It was a beautiful sunny July day, bright with anticipation. There I was on my knees, twisting wrenches as usual, making sure everything was tight and right for the upcoming practice. Suddenly a shadow fell across my Honda. I looked up to see a man cutting across my pit area. I said to myself, "Hey, I know that face." It belonged to Bob Hansen, the famous tuner from Racine, Wisconsin. I should know, I’m racing a Hansen CR 450 replica and there, sitting on my tool chest is my 3" thick scrap book on Mr. Hansen and his vintage CR 450’s. I spoke up and said, "Mr. Hansen... Bob Hansen". The gentleman stops, turns around and says, "I like your racer". He was gracious enough to autograph my scrap book. That was the start of a friendship which Bob and I have shared since that day back in the summer of 1998.

Over the course of many subsequent hour long phone conversations, Bob asked me to build a motor for his Honda 450 and I mentioned the subject of recreating the original Team Hansen, in his honor. Bob said, "Let’s go racing!" So, between our shop and Bob’s own shop, we built 3 replica 1967 CR 450’s and took them to Daytona in 2001. Each one was named in honor of the three original riders, Larry Shafer, Swede Savage, and Jim Odom. I was successful in getting Larry Shafer #6 and Bob Jameson, Bob’s original tuner, to be a part of Daytona 2001. Jim Odom #16 was unable to attend and Swede Savage #74 unfortunately passed away during a racing crash at the Indy 500.

As in all vintage racing when you’re using old and original parts, you have great races and some not so great. But I am thankful for the opportunity to share this experience with Bob. I have built this website on my own to honor Bob for his accomplishments and to show what Bob and I are doing with Team Hansen today. I hope that all who view this site enjoy it and understand the spirit of Team Hansen Honda---racing history, the past into the future.