Seat of the Pants

On-board with Co-Built's Geoff Cain at Amman Valley by Death Spray Custom.
Rub-on stickers from sideburn.bigcartel.com

DTRA Juniors

I mistakenly credited this great shot from the DTRA Amman Valley round to the wrong photographer. Sorry.
It was actually taken by James Boddy. See more of his photography here.

The DTRA's fearless boys and girls will be in action on Sunday at Rye House. G

DTRA Amman Valley Report

Last weekend the DTRA headed out to South Wales to race the half-mile trotting track at Ammanford. With the tail of Hurricane Bertha threatening it was touch and go, but we just about got away with it.

Guto Llewelyn, (camera on his helmet) who has raced with the DTRA on and off for years, entered his first race of 2014 on a borrowed Co-Built Rotax. A very exprienced grasstracker, the rough, long track suited his style and he won the Thunderbike final. Classy.
In the morning the dust was a problem. Then, after two very heavy showers, mud and spray made it difficult for anyone who wasn't in the lead (or didn't have a front mudguard).

Juniors head out on the big track.

Restricted grid. Stu, 84R, made a comeback on a Honda SLR650-based new build.

Guy Sutherland on his recently imported Triumph. It's a replica of a Redline frame, made by VMC Racing frames. The engine is a T120 taken out to 750. When this bike is properly sorted it'll fly.

Kawasaki UK-supported rider, Ollie Brindley. Love the Co-Built low-pipe on this 450. This was when the track was dry.

And this is a few hours later... #76 is The DTRA's only girl junior Skye Adams (though we have a lady rider in the Restricted class, Leah Tokelove). #17 is Jordan Lee Miller.
PHOTO JAMES BODDY

Vintage class grid. The JAP-powered Ariel, ridden by Guto Llewelyn, didn't last the day unfortunately. The final was won by Frank Chatokhine (chequered helmet - read about this Metisse T100 in Sideburn 17). Second was Guy Sutherland on his Triumph framer. Nick Ashley was third on the Cheney Triumph. John Boddy turned up on an ironhead Sportster, obscured in this shot, but it never got quite up to speed.

Geoff Co-Built had another good day, coming in second in the Thunderbikes - he's second in the championship - behind Dave Chadbourne, who had an uncharacteristic fifth place finish.

I (GI) made the Thunderbike A final despite a few bike problems during the day. Came in 8th in the 12-man final. Could've been worse. Currently fifth in the championship.

The Pro Class main was wild. With series leader, Aidan Collins racing in Europe, twin brothers Tom (#68) and Tim Neave (#14) cleared off at the front, with Ollie Brindley (#24) behind them. Tom took the flag, but due to the final being a double points deal (because there were only 11 not 12 riders in the final), his brother took the maximum points.
Both Neaves have leapfrogged Collins in the championship, with only one round to go. If Tom Neave comes third in the next race, no matter what Tim and Aidan do, he's won the title.
It'll be dramatic.

The final round is Rye House, Herts on Sunday 21 September. Spectators go free.
For more info go to www.dirttrackriders.co.uk. G

Photos: Ian Roxburgh/Design 147 (except where stated)

DTRA - Amman Valley

The next DTRA race is Saturday 9 August (not this weekend) at the Amman Valley Horse Track, Ammanford, South Wales. This half-mile paperclip is the biggest oval we race on in the UK. It's a cushion track, that throws up big roosts. The championship race is Saturday, but there's an extra non-championship round the next day.

Camping available Friday and Saturday. £5 or free to volunteers.
Saturday racing is from 2-8pm, then hanging out in the pits - hopefully watching a Skooter Farm film night on a big screen*
Sunday is 12-5pm. (Times approximate).

If you want to race, get your entry in before the end of Friday. Newcomers welcome.

If you'd like to volunteer to marshal (on either day), leave a comment or email us at dirt @ Sideburnmagazine.com. No experience necessary.

If you want to spectate, just turn up and support your local racetrack. G

* sheet on the side of a van.

