Wayne Rainey

S1 E6: A small group of racers dominated the motorcycle Grand Prix World Championship during the ultra-competitive era of the late 1980s and early 1990s; they are the Bike Heroes. One of the most outstanding talents of this era was Wayne Rainey, a rider who proved unbeatable for three years in a row and was destined for even greater success until cruel fate intervened. This action-packed film features dramatic race footage from throughout the American’s glittering Grand Prix career, including his first win in 1988, highlights from each of his championship-winning years and the legendary 1989 Australian GP, considered one of the best races ever. We recall how Rainey secured the crown in 1990 and 1991, and remember how he became the ‘Comeback King’ in 1992, fighting off injury and hard-charging rivals to secure an unlikely third World Championship at the final race of the season. The film unveils Rainey’s rivalry with Kevin Schwantz, with edge-of-the-seat coverage of races like the 1991 German GP, and as well as featuring rare footage from testing and Rainey’s time away from the track – including dirt bike racing with Kenny Roberts! There are also period interviews with Rainey and contributions from his colleagues and rivals. Plus, there is rarely-seen footage from Rainey’s first Grand Prix career – racing in the 250cc class in 1984 - and his return to Europe in 1987 for the Transatlantic Challenge.Rainey’s glittering racing career came to a sudden end at Misano in 1993 as he fought for the championship. Although his racing days were over aged just 32, he had already established himself as one of the sport’s true greats, and a genuine Bike Hero.