Researching the
Skip Aksland archive for
Sideburn #18, as well as going through his own old album snaps, I came across this one online (on a German website I think), but I couldn't find the source, and so sadly no hires that we could reprint. Left to right: Fred Moberg, Kenny Roberts, Bud Aksland (Skip's older brother who worked as his mechanic for many years), Skip Aksland, Terry Sage (tuner), after winning an Astro Dome short track race 1970.
Below, the opening page to the SB#18 story.
Skip also battled with our Barry on the road racing circuit.
Skip shadowed Kenny like a good Jedi, replicating his every move. BP
(Left bottom) Yamaha TZ750, San Jose Mile, 1975
"My rookie year. Me, Kenny, Randy Cleek, Stevie Baker and Rick Hocking rode these monsters at three mile races: Indy, Syracuse and San Jose. I made the main event at all three races. Kenny made the bike famous when he won on it at Indy by chasing down Jay Springsteen and Corky Keener on the last lap."
UPDATE:
I just asked Skip:
"How did you hook up with Kenny in the first place?
- you look really young in this [top] photo!
How come Kenny took you under his wing?"
"Ben, my bother Bud owned a Suzuki shop in Manteca Ca. In the late '60 and sponsored Kenny in his amateur years. We rode together just about everyday at my Dads ranch. When Kenny turned professional he hired Bud to be his mechanic. I'm 13 or 14 years old in this photo. Terry Sage (far right) would later become my mechanic - my best years as a professional. This photo was taken by my mother driving home from Houston, somewhere in Texas or New Mexico. Kenny had just won the Junior Shorttrack National.
Skip"