Alan Bertagnoli (No. 14) leads Shawn Nicoloff (66) Stevie Patterson (behind Bertagnoli) and Scott Blow (behind Nicoloff) during a WERA D Production race at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in May of 1989 (note the bare trees). Bertagnoli held off Nicoloff to win the race and the $500 in Yamaha contingency money. Bertagnoli’s bike was prepped by none other than Rich Doan, who went on to be an integral part of Team Yoshimura Suzuki. A case could be made for the Yamaha FZR400 being the best handling sport bike ever, certainly of its era. Riders raved about the GP-like handling characteristic of the diminutive Yamaha. Produced from 1986 to 1994, the FZR quickly overtook Yamaha’s RZ350 as the defacto lightweight club racing machine.

Alan Bertagnoli (No. 14) leads Shawn Nicoloff (66) Stevie Patterson (behind Bertagnoli) and Scott Blow (behind Nicoloff) during a WERA D Production race at Blackhawk Farms Raceway in June of 1989. Bertagnoli held off Nicoloff to win the race and the $500 in Yamaha contingency money. (Larry Lawrence photo)