American racer Wes Cooley passed away due to complications with diabetes in October, 2021. While the racing community mourned the loss, Cooley’s death shined a spotlight on his past accomplishments on the track. From his first AMA superbike race win aboard the Kawasaki KZ1000 in 1977 to his first AMA superbike championship with Suzuki in 1979, number 34 proved that he could tangle with racing’s best.
In 1980, the Los Angeles, California-born rider defended his AMA title against future MotoGP legends Eddie Lawson and Freddie Spencer. However, Cooley suffered a life-threatening injury at California’s Sears Point Raceway, and he struggled to return to form thereafter. In 2004, the AMA cemented Cooley’s place in motorcycling history by inducting him into the association’s Motorcycle Hall of Fame.
