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Motorcycling Lifestyles
BIKES: Dave Despain Resigns From AMA Motorcycle Hall Of Fame
Yesterday afternoon, Despain sent a letter of resignation to the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Dave Despain, the popular host of the Sunday night program Wind Tunnel on SPEED. (Image: SPEED)
SPEED television personality, and host of Wind Tunnel is now an ex-AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer, the first man in the history of the Hall to ever resign.
Dave Despain's resignation comes in the wake of the Nobby Clark nomination to the AMA Hall of Fame and the following rescindation of that same nomination a few weeks later. Despain requested that his name, picture and anything else relating to him be removed from the Hall, effective immediately.
Dave Despain can be seen on Wind Tunnel every Sunday night at 9p ET.
Despain's letter to the Hall of Fame is as follows:
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter and the enclosed medal commemorating my induction comprise my immediate resignation from the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. I expect my name and picture to be removed without delay from all Hall of Fame materials and representations.
I take this action in response to the Hall of Fame's unconscionable rescinding of the nomination of Nobby Clark, a motorcycling legend more than worthy of Hall of Fame membership. I believe we Hall of Famers have a special stake in the integrity of the institution and its nominating process. I have lost all faith in that process and, more importantly, in the individuals who apparently now control it.
I am deeply suspicious of media speculation that Clark's "criminal record" is somehow grounds for the withdrawal of his nomination but given the absence of any clear and official explanation from Hall of Fame officials, that apparently is the brush with which Nobby is to be tarred. This raises a couple obvious questions: What changed in the short time between the announcement and the rescinding of Clark's nomination and why would Clark's "criminal record" be grounds for a blackball when that clearly was not an issue for a number of previous inductees who also have criminal records.
I suspect the answers to these questions, if they were truly known, would do nothing to restore my faith in the integrity of the institution, but in the end my resignation does not turn on those answers. Instead it is based on a simple and inescapable conclusion: given everything Nobby Clark has accomplished in this sport, if he doesn't belong in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame then I sure as hell shouldn't be in there.
Sincerely,
Dave Despain
Related Quotes as Hall of Fame members react to the Nobby Clark decision
Dick Mann - "I was one of the original committee members involved in organizing the current Hall of Fame. Lately, I have watched this organization slide into mediocrity, apparently from the lack leadership and knowledge of the history of our sport.
Due to Nobby Clark’s contributions to the sport of motorcycles, it is my opinion there is no one more deserving of being inducted in the HOF. Since that is not going to happen, I no longer want to be considered a part of the Hall of Fame."
Kenny Roberts - "I just got wind of it yesterday when somebody sent me something on Dave Despain resigning," Roberts said this morning from his home in Hickman, California. "And now I find out that Dick Mann has resigned. I just emailed Chris Carter and asked him where I send my shit back. I don't get it. If Dick Mann is resigning from the Hall of Fame, I don't need to be in it. It's bad that it has to come to this, but what are you going to do. If Nobby [Clark] doesn't deserve to be in there, nobody does."
Charles Falco - "This press release was the AMA's/AMHF's chance to begin to restore some of the credibility lost over the past two weeks. Instead, it has eroded that credibility even further. I hereby resign from my position on the HoF selection committee."
Time Line and Links to Original releases
April 2, 2012 - AMA Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Class
June 2, 2012 - Derek "Nobby" Clark Induction Announced
July 1, 2012 - AMA Announces the Error
July 2, 2012 - Clark's Criminal Record Cited for Decision To Rescind
July 12,2012 - Dave Despain Resigns from Hall of Fame
July 12,2012 - Dick Mann Resigns from Hall of Fame
July 12,2012 - Kenny Roberts Resigns from Hall of Fame
July 12,2012 - Jack Mangus Quits Hall of Fame Dirt Track Committee
July 13,2012 - Ed Fisher and Dick Klamfoth Resign From Hall of Fame
July 13,2012 - Two-Times World Champion Jeff Smith Resigns from Hall of Fame Committee
July 13,2012 - AMA Releases Statement and Proicess Review
July 13,2012 - Charles Falco Resigns from Hall of Fame Committee
"The Ballad of Nobby and the Hall" by Dean Adams, a member of the Hall of Fame Road Racing Committee
More Members Resign - http://www.motohistory.net/news.html
Motocross Action Magazine Weighs In
July 19, 2012 - Hall of Fame to Conduct Supplemental Vote for Derek "Nobby" Clark
Dave Despain's resignation comes in the wake of the Nobby Clark nomination to the AMA Hall of Fame and the following rescindation of that same nomination a few weeks later. Despain requested that his name, picture and anything else relating to him be removed from the Hall, effective immediately.
