The Tyre that was Banned
The Paddle Tyre
www.motocrossactionmag.com When Team Kawasaki’s Jimmy Weinert decided to run a paddle tyre at the 1979 Oakland Supercross, the success of the weird idea was contingent upon how sandy the Oakland track would be. It was the sandiest Supercross ever. Weinert’s massive holeshot proved how sandy it was.
Weinert’s paddle tyre had 16 scoops and threw up a vicious roost. The roost was huge and was like being shot at by a cannon
full of dirt and rock
and the paddle tyre
destroyed tracks, especially man made SX tracks. With everyone on paddle tyres,
you'd be down to the wood in a matter of laps, not to mention too much track
would wind up in the stands and in the faces of spectators.
They're dangerous
for competition. Plenty of racers
complained stating safety issues, again the roost at times were a telephone
pole high and racers ate and tasted sand for weeks after.
A couple of weeks after Jimmy Weinert’s Oakland Supercross victory, the AMA banned paddle tyres for motocross.
Click here for a video clip about "that day".
