# Danny LaPorte
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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danny_LaPorte
> Source revision: 1347604214
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{{short description|American motorcycle racer}}
{{Infobox Motocross rider
| name = Danny LaPorte
| image =
| caption =
| birth_date = {{birth-date and age|December 3, 1956}}
| birth_place = [Los Angeles, California](/source/Los_Angeles%2C_California), U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| years = 1973–1985
| teams = [Suzuki](/source/Suzuki), [Honda](/source/Honda), [Yamaha](/source/Yamaha_Motor_Company), [Husqvarna](/source/Husqvarna_Motorcycles)
| races =
| championships = 250cc – [1982](/source/1982_FIM_Motocross_World_Championship)
500cc – [AMA](/source/American_Motorcyclist_Association) 1979
| wins = [8 AMA](/source/8_AMA), [6 FIM](/source/6_FIM)
}}
'''Danny LaPorte''' (born December 3, 1956) is an [American](/source/Americans) former professional [motocross](/source/motocross) racer.[{{cite web |url=http://hof.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=211 |title=Danny LaPorte at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame |publisher=motorcyclemuseum.org |access-date=7 April 2026}}][{{cite web |url=https://www.mshf.com/Danny-LaPorte-10-1607758.html |title=Danny LaPorte at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America |publisher=Motorsports Hall of Fame of America |access-date=7 April 2026}}] He was one of the top motocross racers in the 1970s and 1980s and, was the first American to win a 250cc motocross world championship.[{{cite web |url=http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=311 |title=U.S. Trophee and MX des Nations Team, 1981 |publisher=motorcyclemuseum.org |accessdate=8 January 2015 }}]
Seeking new challenges, LaPorte decided to compete in the [1982 250cc Motocross World Championship](/source/1982_FIM_Motocross_World_Championship) riding for the [Yamaha](/source/Yamaha_Motor_Company) factory racing team managed by former racer [Heikki Mikkola](/source/Heikki_Mikkola). 1980 250cc World Champion [Georges Jobé](/source/Georges_Job%C3%A9) (Suzuki) was heavily favored to win the title and was leading the championship at mid-season when he suffered an elbow fracture during the 250cc French Grand Prix. LaPorte then won three consecutive Grand Prix races to take the championship points lead from Jobé. The championship would not be decided until the last race of the season in Sweden where LaPorte finished ahead of Jobé to claim the World Championship by 13 points.[{{cite web |url=http://www.bestsports.com.br/db/atlpag.php?atl=8337&lang=2 |title=Danny LaPorte career profile |publisher=bestsports.com |accessdate=8 January 2015 }}] Jobé began the 1983 250cc Motocross World Championship by winning 5 of the first 6 heat races to build a commanding 60-point lead. He then posted consistent results to maintain his points lead and clinch the title over LaPorte with two rounds remaining.
Returning to America, LaPorte began to compete in [desert racing](/source/Off-road_racing) and won the famous [Baja 1000](/source/Baja_1000) three times as a member of the [Kawasaki](/source/Kawasaki_Heavy_Industries) racing team.[{{cite web |url=http://www.motorsportsetc.com/champs/baja1k_m.htm |title=Baja 1000 winners |publisher=motorsportsetc.com |accessdate=8 January 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324001917/http://motorsportsetc.com/champs/baja1k_m.htm |archivedate=24 March 2015 }}] In the 1990s, he competed in international [rally](/source/Rally_raid) events, winning a stage and finishing second overall in the [1992](/source/1992_Paris%E2%80%93Cape_Town_Rally) [Paris-Dakar Rally](/source/Dakar_Rally).