It only lasted for a brief moment, but one of the great battles in AMA Superbike was between two Australians – Anthony Gobert and Mat Mladin. In the 1998 AMA Superbike race in Phoenix Gobert and Mladin were locked in a tough battle. In the heat of the moment Mladin apparently flipped off a rider when he lapped him. When Gobert came by he gave the same guy a thumbs up. Gobert ended up winning the race. He was asked about the thumbs up gesture in the post-race press conference. “I just want to let those guys know I appreciate them being out there giving it their all,” he said. “I was them once – trying to give my best and still getting lapped.”

Anthony Gobert in a Kawasaki press kit photo.