03/09/2026
We celebrate Kayla Yaakov being the first woman racer to make the podium in the Daytona 200, which is AWESOME. Congratulations!
Here is a flash back to Gina Bovaird, who was the first woman to qualify and complete the Daytona 200. That was 1980. So, it took 46 years for a woman to make a podium finish. Good Job Kayla. That's historic!
This Moto Morini was Gina's amateur bike before she signed with Yamaha. It's a Moto Morini Corsaro 125cc. It was raced extensively at Bridgehamton.
This Moto Morini Corsaro (translated - Pirate) was purchased by John Regan in New Providence Rhode Island, the then distributor’s hometown.
The exact production year is uncertain, but the model was introduced in 1958. John converted and raced this bike, but later also purchased a production Corsaro racer from the distributor before the Rhode Island distributor closed.
John, was a friend of Gina Bovaird (Durfee) as both were students of Rhode Island School of School of Design. John later sold both bikes to Tom Bovaird of TMB Racing who converted this one to production race specifications. Each were then raced and ridden extensively by both Tom and Gina.
Tom recalled racing the bike at Bridgehampton Raceway in New York, “I could ride the entire course flat out except for the hairpin!”
“Those were very different days,” Tom said. “Bikes were, by today’s standards, very basic, No MAPPS, no injection, no computer readouts. It was more of an art. I loved to coax another HP from a 125 re-design, and intake/exhaust for another 1000 rpm. It was great fun! I remember dueling with Kevin Cameron, who claimed his bikes were “state of the art” and then Gina would lap them!”
Gina would later sign with Yamaha and became the first woman to complete the Daytona 200. She would later race in MotoGP. Tom went on to build and tune race bikes in Europe – building bikes for Graziano Rossi (Valentino’s father).
This bike was found by us as a roller in the basement shop of a former Moto Morini dealer, West Enterprises Cycle Shack near Boyertown PA. It’s fairing and gas tank were missing. A friend recognized the ‘TMB’ sticker, as Tom Bovaird. David found Tom in New Hampshire, who verified the bike. Tom recalled making and recognized the rear sets, which he fabricated.
The bike was restored by Joe Distefano, of Distefano’s Performance Center. The tank and fairing are reproductions versions from the original production racer. I got the tank from Bob Coy, who has the production one. I think Bob is also gone, so I'm not sure where it is today.
The remainder of this one is exactly as it was run by Tom, Gina and John.
That's Gina and John at the concours d'elegance in Radnor Pa, some years ago. Gina gave me the award and signed the bike. It was a good day.
Saving the story. Someone please save Kayla's bike too!
