It is Friday during the Austin Grand Prix that Kenny Roberts Jr will be inducted as a MotoGP Legend at the Circuit of the Americas, in Texas. Soon Marco Lucchinelli will only have to join him – which will be the case during the next Italian GP at Mugello – so that all the 500 World Champions have received this distinction, with the exception of Leslie Graham, titled in 1949, Umberto Masetti in 1950 and 52, Libero Liberati in 1957 and Gary Hocking in 1961.
Kenneth Leroy Roberts Jr., son of his father's three-time 500 World Champion, was born on July 25, 1973, the year Kenny won his first AMA title. He started at Willow Springs in 250, this displacement being considered by the Americans as small. It was 1990, and he competed in his first Grand Prix at Laguna Seca in 1993, finishing tenth ahead of Luis d'Antin and Juan Borja.
He took part in half a season in 1994 in 250 cc, then a full season in 3, before spending 1995 years in 6, then 500 in MotoGP. Eighth in the world 6 in 250, he then spent a year in the 1995 on Yamaha, then two on Modenas KR500 (KR meaning Kenny Roberts) in his father's team.
Switching to Suzuki in 1999, having a more efficient motorcycle and now a little distant from his sometimes invasive father, Junior fully realized himself and won the Grands Prix of Malaysia, Japan, Germany and Argentina. This allowed him to finish second in the world behind Alex Criville.
In 2000, he won again in Malaysia, Catalonia and Japan (Motegi). Other podiums obtained in Japan (Suzuka), Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal and Valencia, allowed him to win the title of 500 World Champion ahead of Valentino Rossi and Max Biaggi.
He had achieved the goal of his racing career and did not achieve the same results afterward. He spent a total of 7 years at Suzuki (3 in 500, 4 in MotoGP) before ending his career with dad's team, on a KR211V powered by a Honda V5 engine in 2006, then on a KR212V with the new 800 engine. cm3 did not give satisfaction, and he stopped definitively mid-season.
He achieved a total of 8 victories, reached the podium 22 times and achieved 10 pole positions.
Photo © Alpinestars
