Nobby Clark reinstated in Class of 2012 AMA Hall of Fame; receives SportBikes Inc. Lifetime Achievement Award

Reader Contribution by Richard Backus
Published on August 17, 2012
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Nobby Clark (far right) with Team Norton Champagne at the 2010 Bonneville Vintage GP.

Perhaps putting an end to its self-induced public relations nightmare, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame has announced Nobby Clark’s election to the Hall of Fame following a supplemental vote. A week prior, SportsBikes Inc Magazine presented Nobby with its 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award.

It’s been quite a roller coaster for Nobby Clark and the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, as the HoF first announced then cancelled Clark’s induction in the HoF, citing a “balloting error” for doing so. The firestorm that resulted caught the AMA HoF squarely off guard and led to the resignation of some of the HoF’s most famous inductees, including motorsports journalist Dave Despain and three-time world champion Kenny Roberts.

Following weeks of silence and a seeming refusal to recognize the damage it had inflicted upon itself, the AMA HoF finally decided to hold a supplemental vote to determine whether Clark should be inducted. With all due respect to Nobby, who is without question worthy of the honor and perhaps more worthy than some who have preceded him, the result of the supplemental vote hardly comes as a surprise given the hole the AMA seemed to have dug for itself.

Be that as it may, congratulations to Nobby, it’s good to see him finally getting his justly deserved place in the HoF secured. And while there are still plenty of questions to be asked – including the simple fact there are no rules or set procedure for a supplemental vote – perhaps this puts the worst of the issue behind the AMA – and Nobby – for now. Below is the complete text from the AMA Hall of Fame’s press release announcing the results of the supplemental vote. – Richard Backus

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame announces results of supplemental vote for Derek ‘Nobby’ Clark inductionAugust 16, 2012

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