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Team Oliver and Paul Gast Honered at AMA National Champions Awards Banquet

16 December 1997

WESTERVILLE, Ohio --  The American Motorcyclist Association announced today
that the 1997 AMA Pro Racing Award of Mechanical Excellence has been
presented to Team Oliver, the 1997 Elf Fuels and Lubricants 250cc Grand
Prix Series Champions.  

AMA Prostar Pro Stock Champion Paul Gast was honored with the 1997
Professional Sportsman of the Year Award.  Both awards were presented at
the Dec. 13 AMA National Champions Awards Banquet at the Flamingo Hilton
Las Vegas.
Team Oliver received the Award of Mechanical Excellence for flawless
performance during the 1996 and 1997 seasons. Team owner and rider Rich
Oliver and crew member Jeff Myers had two perfect seasons, winning every
race of the 1996 and 1997 250cc Grand Prix Series. 

AMA/Prostar rider Paul Gast won the Professional Sportsman of the Year
Award for providing assistance to competitor Rickey Gadson when Gadson's
bike refused to start as the two riders came to the line at the 1997 Dixie
Nationals.  

After repeated attempts by Gadson's crew, race officials assumed that his
motor was locked up and motioned for Gast to fire and take a solo run win.
Instead, Gast, with an idea as to why the bike wouldn't start, left his
bike and ran to Gadson's. Gast started Gadson's bike, then ran back to his
own.

At the green light the competitors took off. Gast's bike dropped a valve
while shifting from first to second gear, and Gadson went on to win the
final.  

Gast's determination to have both bikes run the Pro Stock final cost him a
win and significant purse and contingency awards.  Regarding Gast's
assistance to Gadson, ProStar President Keith Kizer remarked, " In 20 years
of drag racing, that moment was the most ultimate show of sportsmanship I
have ever seen."