Name/Title
Spies, BenEntry/Object ID
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Road RacingDescription
Ben Spies is considered one of the greatest American road racers in the history of the sport. The Texan, who earned the nickname “Elbowz” due to a riding style that kept his elbows protruded, won five national titles and raced to 44 national wins during his career.
An undeniably impressive career resulted in Spies’ quick selection into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, an accomplishment Spies has not taken lightly.
“It’s a huge honor and accomplishment and what everyone works toward,” Spies said. “Being recognized by your peers and the industry, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Born July 11, 1984, in Memphis, Tenn., a young Spies began to dream of greatness at 3 years old while watching an AMA Supercross event in Dallas.
“I remembered everything clicked for me and that's what I wanted to do,” Spies said.
Spies took to riding very quickly, riding dirt bikes in the first few years of his life after his mom and her ex-boyfriend gifted him a PW50.
Starting in parking lots to get used to riding on pavement, Spies entered his first road race at age 8.
Less than two decades later and Spies was a multiple time champion with his finger prints all over the sport.
Spies came of age during the dominance of six-time AMA Superbike Champion Mat Mladin, and ultimately unseated the champ in his prime in 2006. In 2007, he defended the title in what is considered one of the tightest AMA Superbike Championship battles in history.
“That last race came down to whoever won that race straight up,” Spies said on the 2007 title. “I remember that last race Matt and I got off the line at the same time, there was a lot of pressure on both of us. I remember that, and I made it happen because it was for the team and the people around me.”
Spies’ AMA National Championships include the 2008, 2007 and 2006 AMA Superbike titles, the 2007 AMA Superstock title, and the 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme title.
In 2008, Spies got his first opportunity to compete on the world stage as a wild-card rider at the British round of MotoGP. He also competed at both U.S. MotoGP rounds that year — Indianapolis and Laguna Seca — and scored points at all three 2008 events.
In 2009, Spies made the full-time jump to world-level competition by joining the Yamaha Italia team in World Superbike competition. His rookie-year performance was exceptional, with 11 poles, 17 podium finishes in route to the 2009 World Superbike title.
“We had a lot against us,” Spies said, “and just like the 2007 season, it came down to the last race weekend for the world title. I remember thinking ‘I'm kinda not supposed to be here, but I've been in this situation before.’ I just knew what I needed to do.”
Spies’ full-time foray into MotoGP came in 2010, which was highlighted by a podium finish at Silverstone a second-place finish at the Indianapolis MotoGP and sixth overall for the year, which earned him Rookie of the Year honors.
During the 2011 season, Spies notched his first and only MotoGP win at Assen, Netherlands. Despite crashes and minor injuries, he finished the fifth in season points.
The next year, Spies was dogged by crashes, injuries and mechanical issues. He announced his retirement from racing in late 2013.
“As a racer it’s not a good feeling not being able to get out of your body what you know you can,” Spies said. “That’s when I knew it was time for me to hang it up.”
Since his retirement, Spies has married and now has two daughters.Relationships
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Spies, Ben