After a racing profession that has lined 35 years with Nationwide-level race wins spanning 5 a long time, Michael Barnes, age 53, has retired from skilled racing.
Barnes began his racing profession in 1987 in a CCS race at Moroso Motorsports Park, in his long-time adopted residence state of Florida. In 1989 he received the AMA/CCS 600cc Supersport Nationwide within the moist at Daytona, and his profession was off and operating.
Over the subsequent 30+ years, Barnes competed and podiumed in each AMA Professional class besides Superbike, which he competed in typically, together with his first AMA Superbike race on a Harley-Davidson VR1000 in 1995.
Along with AMA Professional street races, Barnes additionally competed in ASRA, Method USA, and WERA occasions (the place he received a number of Nationwide Championships); the Macau Grand Prix (the place he had a greatest end of fourth); the FIM Endurance World Championship (together with the Suzuka 8-Hours); and the MotoGP World Championship.
Alongside the way in which Barnes competed on 15 totally different manufacturers of bikes and received on seven totally different manufacturers of tires.
These bikes included a Honda NSR500V 500cc two-stroke Grand Prix bike, a Kawasaki ZX-10R World Superbike, a Suzuki GSX-R1000-based CRT MotoGP racebike, the 780cc two-stroke Tul-aris prototype, a Lightning electrical prototype, a uncommon Ducati Supermono, a rarer Britten V1000, and a 600-plus-pound Harley-Davidson Street Glide bagger, which gave him his closing Nationwide win within the Bagger Racing League (BRL) occasion at Utah Motorsports Campus in 2021.
Barnes captured his sole AMA Professional Championship in 2012 on a Harley-Davidson XR1200, however the crowning second of his lengthy profession got here in 2016 when he rode a Yamaha YZF-R6 to victory within the Daytona 200. And in doing so, Barnes, 47 on the time, grew to become the oldest rider to ever win the race by a margin of 11 years!
Barnes’ closing Professional race, a BRL Customized Dynamics Bagger GP, got here this previous weekend at – appropriately — Daytona Worldwide Speedway. Using his Daytona Harley-Davidson/Hoban Brothers Street Glide, Barnes took pole place with a 1:55.438 — which was sooner than Travis Wyman’s MotoAmerica Mission King Of The Baggers pole time, 1:55.687. Then within the race, Barnes led and turned the quickest lap time, a 1:54.941, however a damaged shifter linkage compelled him to trip the final 1.5 laps whereas shifting by hand, which led to him ending fourth.
“This was the final, final race,” stated Barnes, who now calls the Atlanta, Georgia space residence. “I had actually been wanting ahead to doing the [MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers] race in March, so having missed that I used to be actually wanting ahead to experiencing the bagger on the banking. It was a Hell of a solution to end, as a result of I’m glad that it’s over. Using these issues positive is a conscious, and Daytona provides to that. I’ve by no means been one to baulk at Daytona a lot, however these issues are lots to consider. I used to be relieved when it was over.
“It was fascinating. I instantly accepted the result of that race. I had actually hoped on going out by profitable the final race. We had been positively on track to do this, however I obtained this fast reminder of what racing is. Little issues like that occur. I’ve needed to settle for it many instances earlier than. This one was a simple one to just accept, primarily now as a result of I’m OK and now Anne [Roberts, Barnes’ fiancé] and I can get on with our lives and she or he doesn’t have to fret about me racing anymore and I don’t have to fret about chasing paychecks on the racetrack.”
So, what comes subsequent for Barnes? “I simply took my CDL examination and handed with flying colours. I’m taking a driving job with MotoShippers (www.motoshippers.com), and I’ll be beginning on the finish of the month. We haul a little bit little bit of all the things, from private automobiles to public sale stuff and vendor stuff.”
Requested for his ideas when wanting again on his 35-year skilled racing profession, Barnes stated, “Many, many, many ideas. Before everything, I’ve been extraordinarily blessed to have the ability to do it this lengthy, to be concerned with extra groups than I believe anybody’s ever been concerned with. I do know it’s up into the 70s so far as groups I’ve raced for. Then there’s the quantity of individuals I’ve met from everywhere in the nation and the world, all of the journeys world wide.
“I’ve simply been actually, actually blessed to have the alternatives I’ve had. I’ve typically accepted the truth that I by no means made it large as a manufacturing facility rider on a Superbike crew and made the large bucks, however I’m grateful and haven’t any regrets due to the alternatives that that’s allowed me. I’ve by no means been tied right down to anyone, and that’s allowed me to have these unimaginable experiences. I may write a e book, and possibly sooner or later I’ll.”
Learn extra about Michael Barnes and his wonderful profession within the Could 2022 concern of Roadracing World & Motorbike Expertise.
