What is your race number and why?

[RobGassit]

I quite often find when I ask racers, that there is a tale behind why they chose their race number.Some of them are pretty cool and I thought it might be fun to share those back stories on here.
I'd love to start it myself with a witty tale, but I usually use a birthday. We did name our race team after turn 3 though, as all three founding members have been hospitalised at that turn on various tracks. Your turn..

[gatch]

499.

I ride a friends norton domi in the classics register. The man that rode it before I came on the scene (Tony Mcqueen) was number 500.

As he is a very quick man on two wheels, I vowed and declared that I would go one better than he did.

[rustys]

89
Thats the year my Race Bike was Manufactured.

[crazy man]

11 because easy to make with masking tape lol then the number got nicked of me so changed 11 to 21

[quickbuck]

42.
It was the number on my bucket that i got off a guy called Tarzan back in the early 90's.... Raced it for a year or so.
On my return to racing in 2010 I used it again.
After all it is the answer to everything in the universe.

On my 50 I use 13.
That was the number of entries we had for the first Mopedathon it entered, and I put myself last on the grid.
Unlucky for some, as I have come second in 5 Mopedathons in a row, until finally winning one in January.

[lukemillar]

Was #124 which was what MNZ gave me when I got my first licence. Also happens to be my wifes birthday! Then got fed up of the number size issue and trying to fit 3 characters across the fairing, so ditched the 1 and am now #24

[scott411]

i have run 411 since 2002, i had not raced the NZ MX champs the year before so had to go 3 digit, or very high 2 digit, i wanted a number i could run for a while, and since i chop and change bikes and classes alot it was easier to run a 3 digit,

its got a couple of meanings, 4th was where i was running when i crashed big in taupo in 97, and 11th was where i was running when i crashed big in taupiri in 2001, so it fits,

also 411 is the phone number for information in the states, and since everyone rings me for info on racing (or fb or txt now) it seemed to fit, and 018 looks stupid,

[CHOPPA]

I have always run my national ranking number. I think more people should, its good for the crowd.

Having career numbers is also probably good so people recognise you from year to year

[Deano]

I have always run my national ranking number. I think more people should, its good for the crowd.

Having career numbers is also probably good so people recognise you from year to year

i ran 180 initially cause that is what mnz allocated to me.

we were told no 3 digits at nationals so i ran 9, which was my placing last year after 1 round.

i will run 5 this year as thats where i placed after 3 rounds.

if i can finish a season hopefully will get it down to 1 lol

[Ivan]

59

My very first ever street address and were my obsession for bike racing began watching Aaron Slight at 5 years old wanting to grow up like him

and MX is 159

As 59 was taken so I took 159

[SWERVE]

My number was 301
It was in memory of a deceased friend who also ran 301.
This was back in the UK and we raced Saloon Stock cars as a team Mikey was 301 i was 401.
Originally we chose 330for Ants as we often shared my 675 and was easy to swap race numbers. When MNZ said no 3 digits we changed his to 33.
Last year it was #10 protwin - this year its #4
Agree with choppa top ten should run their respective placing # unless stepping up to another class which is where you run your own number.

[scott411]

I have always run my national ranking number. I think more people should, its good for the crowd.

Having career numbers is also probably good so people recognise you from year to year

i agree with that, and i think all single digits should be reserved for only the riders from the series last year

[Fast Eddie]

55 - cause I cant seem to stick to 55mph. damn speeding tickets

[Pumba]

84 - As I was born in 1984. Nothing overly exciting in that story

[wharfy]

# 919
When I found out I could choose a number (instead of just being given one) I opted for this one because the Honda Hornet 900 I was racing (and riding to work and everywhere else) was marketed in the US as the Honda 919