The Story
In 1936 Clarence "Pappy" Hoel bought an Indian Motorcycle franchise and opened a dealership on Junction Avenue in Sturgis, running it with his wife Pearl as a hangout for local riders. In 1937 Hoel and friends formed the Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club, and on August 14, 1938 they staged the first "Black Hills Classic" — a half-mile dirt-track race that drew nine riders and a crowd of about 175. Riders camped in the Hoels' backyard behind the shop. When Indian folded in 1953, Hoel switched to Royal Enfield and then Yamaha, running the business until he retired in 1970. He guided the rally until his death in 1989.
Surprising Facts
→ The first rally in 1938 had just 9 competitors; the modern rally draws 500,000+.
→ Pearl Hoel fed racers beans and weenies from the family's backyard — she's remembered as "the First Lady of Sturgis."
→ By 1947 Hoel's shop reportedly sold more Indian motorcycles per capita than any dealer in the U.S.