If there was anything I loved almost as much as racing back in the ‘80s it was home audio. I worked for a time in a boutique audio shop in Carmel, Indiana, and worked my way up to buyer and made my annual pilgrimage to the mecca of CES in Chicago, so I had good knowledge of the subject.

Imagine my surprise when, at the 1990 WERA GNF, J. Andrew Milton showed up with some of the coolest looking leathers with sponsorship from Nakamichi. For longtime audio enthusiasts you’ll recognize the name Nakamichi for making the ultimate, state-of-the-art cassette tape decks.

After running a photo of Milton recently racing his Yamaha SRX at Grattan,  Andy sent me, over the course of a couple of emails, the following correspondence.

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Andy writes:

I won the ’90 WERA Clubman GNF @ Road Atlanta, from the last row of the grid, another race I’ve never seen photos from? Never got a trophy either…

… if you were ever in your annals and ran across a shot from that one I’d love to see it?

At which point I asked about his sweet-looking Nakamichi leathers.

Hiya Larry-
As a matter of fact the ’90 GNF was just after Mr Nakamichi had started sponsoring my program. He was a customer of ours at Marty’s BMW and he was very interested in my racing exploits (trying to beat Ienatsch) whenever he was in the shop.

He and his Director of Marketing Sakamoto made me an offer I couldn’t refuse just before the ’90 GNF, Nakamichi went whole hog in ’91 and underwrote my entire ARRA season (later the WSMC). I won my first Willow Overall #1 Championship that year.

At Road Atlanta in ’90 that SRX was decked out with their colors & logo (white & orange, respectively) and I wore an early iteration of the leathers I think you’re referencing? (have that early set hanging here in the shop, they still fit!) Those “cool” Leathers came later that year with an equally remarkable paint scheme for the bike.

During my affiliation with Nakamichi I was shocked again and again when people did not know what or who Nakamichi was!? I was thinking (hoping really) to get this really cool 6 CD automotive changer for my new truck but that never came to pass, I never asked!? Duhhhh 😦

That first overall championship (finished second to Ienatsch ’89, ’90) came down to the last lap of the last race and who got the drive out of 9!? Me or the Thorpedo… (Richie Thorpe)

Dennis Smith told me Richie’s feet were above his head trying to regain control of his steed (FZR600) as his drive out of 9 took him off the pavement into the dirt, across the pit entrance, back through the dirt and onto the front straight before he got to the line.

I won.

I thought I was in there when Director of Marketing Sakamoto asked me for a 5 year plan!? Well, they did not re-sign The Milton Racing Group, I guess my 5 year plan didn’t impress.

I like good sound equipment, have had some cool Kenwood and Denon pre-amps, back when 100 amps meant somethin’…

And on the subject of his SRX.

That SRX was special. Muzzy did the head, personally. He added extra fin area to improve cooling. That widened 18″ was used that weekend. Dual Mikuni 34 flat slides (WOW! those made a BIG difference over Kehin 33s). Carrilllo rod. AndyFAB piston (I MADE it starting with an Arias lump). Oil cooler (hence the hole in the front number plate). AndyFAB dry sump reservoir. AndyFAB reverse shifter (took the OEM linkage off and put a shortened VFR lever on the shaft). Etc!

That bike went 1:34 @ Willlow, “Single” lap record until Walt Dorsch went 1:31 on a Rotax.