Randy Mamola (No. 25 Yamaha) in the 1979 Anglo-American Match Races, leading 1977 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Barry Sheene, Rich Schlachter (No. 26), Dave Potter and Dale Singleton (No. 23) at Mallory Park. (Jim Greening Collection)

Randy Mamola was coming off winning the AMA 250 Grand Prix Championship in 1978, but no one could predict the speed the Northern Californian showed when he began racing in international competition.

This is another in the wonderful Jim Greening Collection. It shows Mamola (No. 25 Yamaha) in the 1979 Anglo-American Match Races, leading 1977 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Barry Sheene, Rich Schlachter (No. 26), Dave Potter and Dale Singleton (No. 23) at Mallory Park.

Mamola surprisingly scored second overall in points to fellow American Mike Baldwin, and ahead of former world champ Sheene and experienced American pilots David Aldana, Gene Romero, Schlachter, Steve Baker, Wes Cooley, Dale Singleton and John Long.

At this point Mamola already a GP under his belt, taking fifth in March in Venezuela at the opening round in the 250cc world championships. He went on to score three podiums in the series and finished fourth in the final 250GP standings, establishing himself as the next big thing in GP.