Mel Dinesen, who passed away in 2006 at the age of 93, had
been a motorcycle dealer in Bakersfield, CA. dating back to 1950 where he sold
Indian into the 1980s with Yamaha, Hodaka and other brands.
He first made headlines as a
race tuner in 1960 when 16-year old Eddie Mulder won the famed Big Bear Grand
Prix on one of his Royal Enfields. Dinesen went on to sponsor numerous riders
from central and southern California in dirt track racing and roadracing with
Ron Pierce, a young Bakersfield rider. Ron won numerous AFM and AMA races for
Mel which earned him a spot on the Yamaha factory team beginning in 1968.
Trailblazers President Don
Emde took over the saddles of Mel Dinesen’s race bikes in 1969. That summer
Emde won the AMA Novice National race at Indianapolis, Indiana as well as
winning the overall AFM #1 plate. In 1970 Emde won the 100-mile 250cc National
race at Talladega, Alabama, and in 1972, history was made when he won the
Daytona 200 on the Mel Dinesen-sponsored and tuned 350cc Yamaha. It was the
first time that a two-stroke had ever won the 200, as well as a first for
Yamaha. It was also the smallest engine size to ever win the event, beating
private and factory entered machines up to 750cc. All this was achieved on a
motorcycle that was privately entered and tuned by a motorcycle dealer.
The Trailblazers remember Mel Dinesen and welcome him into
our Hall of Fame.
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