Recently I got together with around 1000 buddies to bid farewell to Malcolm Smith. His household created a terrific homage at Malcolm Smith Motorsports, the motorbike store that Malcolm established in Riverside California. In an amazing effort, they cleared the whole display room of bikes, ATVs and side-by-sides and generated seating and a big forecast screen that enabled a few of Malcolm's closest buddies to speak. The occasion spilled out into the car park and controlled the majority of the block. Malcolm touched the lives of thousands in one method or another. He motivated a great deal of us in “On Any Sunday.” For others, he offered education and an escape from hardship through the Malcolm Smith Motorsports Foundation.
Mark Mitchell and Adrian Cotton began things up, then Joel Smith, Malcolm's earliest boy, offered some opening remarks. Bud Feldcamp, Troy Lee, Don Mackey, Mucho Bill Wheeler, Frank Esposito, Ray Mungenast, Scot Harden, Mitch Boehm, Roger DeCoster and lastly Alexander Smith all spoke.
Bud Feldcamp
All of them had excellent Malcolm stories to inform. Among the most amusing was Bud Feldcamp, who was co-driver when he and Malcolm won the Baja 1000 and 500. He informed of a race where Malcolm broke down near the surface in a VW-powered buggy and really talked a viewer into quiting the motor from his Baja Bug and installed it on the path. The throttle linkage obviously didn't work, so Malcolm needed to drive it large open all the method in, turning the ignition turn on and off to handle speed. He won.
Bud and Malcolm's race vehicle
I have Malcolm stories of my own, obviously, gathered over the last 40 years or two. A lot of are really difficult to take into words. I tried to communicate what he indicated to me in the February, 2025 column in Motorcycle. Here it is, with apologies to Frank Capra.
Cycle World's 1973 spread SADDLE
A life without Malcolm
It had to do with 1 a.m. when I staggered into Martini's bar. I didn't have any cash, however if Nick remained in a great state of mind, he may let me remain a while. There had actually been times when he kicked me out before I might even take a seat, however this time he simply sighed and shook his head.
“You actually require to get your life together,” he stated. “What would your parole officer state if he understood you were here?”
“I'm excellent, truly,” I stated. “I do not even desire a beverage. I simply desire somebody to speak with.”
Nick looked hesitant. Organization was sluggish and he was tired, so he simply began cleaning the counter. “You had that dream once again, didn't you?” he asked soon. “I can constantly inform. You get all melancholy and imitate you wish to alter.”
He understood me well. “It was more vibrant than ever,” I stated. “My life was terrific!
