I love this one from the Greg Sickmeier files, it shows three of the leading production racers of the mid-1980s – (from left to right) Wisconsin’s Ed Key, Gary Gibson, from Illinois and Texan Meril Moen at the 1985 WERA Grand National Finals. I’m guessing this was the top three from that year’s WERA A Production Championship race, which Moen won on his Kawasaki Ninja 900. These three riders were some of the best WERA racers of the era, a time when the club really had an abundance of rider talent.
Lined up, likely after their A Production battle, are Wisconsin’s Ed Key, Gary Gibson, from Illinois and Texan Meril Moen at the 1985 WERA Grand National Finals. Moen won that year’s championship. (Greg Sickmeier photo)
Rider Files 
I wonder if Gary recommended the Nylon suit to Ed, or the other way around. Actually, I think Gary used to have one just like the one Ed’s wearing at some point. Must be something to do with the North Central region….
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Ed told me he wore the Nylon suit because he stayed so much cooler in them versus standard leathers.
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Ed still wears the nylon suit. Not only is it cooler but it weighs a lot less than a leather suit. Ed is a weight saving maniac!
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Well, Ed hardly ever crashed, so I guess protection wasn’t much of a concern. I’ve crashed in a snowmobile jacket, and melted the thing to my arm! Granted, these suits had a bit more protection than that, but it’s basically the same material.
I thought Gary balled his FZ up at St. Louis in ’85, didn’t he? I don’t recall him getting another one after that, and I’m 90% sure it wasn’t fixable. Hated those Michelin Hi-Sports of the day. Tons of traction, and then BOOM! You were on your head.
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Gary told me he preferred the Trim suits bucaues he thought he was less likely to tumble in a crash. He said he was willing to give up the lost skin to prevent broken bones. Not so strange when you realize he came from a bicycle racing background where those nuts wear no protection at all.
He should know, he was without a doubt the most frequent surface sampler I knew. I remember sitting around at Blackhawk once right after he had chucked it in turn seven (right after the crossing), suddenly he says “hey, I’ve crashed in every corner at this track”
I can’t believe how long it took me to notice their numbers are almost in sequence.
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Yeah, too bad BB Montemayor wasn’t in between Key and Gibson. (About five people will get that) 🙂
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Ahh, the good old days.
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Somebody should ask Gary how that suit worked when his TZ seized at about a buck fifty at Elkhart, and pitched him over the bars.
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Kevin, if you are talking about the crash in the kink coming out of the carosel, he came out fine as always. I don’t ever recall him breaking anything. Maybe he had a point.
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Maybe I’m mis-remembering. I remember his crash coming through the kink (it’s a miracle he didn’t end up like Bruce Hammer), but I thought he had another big crash at RA involving a seizure…or maybe it was the same crash. Tell you what, he and Mary are a couple of the nicest people you’ll ever meet.
Hey Larry, you should post a picture of Gary’s ‘Rockin Racer’. It’s the only bike he ever rode that didn’t try to kill him!
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You guys know that Gary’s nickname was Gumby since he crashed and never seemed to get hurt. I remember riding in Gary’s wifes car and he was hauling ass through an industrial park and hit a damp spot. The car took off, went sideways and ended up knocking off the two outside wheels went it hit the curb. Gary ended up doing really well racing sportscars. You got to love a guy that gives you 100%! If you are reading this Gary, hello.
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Was that his small block Miata? Seems to me I recall him stopping by in a vicious Mazda with a V8 in it….
Hey Fenwick, you ever going to come hit some of the lakes in southern WI this winter? The ice is almost here!
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