A few guys have heard my Hailwood story before but here goes. I was riding in the Novice race at Daytona that year (I think 1971) on my TD1C Yamaha and hanging around the Goodyear garage. I was trying to scrounge some cast-off tires that the fast guys had used in practice because a set of their scrubs would last me almost a full season back home.
I guess Hailwood was using their facilities to change and I was just leaning on the wall when a wiry, hawk-faced individual brushed past and stepped on my foot. "Sorry, mate" he said.
"Yeah pal, whatever. Whydonchawatch.... HOLY CRAP IT'S MIKE FREAKING HAILWOOD!!!"
I grabbed my Instamatic and took the shot.
This is my TD1C at Daytona that same year, warming up in the paddock area. My second roadrace ever.
![Image](http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p223/boone8/TD1Daytona.jpg)
That year, I couldn't keep the damn thing running. Didn't finish any practice sessions, was a DNF in the heat race as well and was third alternate for the final. A few guys were "Did Not Starts" for the final and I made the cut in the middle of the back row of the third wave. Eighty starters and I was 79th.
Being my second race, I had no idea what I was doing but the bike kept running and I ended up 33rd after only being lapped once by eventual winner John Long.