John Kocinski
John Kocinski ( born March 20, 1968 in Little Rock, Arkansas ) is a former American professional motorcycle racer. He played a total of 99 races in the MotoGP World Championship, where in 1990 he won the title in the 250 cc class. He also secured the title in the 1997 World Superbike Championship.
With 17 years Kocinski was already factory rider at Yamaha in the AMA Championship Cup. He won the series of 1987 until 1989. 1988 he took on his debut in the Motorcycle World Championship pole position in the 250cc class at the U.S. Grand Prix. In the class up to 500 cc Kocinski started for the first time in 1989. 1990, he competed in four different racing series and won the 250cc World Championship at the first attempt. He drove in the 500cc class with a fourth and a third world place the following two years. In 1993 he took the first podium for Suzuki in the class up to 250 cc, but moved back to the 500s during the season and won on Cagiva his home Grand Prix at Laguna Seca. 1994 occupied Kocinski with a victory in the opening race in Australia again the third World Cup overall.
In 1996, Kocinski after Cagivas retreat from the 500cc class to Ducati in the Superbike World Championship. In 1997 he won on Honda with nine wins the world title.
1998 and 1999 drove Kocinski again in 500cc World Championship, but without much success. In 2000 he competed in the AMA Championship, had three years to follow as Yamaha test rider and then stepped back from active racing.