Having had the honor of covering the dirt track scene during much of Harley’s reign it is with great sadness that I note the passing of Dick O’Brien. “O. B.” was an individual who made covering the sport totally interesting. With his retirement, he became a good friend when he moved to Palm Coast – some 30 miles north of Daytona.
What sticks in my mind most about O.B. – aside from the fact that the nickname derived from the “spiritual master” in ‘Starwars” suited him perfectly – is what he told me about being the H-D racing director. I asked either how or why he had the job. His answer: “They can hire anybody to lose, they hired me to win.” And win he did. Dick O’Brien was a true champion in every sense of the word. The racing world has lost a true icon of the sport.
