You can almost feel the anticipation on the faces of the riders and the spectators in this photo from the Loudon National in 1986. This is just before the drop of the green flag at the start of the Superbike final, or perhaps a qualifying heat race. Nearest the camera is New Jersey rider Eric Ritter, edging ahead is Gerry Alden (No. 520) of Maine and I’m not sure who the third rider in the Arai Cooley replica is. You can just make out Jeff Atwell on the far side tucked in low for the start.
New Jersey rider Eric Ritter (closest to camera) and Gerry Alden (No. 520) of Maine watch for the drop of the green flag at the start of the AMA Superbike race at Loudon, N.H., in June of 1986. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
Battle of replica helmets, lol. Spencer vs Lawson vs Cooley.
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Scott, I noticed that too. Funny how that just happened to be the case with the helmets of these three.
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Really amazing how the gsxr was such a game changer.
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No doubt Jeff. I think Dan Chivington raced a basically stock GSXR750 in Superbike races in ’86 and scored some really strong finishes.
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