| June 30, 2021
Cycle News Wheelspin
COLUMN
An Unsung Hero of the Paddock
By Keith Dowdle
Last week we received the sad news that Hans Laske had passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. Hans was a fixture on the AMA Pro Road Racing circuit for well over 25 years. Most recently he drove the team hauler for Vance & Hines, but he’s best known for his 20-something years with Yoshimura Suzuki, and prior to that with the HRC Honda team back in the mid ’90s. Like many of the behind-the-scenes folks in the paddock, Hans never sought the attention of the fans or the media, but he became known to them regardless, simply because he was one of the nicest people in the paddock and a true character as well.
I first met Hans in the ’90s, when he was driving for HRC Honda. He was always kind and respectful to me—even though I was the new guy back then and probably more in the way than actually helping. But he was always patient with me, that’s just how he was. Hans treated everyone the same, whether they were newbies or their last name was Hayden. He was just nice to everyone.
Hans was a big man, fitting for someone who drives a giant 18-wheeler, but he was just a big teddy bear, really, and a hard-working one at that. On race weekends, the hauler drivers are the first to arrive and the last to leave. And unlike the rest of the team who hop on a plane and are home within a few hours, Hans and his fellow drivers would need days to get to the next race. During the season, they almost never got to go home. But Hans rarely complained. He was at home when he was with his friends and teammates on race weekends—even though his actual home was oftentimes thousands of miles away.
Long hours, late nights on weekends and holidays—it doesn’t matter. Race teams have to get the bikes prepped and ready to race, and the hauler drivers are right there alongside the mechanics and crew chiefs, taking care of their needs while they work on bikes. From test days to race days, the drivers are the ones who set up the awnings, put down the flooring, and get everything ready for the team.
They usually serve as the team cooks, as well, which means shopping for groceries once the pits are set up. Hans was the best at grocery shopping and making sure that every team member had the snacks that they liked. He could also whip up some good eats at lunch, and dinner, if necessary. And as anyone in the pits knows, when a team is eating well, they work well—which likely contributed to the 11 championship teams that Hans was part of. He would tell everyone that he had more championships that any other driver in the paddock. And it was true.
Without people like Hans and the hundreds of others who work behind the scenes, racing would not happen. The riders get the glory and the riches while people like Hans do it purely for the love of the sport and to help their team win. Being on a race team is not easy work, no matter what your role is, and Hans was truly one of the unsung heroes of the AMA Professional Road Race paddock and a great teammate as well. So, here’s to you, Hans. We’ll miss you, buddy.CN