Rider, mechanic

The Wisconsin native followed in his father’s footsteps and became an AMA champion. Reiman won the DAYTONA 200 three times (1961, 1964-5), including the first at Daytona International Speedway and the only 200 held in the wet. In 1964, Reiman put together an outstanding season in which he followed victory in the 200 with 13 more Top 10 finishes and captured the AMA Grand National Championship. Reiman’s dad was a former AMA Hillclimb champion who operated a Harley-Davidson dealership. In 1958, Reiman qualified for his first AMA Grand National race and ran with the leaders at his first 200 the following year before his gas tank sprung a leak. His win from pole in the 1961 DAYTONA 200 was also his first Grand National win. In 1970, Reiman scaled back his racing to run the family dealership in Kewanee, IL and become head mechanic for daredevil Evel Knievel. Reiman was killed in ‘97 at Daytona during a practice session for a legends event. He was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 1998.