Frisky - Amman Valley Report 5)

(sorry this one slipped through the net & should have been posted ages ago) - Happy days eh?! well the honeymoon night might be fun but I foresee high maintenance costs.
Drogo is an opportunist like the man in the photo - except he's built from pipe-cleaners:And although he mail-ordered the bride above, the one that turned up was more like this:This is of course all elaborate simile.
Drogo just needed to borrow a bike to race - his first ever, at Amman Valley. I would have liked to see him ride his pretty XS650 street tracker in anger, but understandably he didn't want to see it mullered in battle having just finished off so tidily.
Steve Red Max' supermotard converted Vertemati was available and delivered forthwith (in a torrential downpour). Saturday was rained-off and all the races squeezed into the Sunday schedule. So luckily the wet suit wasn't needed.With a conveniently placed camper van to jump off, it started without to much agro.More frisky than either of the afore mentioned two creatures, he was certainly giving himself a challenge. She didn't like sun bathing in the pits waiting to go out on track either, and overheated a little (nothing that a shot of vodka in the radiator couldn't sort out), but she did perform - and so did he. A valiant 5th (out of 9) in the novice class - and beat the dastardly Jamie. BPphoto Steven Baldock

Spirit of Sideburn - Amman Valley Report 4)

Aside from the race-won STUK trophies, Sideburn has been awarding a 'Spirit of Sideburn' trophy to the Hero - or Zero of the meet. There are no set criteria, it's just a token of our respect to whoever is selected. Jason Ramsden pipped the post at Amman. At his first ever flat track race he made it home 3rd (of 8 riders) in the Novice Class (beating me you scoundrel) borrowing a bike from Skooter Farm Dave. BPHere is some background info on Racin' Jason Ramsden....
He's a long time friend/team mate of Me and Highside. So it seemed logical to have him represent Skooter Farm as a rookie.
A hot, super-stylish BMX racer who raced in the 1981-82 heydays.....he was FACTORY ROBINSON and raced a few times in California under the watchful eye of Chuck Robinson and ABA pro Scott Clarke. Hasn't done any form of competitive racing since those times. Came down the SKOOTER FARM training facility a few weeks back to check out flat track and was a total natural from the word go. He's stoked to be racing and is planning how he can do it again!
It's very inspiring that a 40 sumthin bloke with little to no experience can sign up, beg, steal, borrow a bike and do so well...first time out... The novice class is NOT slow! Dave

Hot -Amman Valley Report 3)

Temperatures rose throughout the day, and so did the speeds.
GNC results:
1st # 1 Aidan Collins..................................450 H M Plant Honda
2nd # 98 Richard Mason............................450 Arrow honda
3rd # 93 Tom Woolley................................450 Pidcock Honda
4th # 8 Ben Wells........................................525 KTM
5th # 54 Peter Boast ..................................450 Team Suzuki
6th # 7 Ben Baker.......................................450 Helmets4u Honda
7th # 30 Alan Birtwistle..............................450 Honda
8th # 28 Steve Coles..................................450 Honda
9th # 71 Glyn Pocklington..........................525 Helmets4u KTM
10th # 20 Darren Trapmore.......................450 Kinrade Honda
11th # 72 Wayne Drake ............................450 TAJ KTM
12th # 14 Tim Neave.................................450 Team Suzuki
Thunderbikes saw mad deck shuffling, but a clear win for west wales' Guto Llewelyn on a CoBuilt Husaberg
1st #79r Guto Llewelyn...................600 Co-Built Husaberg
2nd #47r Anthony Brown................600 Co-Built Rotax
3rd #76 John Lee ............................710 Scooter Farm Honda
4th #54 Peter Boast......................... 750 Trackmaster Yamaha
5th #28 Steve Coles........................ 650 Bros Honda
6th #26r Neil Martin....................... 600 Yamaha
7th #30 Alan Birtwistle.....................600 Yamaha
8th #97r Guy Sutherland..................600 Co-Built Rotax
9th #3 Paul Sheldon.........................600 KTM Framer
10th #31r Dave Arnold....................600 Scooter Farm Rotax
11th #99r Pete Wilkinson................750 XR Harley Davidson
12th #45r Geoff Cain......................600 Co-Built Rotax

full race report at:Short Track UK
Above photo, and more courtesy: Steven Baldock

Crash and Burn - Amman Valley Report 2)

(you might want to turn the sound down before hiting 'play')Thanks to self-harm Jamie #29. BP

Gladiators - Amman Valley report 1)

