Off-road gear pioneers to be inducted

From the American Motorcyclist Association

PICKERINGTON, OH -- The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) has announced the fifth and sixth members of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2010: John and Rita Gregory. The Gregorys, whose industry-leading JT Racing USA created innovative motocross gear for two decades, will be among the legends of motorcycling honoured at the 2010 induction ceremony at the Red Rock Resort in Las Vegas this Nov. 19.

"John and Rita began selling MX socks out of the back of their car at California motocross tracks," said AMA Director of Operations and Hall of Famer Jack Penton. "From that humble beginning, they built JT Racing into the dominant force in motocross apparel in the country and influenced MX apparel makers who followed."

Under the Gregorys' leadership, JT Racing sponsored just about every big-name motocrosser of the 1970s and '80s, including AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famers Joel Robert, Roger DeCoster, Marty Smith, Ricky Johnson, David Bailey, Bob Hannah, Johnny O'Mara and Jeff Ward. They brought revolutionary nylon MX pants to the United States, created a variety of innovative products including jerseys, pants and chest protectors, and were masters of marketing in the creation of their global business.

"I had a lot fun doing that," John Gregory said. "I met a lot of nice people, saw a lot of nice places, and I had a great crew. It wasn't just Rita and me. It was a bunch of other incredible people, too."

Said Rita: "I must say that I am very honoured to be included in this as a woman in the industry, and I would very much like to thank all of those who felt me worthy of this nomination."

The Gregorys join previously announced members of the AMA Hall of Fame Class of 2010: championship team owner Mitch Payton, AMA 250cc Roadrace Champion David Emde, off-road rights activist Clark Collins and dirt-track racer Don Castro. More inductees will be announced soon.

The Class of 2010 will officially be inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame as part of the AMA Legends & Champions Weekend. In addition to the induction ceremony, the weekend includes the 2010 AMA Concours d'Elegance on Saturday, Nov. 20, featuring some of the country's most impressive original and restored classic motorcycles. The AMA Racing Championship Banquet closes out the weekend on Sunday, Nov. 21, where AMA Racing amateur champions of all ages will be recognized for their 2010 accomplishments.