As I was covering the return of the Catalina Grand Prix for All About Bikes, I couldn’t help but feel I had stepped into the classic 1971 motorcycle film On Any Sunday. As it turns out, in a way I had. Filmmaker Dana Brown and his crew were on hand at the event to film the action for the latest installment of the film series, On Any Sunday III.
I have to say, the Catalina GP was the perfect venue for the film. Bikes of the vintage of the classic film sat side-by-side with bikes displaying the most current technology. Surely this contrast will be a feature in the film.
It was not just the bikes that embodied the old and the new. So did the riders. Motorcycle icon Malcolm Smith, who was the cornerstone of the original film, was on the island and racing – so was his son. Alexander Smith will be featured in the film and said in an interview that the Catalina GP will help the new film capture some of the flavor of the original.
It was great to see the return of racing to Catalina Island after more than 50 years. Let’s hope that the new film captures the excitement of the event. Keep tuned to All About Bikes for a full report on the weekend’s activities.
(Above) 69-year-old Malcolm Smith gets air at Catalina
(Below) Alexander Smith talks about his dad and On Any Sunday III
