smugmug.com/Motorcycles/Old-Racing-Photos/63265_Sphngh#555312399_wm4sB
The guy in red leathers is Ray with the 30 Hours of Rockingham RD400 that Pickering Valley and Ray Hill raced in 1979 under the Black Label Racing banner.
Hope it’s not too much info, but obviously feel free to delete.
Thanks, Dave
LikeLike