“The Springer” reminisces about his racing career

Jay “Springer” Springsteen is a Michigan legend, whose racing and AMA 1975 Rookie of the Year status put him on the radar in Flat Track racing. While at this year’s annual Hot Shoe Hall of Fame inductee event in Las Vegas, Geoff tracked down Jay to give him a print photo he had taken of him in 1977 at the San Jose Mile:

1977 in the pits at the San Jose Mile

They had a short conversation about the good old days. His wife Judy stated that Jay had loaned all his pictures to someone and that they had been stolen. “He does not have anything. It’s all gone!” Geoff offered to send him the few photos he had taken during 1975 at the San Jose and Sacramento Miles, when Jay was a Rookie Expert, and again in 1977 at the San Jose Mile.

1975 San Jose Mile in May, Jay on the inside rail (65x) of turn 2

Jay is a colorful character and loves to bench race with fans and other legends. While up on stage in the Hot Shoe Hall of Fame interview with Terry “Ike” Clanton, Jay quipped, “Me and Corky made Kenny Roberts famous at the 1975 Indy Mile!” His reference was to the fact that Kenny caught them on his Champion framed, Kel Carruthers tuned, TZ750 Miler on the exit of Turn 4 onto the front straight on the last lap, and won by a wheel length. While talking with Jay, he shared that Dick O’Brian, Harley-Davidson team manager, thought that Corky and Jay were just playing around, going back and forth. Jay replied, “I kept pointing behind me, trying to tell Corky that the number #1 was coming up because I took a look back! Corky must have thought I was calling it until Kenny screamed past us both.”

1977 San Jose Mile, entering turn 1, end of lap 1.

Winning three consecutive AMA Grand National Championships in 1976, 1977, and 1978 as a Harley Davidson factory rider, Jay raced against a Who’s Who of the top talents of the day: Kenny Roberts, David Aldana, Gene Romero, Skip Aksland, Mert Lawwell, Corky Keener, Rex Beauchamp, Chuck Palmgren, and Eddie Lawson, to name a few. Many riders have passed on and it is becoming harder to get the remaining ones together to reminisce. Thankfully, many of us still have our old programs to thumb through and enjoy reading over the official entry lists.

Rick Hocking #13, Jay Springsteen #1, and Corky Keener #62

Jay is still riding, but not competitively. As of this writing, he shared that he and his buddies plan to ice fish and while the minnows are in the hole, they’re going to ride their ice bikes on the frozen lake!

Barb Nickless
All photos by Geoff Nickless

Jay on stage at the 2026 Hot Shoe Hall of Fame.

From the Editor: As a side note, Jay was also a sought-after and successful road racer. He raced AHRMA Formula 750 with Hourglass Racing for a time, racking up numerous wins and podiums for the team, astride the Harley-Davidson XR750TT. Photo below of Tim Joyce and Jay Springsteen supplied by Keith Campbell/Hourglass Racing.