Modern Motorcycle Superstars: Springer

I bought this at a book sale years ago.  I see it was once property of the Neenah Library.

It has stories on many great riders, like Jay Springsteen . . .

The story on Springsteen focuses on his 1978 season where he battled (the late and great) Steve Eklund for the title . . .

Steve Eklund was also a talented flat tracker, and won the National Championship himself later . . . I didn't know that another rider accused Springsteen of drug usage during his career - or that any time he was "Boo'd by the crowd." 

Gradually . . . the boos stopped - and Jay Springsteen went on to become one of our top champions of the sport, with one of the longest careers of any rider, before or since. 



I took this very book with me to Springfield one year to try and get autographs.  I carried it around with me after I went in the grandstands.  It was sort of a pain-in-the-ass carrying this book with me.  I went under the track (through the tunnel) and found Springsteen talking with, none other than Parker and Carr and Atherton, sitting on the tail gate of a truck.  I listened to all these stories they were telling (me and a couple others) . . . and I handed my book to Jay and asked him if he could sign it? He said something like, "Hey, this is neat, I've never seen this one before."   . . . and this is the page he signed for me . . . winning again in 1978 !  Just like the story goes . . . .