It is a sad time for the Roberts family, indeed for the racing world. Buster Roberts, father of Kenny Sr., passed away this past Sunday from complications with lung cancer. I grew up idolizing his son, Kenny Sr., and for many of my young years had given no thought to the fact that he had a father.
I had the recent honor and privilege this year at Fontana Raceway to meet and shake the hand of the man who raised the person who revolutionized roadracing, both in riding technique and professional presentation of the sport. An approachable, easy-going character, he was comfortable talking with the legions of fans that would approach him.
He made an immeasurable difference to the racing world, and I cannot imagine what the current racing scene would be like had he not helped Kenny pursue his passion. Here is a link to a very good interview of Buster, it paints the picture of how the Roberts world domination got started.
