Fred Merkel
# Fred Merkel

Fred Merkel (born September 28, 1962, in Stockton, California) is an American former professional motorcycle road racer and two-time Superbike World Champion.

## Motorcycle racing career

In 1984 he teamed with Mike Baldwin to win the Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race. He is a three-time AMA Superbike Champion, winning in 1984/5 on the VF750 and 1986 on the VFR750F. He jointly holds the record for the most wins in a season with Mat Mladin.

In 1988 the Superbike World Championship began, with Merkel entered on the RC30. He won the championship from Fabrizio Pirovano and Davide Tardozzi with two wins and three other podiums. He successfully defended the crown in 1989, with 3 wins, 7 other podiums, and 4 poles. He took three more wins en route to sixth overall in 1990, but was less competitive after this.

Merkel retired from racing at the end of the 1995 season after being injured in an accident at Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona. Merkel and his family moved to a ranch they owned in New Zealand. He lives there with his wife Carla and son Travis, and as of the summer of 2009 welcomed newborn son Jhett.

He was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001.

He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2018.

## Career statistics

### Superbike World Championship

**Races by year**

| Year | Make | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | Pos. | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Year | Make | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1988 | Honda | GBR 4 | GBR 2 | HUN 1 | HUN 5 | GER 17 | GER Ret | AUT Ret | AUT 8 | JPN 2 | JPN 11 | FRA 6 | FRA C | POR 4 | POR 5 | AUS 4 | AUS 3 | NZL 1 | NZL 5 | | | | | | | | | 1st | 99 |
| 1989 | Honda | GBR 4 | GBR 6 | HUN 1 | HUN 1 | CAN 1 | CAN 3 | USA 4 | USA 3 | AUT 11 | AUT 3 | FRA 8 | FRA 4 | JPN 16 | JPN 12 | GER 8 | GER 4 | ITA 2 | ITA 2 | AUS 11 | AUS 5 | NZL 3 | NZL 3 | | | | | 1st | 272 |
| 1990 | Honda | SPA 2 | SPA 3 | GBR 1 | GBR 3 | HUN 1 | HUN 6 | GER 1 | GER 3 | CAN 5 | CAN 10 | USA 7 | USA 10 | AUT 7 | AUT 4 | JPN | JPN | FRA | FRA | ITA Ret | ITA 5 | MAL | MAL | AUS | AUS | NZL | NZL | 6th | 197 |
| 1991 | Honda | GBR Ret | GBR Ret | SPA Ret | SPA Ret | CAN | CAN | USA 6 | USA 4 | AUT 8 | AUT 8 | SMR 9 | SMR 7 | SWE 8 | SWE 6 | JPN 12 | JPN 9 | MAL 12 | MAL 9 | GER Ret | GER Ret | FRA 3 | FRA 10 | ITA 8 | ITA Ret | AUS | AUS | 8th | 124 |
| 1992 | Yamaha | SPA | SPA | GBR | GBR | GER | GER | BEL | BEL | SPA 17 | SPA Ret | AUT 9 | AUT 10 | ITA Ret | ITA Ret | MAL 11 | MAL 5 | JPN 26 | JPN 13 | NED 13 | NED Ret | ITA Ret | ITA Ret | AUS 10 | AUS 12 | NZL 6 | NZL 6 | 13th | 65 |
| 1993 | Yamaha | IRL 7 | IRL 7 | GER Ret | GER 12 | SPA 9 | SPA 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11th | 91,5 |
| 1993 | Ducati | | | | | | | SMR 10 | SMR 27 | AUT 11 | AUT 2 | CZE Ret | CZE 5 | SWE 12 | SWE Ret | MAL 9 | MAL Ret | JPN Ret | JPN Ret | NED 11 | NED Ret | ITA | ITA | GBR | GBR | POR 11 | POR 9 | 11th | 91,5 |

### Grand Prix motorcycle racing

**Races by year**

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position, races in italics indicate fastest lap)

| Year | Class | Bike | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Pos | Pts |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1989 | 500cc | Honda | JPN | AUS | USA | SPA | NAT Ret | GER | AUT | YUG | NED | BEL | FRA Ret | GBR 11 | SWE | CZE | BRA | 36th | 5 |