Dave Despain can be seen on Wind Tunnel every Sunday night at 9p ET.
Despain's letter to the Hall of Fame is as follows:
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter and the enclosed medal commemorating my induction comprise my immediate resignation from the Motorcycle Hall of Fame. I expect my name and picture to be removed without delay from all Hall of Fame materials and representations.
I take this action in response to the Hall of Fame's unconscionable rescinding of the nomination of Nobby Clark, a motorcycling legend more than worthy of Hall of Fame membership. I believe we Hall of Famers have a special stake in the integrity of the institution and its nominating process. I have lost all faith in that process and, more importantly, in the individuals who apparently now control it.
I am deeply suspicious of media speculation that Clark's "criminal record" is somehow grounds for the withdrawal of his nomination but given the absence of any clear and official explanation from Hall of Fame officials, that apparently is the brush with which Nobby is to be tarred. This raises a couple obvious questions: What changed in the short time between the announcement and the rescinding of Clark's nomination and why would Clark's "criminal record" be grounds for a blackball when that clearly was not an issue for a number of previous inductees who also have criminal records.
I suspect the answers to these questions, if they were truly known, would do nothing to restore my faith in the integrity of the institution, but in the end my resignation does not turn on those answers. Instead it is based on a simple and inescapable conclusion: given everything Nobby Clark has accomplished in this sport, if he doesn't belong in the Motorcycle Hall of Fame then I sure as hell shouldn't be in there.
Sincerely,
Dave Despain
Related Quotes as Hall of Fame members react to the Nobby Clark decision
Dick Mann - "I was one of the original committee members involved in organizing the current Hall of Fame. Lately, I have watched this organization slide into mediocrity, apparently from the lack leadership and knowledge of the history of our sport.
Due to Nobby Clark’s contributions to the sport of motorcycles, it is my opinion there is no one more deserving of being inducted in the HOF. Since that is not going to happen, I no longer want to be considered a part of the Hall of Fame."
Kenny Roberts - "I just got wind of it yesterday when somebody sent me something on Dave Despain resigning," Roberts said this morning from his home in Hickman, California. "And now I find out that Dick Mann has resigned. I just emailed Chris Carter and asked him where I send my shit back. I don't get it. If Dick Mann is resigning from the Hall of Fame, I don't need to be in it. It's bad that it has to come to this, but what are you going to do. If Nobby [Clark] doesn't deserve to be in there, nobody does."
Charles Falco - "This press release was the AMA's/AMHF's chance to begin to restore some of the credibility lost over the past two weeks. Instead, it has eroded that credibility even further. I hereby resign from my position on the HoF selection committee."
Time Line and Links to Original releases
April 2, 2012 - AMA Announces 2012 Hall of Fame Class
June 2, 2012 - Derek "Nobby" Clark Induction Announced
July 1, 2012 - AMA Announces the Error
July 2, 2012 - Clark's Criminal Record Cited for Decision To Rescind
July 12,2012 - Dave Despain Resigns from Hall of Fame
July 12,2012 - Dick Mann Resigns from Hall of Fame
July 12,2012 - Kenny Roberts Resigns from Hall of Fame
July 12,2012 - Jack Mangus Quits Hall of Fame Dirt Track Committee
July 13,2012 - Ed Fisher and Dick Klamfoth Resign From Hall of Fame
July 13,2012 - Two-Times World Champion Jeff Smith Resigns from Hall of Fame Committee
July 13,2012 - AMA Releases Statement and Proicess Review
July 13,2012 - Charles Falco Resigns from Hall of Fame Committee
"The Ballad of Nobby and the Hall" by Dean Adams, a member of the Hall of Fame Road Racing Committee
More Members Resign - http://www.motohistory.net/news.html
Motocross Action Magazine Weighs In
July 19, 2012 - Hall of Fame to Conduct Supplemental Vote for Derek "Nobby" Clark
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