American Federation of Motorcyclists -- 1

Road racing motorcycles accompanied SCCA races in California in the early 1960s.  500cc. British "One lungers" like the Norton Manx and the Matchless G50 were the dominant machines, driven by experts like John McLaughlin, Buddy Parriott, Don Vesco, Tony Murphy, and others. 
 
 

Peter Adams on #90 Honda 350 leads John McLaughlin on #25 Norton Manx at Cotati on July 16, 1961.  McLaughlin was a frequent winner in this era.
  
(1-26-11)   From Mark Adams

"The AFM page showing Cotati @1961 with Peter Adams and  John McLaughlin is of special interest: My name is Mark Adams, I'm Pete's oldest son.

I would like to make a small correction: My dad is riding #90, but it is not a Honda, but rather one of his "Manx" Nortons. He did campaign a CB77 Honda as a 350cc GP bike, but a couple of years later.

He had opened "Honda of Marin" in San Rafael in the very early '60's till 1966. He ran the Honda as AFM #31. The Nortons he raced earlier, as he opened Marin Motorcycles in 1955 as a Norton agent, at a shop next door to Bill Breeze's Sports Car Center in Sausalito next to the Heliport. Bob Winkleman was a good friend of both my dad, and my uncle Robin Jackson, who raced SCCA with his Morgans, a Stanguellini, and a Le Grand."
   
 
McLaughlin and Adams  on the grid at Vaca Valley Raceway, on Aug. 20, 1961. I can't find a program listing for #190 so I have no idea who he is or what he's riding.

Pete Kellond restored the ex-John Surtees Norton Manx.  See his beautiful bike HERE.
 
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