I’m catching up from Car Week in Monterey, but i just saw this.
Yvon Duhamel. RIP
https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-news/yvon-duhamel-dies-at-81/

I recall an AMA race at VIR, dinner with the DOC crowd, both Miguel and Yvon were present.

And a quote from Cook?:
“ My favorite line on Yvon Duhamel came from Cook Neilson, who, early in his racing career, got lapped by Yvon at Laguna Seca and noted he "can ride a lambchop past a wolf."

Well for those of us who knew of Yvon from a distance you certainly got an idea about the man through his son Miguel another one of those unforgettable approachable personable guys.

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From: Jack Ward jaxn51@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2021 8:34:29 AM
To: Ducati Owners Group ducati@list.ducati.net
Subject: [Ducati] Re: Yvon Duhamel

Wow! What a gut shot....didn't see that one coming.

Miguel was my favorite racer back in the day. Watched him race at Daytona on the crazy two stroke Kawasakis. Thank you for your story, Vicki. ANd thank you, Paul for your Cook quote as well.

Late 90s I think, Jenn and I are at WIllow Springs Raceway for an AMA race weekend. We decided to stay at the track and camp, instead of a motel. Rosamond doesn't exactly have a bunch of hotel/motel accommodations and besides, staying at the track was more fun anyway.

I was taking a ton of 35mm FILM pics that weekend and wanted to be around in the pits for some possible good shots. The Duhamel family was there with Miguel and his brother Mario, as both were racing. I looked for an opportunity to go speak to Yvonne and finally saw a lull in their activities and approached him. Still very friendly and outgoing as I knew he was, he introduced me to Mrs. Duhamel and invited me to sit down and join them in a refreshment at their family table.

I sat and talked to him and laughed while I listened to his stories. It was a wonderful opportunity to spend some time with my racing hero of old.

On Sunday after the last race, Jenn and I were breaking camp and getting ready to leave. I had driven my little Toyota pickup to the races and brought my 750ss along so I could  quickly get to different locations around the track for pictures of racing action. As we were starting to load my Duc into the back of the truck, I hear a voice with a heavy french accent yell out : "Jek, Jek, wait a meenet, wait a meenet!" I turned my head to look and there was Yvonne jogging over to my pit area. He helped get my Duc up in the bed and secured. A firm handshake and my sincere thanks for his help and he went back to breaking his own camp. THAT was a highlight reel I'll never forget. Yvonne Duhamel helping ME load my bike. Starstruck? Yup, you betcha.  R.I.P  Yvonne, R.I.P.

Jack Ward
Knoxville, TN

On Mon, Aug 23, 2021, 4:37 PM <vicki@ducati.netmailto:vicki@ducati.net> wrote:

I had the lucky opportunity to spend some time with Yvonne and his son Miguel at an event he was the Grand Marshall for a couple of years ago here in Florida. You can not believe how funny he was and add his son to the mix (Miguel is hilarious) and it was pretty much crying laughing all the time. Really cool guy. Fun to be around.

RIP Yvonne

Vicki

Paul March wrote:

While Miguel was racing I always had the Shoei Duhamel helmet. It had a neat dragon design and of course we were fans of his racing. His dad sounded like a cool dude, RIP.

Paul

On Sun, Aug 22, 2021, 5:29 PM t d tbrduc@gmail.commailto:tbrduc@gmail.com wrote:

I’m catching up from Car Week in Monterey, but i just saw this. Yvon Duhamel. RIP https://www.cycleworld.com/story/motorcycle-news/yvon-duhamel-dies-at-81/

I recall an AMA race at VIR, dinner with the DOC crowd, both Miguel and Yvon were present.

And a quote from Cook?: “ My favorite line on Yvon Duhamel came from Cook Neilson, who, early in his racing career, got lapped by Yvon at Laguna Seca and noted he "can ride a lambchop past a wolf."