Born 31 December 1951, Kenneth Leroy Roberts, "King Kenny", was one of the most important figures of the World GP as well as in the USA.
Kenny Roberts with Miss Camel / Winston Lynn Griffis.
Making his debut in amateur racing in 1965 at the age of 14, he clinched consecutive AMA Grand National Championship titles in 1973 and 1974.
Kenny Roberts with Lynn Griffis, Miss Camel / Winston.
As soon as he began racing in the World GP from 1978, Roberts made his name immediately by taking three consecutive championship titles. After losing to Freddie Spencer in a ferocious battle for the title in 1983, he teamed up with fellow rider Tadahiko Taira for the Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Road Race. Kenny enticed the fans with his overwhelming speed.
Roberts, the showman, left many other resounding impressions on the sport.
Kenny Roberts with Lynn Griffis, Miss Camel / Winston.
Arriving in a huge motor-home, his aggressive riding style of sliding the rear tire (rear wheel steering) and his hang-off riding posture is now the standard in the GP. Robert's success brought along the insurgence of great American riders of the 80's, such as Randy Mamola, Freddie Spencer and Eddie Lawson. After retiring from racing he headed Team Roberts, bringing Wayne Rainey and John Kocinski through the ranks to become world champions. From 1997 he entered the MotoGP with his team KR on an original machine.
Kenny Roberts taking an interview in Malibu, California, in the coolest way ever, with his 1978 Ferrari GTS Spider with license plate ‘King Ken’.
Kenny Roberts owned a Ferrari 308 GTS USA version, a personal car. He would occasionally be seen driving the car, especially in older interviews and photos.
Lynn Griffis, here around 1981, was Ms. Camel / Winston during the heyday of tobacco support of motorcycle racing. Kenny Roberts got to spend a lot of time with her. Photo by Larry Lawrence's rider files page.
While Kenny Roberts was racing, Lynn Griffis was the Miss Camel Pro Series for nearly a decade, starting in 1976 and going into the early ‘80s.
Lynn was more than a pretty face handing out trophies, the riders adored her and with good reason.
Lynn with Skip Aksland.
Lynn Griffis with Hank Scott at Santa Fe Short Track National in August 1975.
She took genuine interest in the sport and got to know the riders and their family and friends. When something bad happened Lynn was the first one there offering to help any way she could.
Lynn Griffis on the podium with Steve Eklund in the late 1970s.
Lynn Griffis in a Subaru Brat with three guys that would achieve a little fame of their own in the near future…. Photo by Mary Grothe.
She also promoted the sport with great enthusiasm, showing up with the riders to do pre-race media tours.
Lynn Griffis and the guys sitting around and smiling.
Hank Scott gets a new hat from Lynn!
No other Miss Camel seemed to click with the riders, the fans and the media like her.
Mike Baldwin in victory lane with Miss Duckworth and Lynn Griffis at Loudon.
So influential was Lynn that a lot of people think she deserves to be in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
Photo gallery
Kenny Roberts taking a photo opportunity on Mert Lawwill's H-D XLRTT (retired due to a broken chain) at Ascot in 1970.
Kenny Roberts in action.
“After my initial trophy-girl experiences, I found out that it wasn't all that bad!” Photo by Motorcyclist.
Kenny Roberts in 1974.
Kenny Roberts in 1974.
Kenny Roberts won the ‘Santa Fe Speedway short track national’ in 1974 aboard a 360. Camel’s Lynn Griffis is the trophy girl.
Kenny Roberts won the ‘Santa Fe Speedway short track national’ in 1974 aboard a 360. Camel’s Lynn Griffis is the trophy girl. Photo by Mahonyphotos.com.
Kenny Roberts won the ‘Santa Fe Speedway short track national’ in 1974 aboard a 360. Camel’s Lynn Griffis is the trophy girl. Photo by Gary Van Voorhis.
A rather young Kenny Roberts with his Shell Yamaha flat tracker.
Kenny Roberts wins the 1975 Indy Mile on a liquid-cooled TZ 750. Corky Keener 2nd, Jay Springsteen 3rd. Photo by Bert Shepard.
Kenny Roberts at Ama Grand National Championship Series season in 1976. Photo by Larry Lawrence's archives.
Kenny Roberts in 1978. Photo by Wikipedia.
Kenny Roberts in action.
Kenny Roberts being presented a mantel clock from Miss Camel Lynn Griffis for winning the pole for the 1978 Daytona 200. In years to come the pole winners would get a Rolex watch.
Kenny Roberts celebrates after winning the AMA Camel Pro Series Superbike Daytona 200 in March, 1978 at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo by Dozier Mobley / Getty Images.
Kenny, Skip and Hank look to the sky, while Lynn is focused on the Carton of Camels. The picture should be taken in 1978 or 1979 in Indianapolis.
Kenny Roberts on his bike.
Kenny Roberts with Barry Sheene at Salzburgring in April 1979.
Kenny Roberts of the United States rides the #1 Yamaha YZR 500 during the German motorcycle Grand Prix on 06 May 1979 at the Hockenheimring circuit in Hockenheim. Photo by Don Morley / Getty Images.
Patrick Depailler, Kenny Roberts and Jacques Laffite at the Grand Prix of the United States in Watkins Glen, New York, on 07 October 1979. Photo by Bernard Cahier / Getty Images.
James Hunt in discussion with motorcycle champion Kenny Roberts at the Grand Prix of the United States in Watkins Glen, New York, on 07 October 1979. Photo by Bernard Cahier / Getty Images.
Kenny Roberts once again arrived for the final race of the year battling with a Suzuki rider for the world title, this time young Italian Virginio Ferrari, at the Le Mans circuit.
Kenny Roberts at Nurburgring in 1980.
Valentino Rossi, Yamaha, jokes with Kenny Roberts, Suzuki, after victory in the British Moto GP at Donington Park on July 24, 2005. Photo by Clive Mason / Getty Images.
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