My little buddy is doin' it in Daytona

Youngsters Will Gruy and Tyler McDonald are doing well in their Daytona debuts. These kids are TMGP/CMRA racers. You may have heard the name McDonald if you were following AMA road racing in the mid 80s. His dad, Sam, was an AMA 250 class champion and Honda factory superbike rider. His grandpa was the N (Norm) in K&N, as in air filters. He sold his interest in K&N after he'd made his millions and bought a shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, K&N Cycles.

Anyway, this kid Will has gotten FAST. Tyler ain't bad, either, and is improving. But Will really had the knack. He came up in TMGP and was in his first year in 2002 on a YSR, advanced to 125s where he finished second in the United States Grand Prix Racer's Union national GP series last season beaten by money, not talent. Kid that beat him was on a 100,000 Aprilia Euro spec factory GP bike. Will was on a warmed over RS125 Honda. He's been riding with Tyler in the CMRA endurance and sprints on a 600 for team K&N and they were awesome on the 600 last year. I knew Will was really getting the 600 when he was battling near the end of an endurance race at TWS with Troy Green. Troy is a multi time expert sprint champion on big bikes and was CBR1000RR mounted against Will and his 600.

Last time I chatted with Will when he was home at Christmas, he was auditioning for a European ride in the supersport series over there. Well, he got the job and will be riding the European supersport FIM series for the big bucks. Wish I'd had a job like that when I was in college. Of course, I had a pretty good job for a while, projectionist in a XXX movie theater. But, it weren't big time. Will's in college at an American university in Rome. Wow, 19 and already living the fast life. All of us in TMGP who have rubbed elbows and banged bars with Will are living vicariously now.

Anyway, here's a link to RRW with the story and a pic. That's Will on the 20 bike winning the opening race of speed week, the "team challenge". First ever race at Daytona and he wins. Boy's charmed or somethin'.

http://roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=25157