National number in ’ 98 , becoming one of the very few women to achieve the honor , and in more than 30 years of racing has competed in everything from dirt track to Supermoto to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and more . Besides riding , DiSalvo has always enjoyed working on bikes , and in 2014 that love turned into a career when highly respected team owner Dave Zanotti needed a mechanic . “ Dave ’ s very particular about how the bike should be , and no one puts in effort like he does . I wasn ’ t exactly looking for it , but things just find me !
“ Briar came to our team in 2017 ,” she says . “ He was a good fit , and from that first race you could see he had something special .” All of which was proven when Bauman , Zanotti and DiSalvo were
While Michelle is known today for her mechanical chops , those skills came from years of racing and fixing her own bikes .
drafted onto the Indian factory team in 2019 and went on to win the Grand National Championship in spectacular fashion .
“ Just because I ’ m not riding doesn ’ t mean I ’ m missing out ,” she told Thunder Press . “ Watching a rider live his dream and chase the championship is huge . I do a lot of work during the week to ensure he has the best on race day and watching it all come together is very rewarding .” DiSalvo has advice for girls and women interested in a career in the motorcycle industry . “ I ’ d just say get involved . Start on a lower level . If it ’ s something you truly want to do , it will come to you . And when others see that you can handle yourself , and that you love it , success will follow .”
DiSalvo is certainly proof of that . — JOY BURGESS
THUNDERPRESS . NET | MAY 2020 | 43