Or was it more 'It's a Knockout'? either way the new Novice Class on only it's second outing was no country amble, especially as all racing on Saturday was rained off, come sunny Sunday we were chomping at the bit. I'd made a point of gentlemanly shaking Jamie's hand at riders briefing in case he didn't realize my dashboard mounted 9 Iron golf club was only a childs plastic toy. But from the off, sparks were flying. Even with only eight riders instead of the big boy's grids of 12, the corners were a ruck. Places were shuffled from start to finish.That's Jason Ramsden out front, who borrowed Skooter Farm Dave's #31 bike, racing for the first time. Cool to the end and effortlessly stole the 3rd place trophy from me. That's not inflatable leathers I'm wearing, I just took a deep breath at the start and held it until the finish. Photo courtesy Team Full Lock or Death.At one point I made a heroic round-the-outside move from 4th to 1st, made some space, only to lose it all to a pathetic low-side crash on the next lap. Jamie on full gas kamikaze mission had also nose dived into the dirt and as he hadn't done his morning yoga as recommended, his foot was unable to sustain a 180˚ back twist and broke. BP

1st Stuart Lovell.........Suzuki CCM
2nd Steve Lane..........Suzuki CCM
3rd Jason Ramsden...Rotax
4th Ben Part.............Rotax CCM
5th Drogo Michie.....Vertimatti
6th Jamie Croyden...XR600 Honda
7th Billy Bull............?
8th Adam Waller......?

Amman Valley

Next weekend, June 24-25. Big track, fast bikes plus a slew of novices (including Sideburn's Ben) tackling this 500m oval for the first time. Racing on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
AMMAN VALLEY TROTTING TRACK,TAIRGWAITH,AMMANFORD, S.WALES, SA18 1UU.

He's taking the pi...

This is how Jacapo won the Thunderbike class at Amman Valley, on the back wheel of the Wood Rotax he's owned and raced since 1996. I don't mean that's how he crossed the line, but that's how he took the back straight, every lap. Legend. GI
Photo: Russell Ramone

The Ruts

I love them, especially Babylon's Burning and Staring at the Rude Boys. But ruts on a fast dirt track, eek. Click the photos to check out my radical mid corner Ammanford air. GI
Photo: Rupert Paul

illin'

While the squares were fumbling for their tear-offs CoBuilt's Geoff was just illin' in his Cazal 607s. The German über specs were made popular in the 80s by Darryl McDaniels of Run DMC. Just the thing for combating Welsh mud. BPphoto: Anthony

BP in action

This is Ben on his CCM 'Euro Trash' taking the hideously bumpy turn 3. Yes, the marshal is watching the action, but Ben jumped in and made his debut at the fastest and most fearsome track in the UK, a track that chewed up Steve von Red Max and spat him back out with a broken collarbone. Viva Ben, get well soon, Steve.
Thanks to Russell Ramone. See more at his Amman Valley flickr page.

Euro Trash

No embarrassing 'action' photos have yet surfaced in the media, but here are a few statics of the CCM complete. A heinous creature at this stage before it goes for a full sex change when time and funds permit, but it does go and it is fun. As GI has pointed out, the arse in the sky back-end is probably more just a matter of modifying the rear sub-frame rather than the need for any radical suspension changes.
No modifications to the machine will make it faster, only my ball size is holding me back. Thanks to all those who held my hand at Ammanford. BP
NB above photo is a deceptive as there is a tie-down inbetween axle and handlebar, squashing the front end to get it in the car

Amman Report

After a week of barbecue weather in Britain, Friday saw heavy rain. The internationals had already set up camp in the paddock, and the valley sky was looking foreboding for Saturday. The track surface at Amman is unique, and although having been built on a slag heap was not draining enough. Officials had the hard decision of wether to cancel all of Saturdays fixtures as some areas were boggy and they didn't want the surface destroyed for Sunday's racing that was forecast as sunny.
Finally we got an 'OK' and the valiant donned kagols and zip-tied mudguard to their bikes. No stopping the Dutch-Brothers. Even though the whole team had the most trick fresh paint jobs, they weren't afraid to get down and dirty.Sunday was a sun day, glorious even. Everyone was flying (except me who was quietly but happily wetting my knickers at the back of the pack for my first ever race). Some sensational battles, particularly the final won by Marco on the now TM engined Ouroboros. BP

And the street tracker prize winners awarded by the lovely Rach were:
UPDATE: photo Steven Baldock
Grand final:
1st # 6 Marco Belli..................530 Ouroboros Zaeta
2nd # 90 Aidan Collins...........450 HM Plant Honda
3rd # 5 Jacopo Monti..............450 Honda
for the full results see the Short Track UK website