By Dean Adams
Dick Mann and Honda’s 1970 Daytona 200 win make for good viewing, even without the well-known back story.
Honda had been out of racing until deciding to race the 200 with their new CB750-based race bike. The riders were mostly Brits, with American Dick Mann joining them.
Japanese management tried to micro-manage every aspect of the race, a situation that led to Mann’s crewchief, Bob Hansen, to tell Mr. Honda’s best friend and legendary engineer Yoshio Nakamura to get stuffed with about ten laps remaining in the race.
Mann won the 200, but just about everybody connected to the Mann/Hansen effort were fired by Honda after the race for insubordination.
