Italian GP - Motorcyclist Magazine

Rainey clinched his third 500cc title with third place in the '92 South African Grand Prix at Kyalami.

Rainey clinched his third 500cc title with third place in the '92 South African Grand Prix

Even so, the thrill was starting to wear off for the champ. Although the '93 season seemed to be preparing to hand him yet another title, it was getting harder for him to compete the way he had. The three-time champ had lost his taste for racing--it just wasn't fun anymore.

The Italian GP at Misano proved to be the breaking point for Rainey. Mid-race, while leading Schwantz, he was braking into Turn 1 when he put the front wheel a few inches off line. He recovered, but with more lean angle than before. Opening the throttle, he lost side grip and the rear end stepped out, hooked and swung back. Instantly, he was thrown in front of the bike at well over 100 mph. His first thought was of defeat--but the situation was far worse.

Rainey flipped through the air, landing in the sand trap and damaging his spine. "It was the most pain that I had ever felt," he grimaces. "I'd had big ones before, but something was not right and I knew that right away. Before anybody got to me I remember thinking, 'If I can just get up, that would be the next step.' My brain was saying, 'Get up,' but the only things that were moving were my arms. I knew something terrible was wrong. I was conscious of everything that was going on, and when everything started going black I thought, 'This is it--I'm gonna die right here. God, if you are real, if you are there, I want to see [his wife] Shae and [son] Rex."

Rainey dominated the '89 USGP at Laguna Seca, laying down a devastating lap in qualifying and then checking out on runner-up Kevin Schwantz to take the win.
Rainey dominated the '89 USGP at Laguna Seca, laying down a devastating lap in qualifying

Rainey's spine was broken, and so badly displaced that his doctors were amazed he'd survived. But that same determination that netted him three world titles and the respect of even his greatest rival was to keep Rainey going, both in his life and in motorcycle racing. Even in the face of their rivalry, Schwantz still sees Rainey as the greatest rider he ever rode against: "He was the rider I admired most. You'd see other guys get on the Yamaha after he was on it, and it wasn't nearly as competitive. That guy had a way of making a pogo stick work well!"

Rainey continued his GP story as a team owner from 1994-'98, winning the '96 Australian 500cc GP with Loris Capirossi. Later, he was instrumental in bringing the USGP back to Laguna Seca, a track near his home in Monterey, California, and dear to his heart. The fast left-hander leading down from the Corkscrew now bears his name.

"If you want to be the best, and want to be world champion, you have to be completely focused on racing with no distractions," Rainey says. "My teammates would think, 'I'll just wait until the bike gets better. I was going to push until the end, whatever it took to be champion, and we almost pulled it off for a fourth time. I think that is the same mindset that kept me alive."

The consummate professional off the track, Rainey--shown in '91 with his wife Shae--earned three 500cc world championships through sheer skill, an uncanny ability to adapt to the bike and an indomitable will.
The consummate professional off the track, Rainey--shown in '91 with his wife Shae--earned
For Rainey, the only thing worse than losing was losing to Schwantz. The latter's British GP win was his fourth of the '91 season, equaling Rainey's total at that point with four rounds to go. In the end, Rainey took his second 500cc title with Schwantz finishing the season in third.
For Rainey, the only thing worse than losing was losing to Schwantz. The latter's British