Much better known as a motorbike racer, with 4 500cc titles and 31 wins. Now retired, and living in Arizona, where he races go-karts for fun and also attends historic bike events. He also likes to jet-ski. Lawson started racing bikes in dirt-tracks as a teenager before moving to road racing. Amongst his success are winning, the AMA Superbike Series in 1981 and 1982; the AMA 250cc road racing National Championship in 1980 and 1981, the 1984, 1986 1988 and 1989 500cc World Championship (3 with Yamaha, one with Honda; Lawson was the first 500cc champion to win back-to-back titles with different manufacturers) and the ABC Superbikers event, in 1983 and 1985. He retired from bike racing in 1993 and took up four wheels, racing in Indy Lights and then CART. Lawson was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2002.

Biography last updated 1 Apr 2018