Malcolm! exhibit opens to cheers

Off-road rider extraordinaire Malcolm Smith, dirt-track legend Mert Lawwill and On Any Sunday filmmaker Bruce Brown shared the scissors to cut the ribbon opening the new exhibit "Malcolm!" at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum on July 26.

Smith and Lawwill starred in the film made by Brown in 1971 that increased the visibility of motorcycle racing in America. The scene at the end of the film featured Smith, Lawwill, and the late actor Steve McQueen play-riding by the sea, showing filmgoers how much fun motorcycling can be.

The new exhibit, in the Museum's Hall of Legends, features some of Smith's historic machines, including the 1970 Husqvarna 400 Cross that he rode in On Any Sunday, a 1949 Matchless G80CS that was his first real dirtbike, and an eight-speed 1970 Husqvarna 250 that Smith used to win the Elsinore GP in 1970.

During the opening of the new exhibit, Smith told the gathered crowd about how he rode a Greeves in 1966 and Edison Dye, considered the father of motocross in America, approached him to ride a Husqvarna 250 Cross. Dye offered to send Smith to the International Six Days Trials as a rider if he liked the bike. he did. Smith earned a silver medal at the ISDE in Sweden that year.

Smith said it was important for him to go to the ISDE because of the challenge of going overseas to compete.

Before the opening of the Malcolm! exhibit, the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum unveiled a bronze sculpture honoring Supercross legend Jeremy McGrath that was commissioned by Supercross series promoter Live Nation. Also, more than a dozen members of the Museum's Hall of Fame signed autographs, including Marty Tripes, John DeSoto, Gary Jones, Jimmy Weinert, Dick Burleson, Bill Werner, Dave Aldana, Jack Penton, Steve Wise, Tony DiStefano and Bill Baird.