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THANK YOU FOR CELEBRATING MERT WITH US

On August 30, family, friends, racers, industry legends and fans came together to celebrate the life and legacy of Mert Lawwill. Nearly 500 people joined us for an incredible day filled with stories, memories, motorcycles, bicycles and so many reminders of the different ways Mert touched people’s lives.

I want to sincerely thank everyone who attended and helped make the day so special. Seeing so many people from different chapters of Mert’s life all together in one place was something I will never forget.

I also want to thank the many people who worked behind the scenes, donated their time and resources, contributed memorabilia, helped with the displays, participated in the program, and supported me in bringing everything together. There were a lot of people involved in making the Celebration of Life what it became, and I am incredibly grateful to all of you.

For those who couldn’t attend—or anyone who would like to experience the day again—we’ll continue sharing photos and video from the celebration here on MertLawwill.com.

Thank you for helping us give Mert the celebration he deserved.

— Joe Lawwill

More Info

As part of the Celebration of Life for, we will be hosting the inaugural:

“Mert Lawwill Vintage Dirt Track Concours”

The purpose of the Concours is to celebrate the motorcycles, craftsmanship, racing culture, and history that helped define Mert’s life and career.

This will not be a traditional motorcycle show focused on competition or commercial presentation. The goal is to create a curated and historically meaningful display that reflects the spirit and era of American dirt track racing that Mert loved so deeply.

Featured Motorcycles

The display will focus on:

  • Vintage dirt track motorcycles from the 1960s, 1970s, and early 1980s
  • Historically significant race bikes
  • Period-correct dirt trackers
  • Motorcycles with historical relevance to the era
  • Special bikes connected to racers, builders, and the culture surrounding American flat track racing

Selection priority will be given to motorcycles that best represent the history, craftsmanship, and spirit of the era.

More

Mert Lawwill (Born September 25, 1940) is an American professional motorcycle racer, race team owner and mountain bike designer.[1] He won the 1969 AMA Grand National Championship and, was one of the top competitors on the AMA national racing circuit during 1960s and 1970s.[1] After his motorcycle racing career, Lawwill became one of the top motorcycle racing frame designers and builders.[1] Lawwill then used his experience as a motorcycle frame builder to become an innovative mountain bike designer, developing one of the first bicycle suspensions.[2] He also developed prosthetic limbs for amputees.[2] Lawwill was inducted in the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.