Malcolm Smith is probably the greatest name in American off-road racing. He’s won more races in more places on both two wheels and four. Smith’s list of racing achievements is stunning. Between 1966 and 1976, he won eight gold medals in the International Six Day Trial (the Olympics of motorcycling). He’s won the Baja 1000 six times (three times on a motorcycle and three times in a car), including the first NORRA Mexican 1000 in 1967. He’s won the Baja 500 four times and the grueling Mint 400 twice. He won the Roof of Africa Rally (his most memorable race) and raced the Paris Dakar Rally twice, “In 1988, I finished fourth overall. It was unlike any event I had ever raced before or since. I consider it one of my proudest accomplishments. It’s easy to go fast over twenty minutes; it’s much harder to go fast over twenty days. The difference? Preparation. Perseverance.”
He’s in the legendary inaugural class of the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame. He’s also in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the American Motorcycle Association Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Ironically, his appearance with Mert Lawwill and Steve McQueen in the 1971 Bruce Brown film On Any Sunday was what sealed his fame.
Famed among the motorcycling and the off-road racing world, he remains a humble man with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. He loves Baja, and his Malcolm Smith Motorsports Foundation has adopted the El Oasis Orphanage in Valle Trinidad, Baja Norte. The MSM Foundation provides full tuition to university or trade schools for the children at El Oasis. Funding comes through charity motorcycle rides organized through Malcolm Smith Adventures. Each year, 15-18 university students receive full support from the ride, including tuition, books, transportation, clothing, and a personal stipend.
In this conversation, Malcolm was enormously generous with his time and in opening his home for our meeting. He’s fighting a widely-reported battle with Parkinson’s disease and fought valiantly to find and form the words to answer my questions. After we wrapped our recording, Malcolm apologized for his performance. He’s a relentless competitor and wants to do his best in every way in everything. Before I left, I followed him up his long driveway in 110-degree heat. He wanted to show me a couple of old Land Rovers that he has stashed in his orchard. I had to hustle to keep up!
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Special thanks to Alexander Smith for his help in arranging this meeting.