Countless riders have helped shape the motorcycle landscape in the U.S., but only the most influential join the American Motorcyclist Association Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees include three-time Grand National Champion Kenny Coolbeth, four-time Speedway World Champion Greg Hancock, grand touring rider Effie Hotchkiss, chassis designer Sandy Kosman, Superbike World Champion Ben Spies, and three-time World Supercross Champion James Stewart Jr.
To honor the 2022 class, friends, family, and media gathered at the 2022 AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in Pickerington, Ohio, on October 28, 2022. Greg Hancock, Kenny Coolbeth, and James Stewart were fortunate enough to attend, while Alec Dare, Nadia DeSimone, and Craig Dove represented Spies, Kosman, and Hotchkiss (respectively).
“Every year, with the exception of 2020, it’s been our privilege to honor motorcycling’s most accomplished and significant people in a very special AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction celebration,” stated AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. “But it’s more than just a great banquet and ceremony to honor the incredible inductees who’ve contributed so much to our sport…it’s also a chance for us to come together in the interest of preserving motorcycle history for future generations.”
Film actor Perry King and motorsports reporter Laurette Nicoll hosted the festivities, guiding the audience through each inductee’s fascinating story and accomplishments. Following the individual introductions, officials inducted each member of the 2022 class. Existing AMA Hall of Fame members even presented the inductees with a Hall of Fame ring.
The ceremony didn’t just celebrate the class of 2022, however, it also honored fallen AMA Hall of Famers including two-time AMA Superbike Champ Wes Cooley, racer and mechanic Ed Fisher, two-time Grand National Champ Bobby Hill, singer and motocross promoter Loretta Lynn, and racing pioneer Preston Petty.
Along with this year’s six inductees, these five AMA Hall of Fame members not only shaped the U.S. motorcycling landscape but defined it.
