BY ANDREW DUPONT
Clarkston News Staff Writer
Being included in a hall of fame competition is one thing, leaving with a first-place award is another. Independence Township resident Roger Smith knows this well after appearing at the Concours d’Elegance event at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum in Pickerington, Ohio, on Oct. 7. The American Motorcycle Association hosted the event.
Smith, 56, is a retired detective with the City of Pontiac Police Department, currently working as the public relations director for the Vintage Japanese Motorcycle Club. In the Aug. 30 edition of The Clarkston News, Smith, who has been building motorcycles for four decades, was featured for his invitation to the event.
After being compared with 47 other entries, Smith’s 1966 Suzuki X-6 Scrambler was awarded the top score in the Japanese-motorcycles-to-1970 category. The competition was scored by a panel of three judges, who evaluated entries based on quality and workmanship. Smith said he and his teammates felt honored by the victory, especially coming from the AMA.
‘Their event is the finest and it is by invitation only. Plus, you compete with the best motorcycle restorers in the country. Many of the bike owners have never won anything at the AMA event. We felt very lucky to win first place in our class during our first AMA Concours competition,? he said.
Even with the victory, Smith is already looking to the future. Although this compeition is in the past, but there are only 50 more weeks until next year’s competition.
‘Since we were a 2006 Class Winner, we received an automatic invitation to next year’s contest,? Smith said. ‘In a few days, we are driving to Green Bay, Wisconsin, to pick up a really nice 1967 Yamaha Big Bear Scrambler that we found. As soon as we get home, Matt Tate and I will begin restoring it for next year’s AMA Grand Concours.?