This is one Bill Hougaboom may want to put on his mantle. It shows Hougaboom (No. 426) on his Suzuki GSXR750 leading a pack of riders in what is probably a WERA A Production race at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in August of 1986. The pack Hougaboom leads includes Tim Morrissey (No. 854), Dan Chivington (No. 53), Steve Landrey and Doug Polen (No. 296). I believe Polen eventually made his way to the front of this race, but at least for a lap Hougaboom led some of the best racers of that era, including a future World Superbike Champion and Hall of Famer. Today Hougaboom is an attorney in Michigan.
Bill Hougaboom (No. 426) on his Suzuki GSXR750 leads a pack of riders in what is probably a WERA B Production race at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in August of 1986. The pack Hougaboom leads includes Tim Morrissey (No. 854), Dan Chivington (No. 53), Steve Landrey and Doug Polen (No. 296). (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
Great job Larry.
Racing in the mid eighties was great; Spencer was kicking butt in Europe, Rainey and Swantz were battling in the USA before going to Europe to take over.
The club races at my local track, Gratten, is where I first shared track time with: Jamie James, Scott Russell, Scott Zampach, Dan Chivington, Doug Polen, Kurt Hall, Fritz Kling and others (all unknown at the time). At WERA finals I sat with an unknown named Thomas Stevens who had just won a bunch of races and was waiting to get his trophies.
You keep my memory fresh with the great pictures you took back then.
Thank you,
Bill Hougaboom
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Texan Doug Polen is on an 1100, must be A Production.
Interesting, he’s wearing another Texan’s replica Arai.
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I was there, Polen and Chivington were smooth for never racing there
Unreal
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