Butterflies, Butterflies, Frank

The next round of the 2016 DTRA race series is the Greenfield TT, next weekend. TT racing is dirt track's nod to going right and leaving the ground. To the best of my knowledge, TT races only ever have one jump per lap. They're contested by flat track bikes, usually with slightly more compliant suspension and front brakes. There have been TT races in the UK, when the national series was organised by Short Track UK, but this is the first DTRA TT. It's also the first all dirt TT. Previous races have had concrete sections when the course turned onto the infield of King's Lynn speedway track, with a dirt jump.

As a very amateur racer, I'm not a massive fan of the TT format as I've never been much of a jumper, but there was a small scale practice at the Greenfield track earlier in the year, and running a few laps over the jump gave me more confidence for the upcoming race. I think the racing is going to be wild and action-packed, especially as this year, most classes are running without a front brake.

It's free to spectate, and it's a two-day meeting at:
Greenfield Farm
Greenfield
Alford
LN13 0EB

Anthony Brown, big cheese of the DTRA, sent a link to this clip through to get us excited about TT racing and it is wonderful. Evel Knievel is the guest pundit and while he does get some good info over, when asked about TT racing, he compares Ascot TT with the Isle of Man TT. Perhaps he'd only heard of the Isle of Man TT, not actually seen it. I don't have to tell you the two couldn't be more different.

This 100-lapper is dominated by Rick Hocking. He must have been the big favourite, because he was interviewed before the race, with the clips inserted into the coverage. I saw Hocking race at Vegas in 2010, also on a Yamaha 500, like he using in this race, then I was in the hotel hot tub with him (it was a big outdoor hot tub, not that awkward). I wish I'd seen this clip before that impromptu meeting. And it's too late to ask him about it now as, sadly, he took his own life a year later, in early 2011.

Another fact, the late Paul Bostrom (incorrectly captioned Bostrum in this Wide World Of Sports footage) is running third for part of the race. He was the uncle of former superbike racers Ben and and Eric Bostrom. G

Doug Chandler. On it

Doug Chandler wrestling the Freddie Spencer-backed Honda VF750 in the AMA Superbike championship, 1987. One of racing's most versatile riders, that same year, as he began his transition to full-time road racing, he was still topping dirt track podiums. In the current issue of Sideburn magazine, you can read his memories of winning that year's televised Ascot half-mile on a V-twin Honda RS750. MP
If anyone knows who took this photo, please let us know.

Inappropriate Race Bike

What was he thinking? Or was it a dare?
Love the sound of a 750-4 on the rip. Must be chilly, looks like he's sporting Oxford Muffs, good man. BP

In search of Mark Brelsford

Mark Brelsford is no easy man to track down, but we got him after a saga of midnight transatlantic phone calls, messages relayed up mountains by friends and futile emails lost mysteriously to the ether. After big crashes in 1973 and '74 the 1972 Grand National champion quit racing and moved to the great open spaces of Alaska. 'I'd had the last rites two times in the last two years and I thought I'd better get out while I'm still able to walk and talk.' In the new issue of Sideburn, (#19, available now), we hear Mark's memories of racing at Ascot Park in 1969, his first year as a Harley-Davidson team rider. David and Goliath even get a mention. He's shown a year or two later in the shot above - unknown photographer please drop us a line. MP

Dennis Kanegae 5x

We featured Dennis and his Trophy Queen in Sideburn 14. He send this...

Here's a shot of my first Expert year on a Norton Trackmaster, leading John Hately (98) and the late Lloyd Houtchins...1974 Mahony shot

Honda Ascot

Thanks to Roger F for bringing this to our attention. He says...

'30 seconds, featuring the then reigning grand national champion Mike Kidd (he won the #1 plate on a Harley and was hired by Honda). He's riding a bike powered by an engine that started life as a CX500, turned sideways, converted to a 750 and chain final drive!....not a bad day's work in the shop)... Roger'

Read all about the development of the CX500 powered NS750 into it's successor, the RS750 in SB#7

Dennis Kanegae, 207R

We featured Dennis Kanegae (we spelt his name correctly, Cycle News got it wrong) in our regular Trophy Queen back page spot in Sideburn 14. He sent this clipping through.

Just found this...pretty funny. Happy New Year! Cheers, Dennis

SvL

We interview Skip van Leeuwen for Sideburn 15. Out soon.
Are those the coolest looking marshals (corner workers) you've ever seen? Ascot, 1967.
Photo: J. E. Brammer

Skip Aksland and Ascot Park

This is Skip Aksland, on it. His son Dustin, a pro photographer, got in touch with a great vintage shot for our Trophy Queen series and we sorted out an interview with Skip for Sideburn 11.
Dustin also sent a link to this amateur film of racing at Ascot Park in 1974.
The voiceover, by the guy who filmed it, gets a little bit, er, you decide, but it's a good glimpse of the mythical place for those, like us, who never had the chance to go. G

Ascot Reunion: This Weekend

Ascot Reunion this weekend, heroes milling around and displays of bikes. Then, over at Perris, this spectacle is being lined up...

The weekend's coming up fast for the Ascot Reunion at Pomona and the races at Perris. Just talked to Vince and it sounds like we'll have a good turnout for the race. If you're racing, you may want to get there early for a good spot in the pits. Please remind friends and spectators to park in the lot across the street, since the pits will be reserved for racers. Gates open at 8:30 AM, practice at 10:30, racing to follow. Vince says he has received lots of call and expects a good turnout. Some of the old Ascot racers will be coming too; Dennis Kanegae says David Aldana and Tom Horton may ride, Jim Berry is going to dust off his steel shoe, John Hateley (whose incredible garage/workshop is in Sideburn 6) has a race win to defend, maybe more of the Ascot heroes will ride.

Smokin'

We've found a new god to worship 2

Sorry the old god is out (but existing goddess is still in). Because of a few things this fella has got going for him
1. Insane body language. Going fast turning RIGHT with panache. This is a TT at Ascot 1970. Photos taken from Poppa Wheelie, who says this is a Yamaha 360.
2. Great leathers and lid.
3. Race face set to stun.
4. Look closely, what a killer Clark Gable moustache.
Who is he? Anyone know? GI

Flat Track Fridays

From Short Track UK. Yippee!

We are proud to announce that we will be running 4 meetings on Friday evenings at the Norfolk Arena and they will be known as Flat Track Fridays. We will be running 4 classes with every rider getting 3 heat races and a Grand Final for the top finishers. Practice will start at 7pm and racing at 7.30pm. The other good news for race fans is that it is free of charge!
The idea behind Flat Track Fridays is to give riders more track time on what has been described as the English Ascot Park (a track in the US that produced some of the best Flattrackers in 70s & 80s ) and chance to try and get new fans to watch Shorttrack.
We will be running 4 classes for riders:-

National Pro Class – open to current and ex national number riders. Making a Grand Final at an STUK meeting during 2009 will also entitle you to ride in this class.
Restricted Shorttrack Class – for riders who have never held a national plate and do not make a grand final at a STUK meeting during 2009, riding Shorttrack or Thunderbike machines.
Thunderbike Class – open to riders with Thunderbike machines.
Open Quad Class – for quad bikes running to Shorttrack Quad rules.

Flat Track Fridays Dates
Friday 12th June
Friday 26th June
Friday 14th August
Friday 4th September

Conrad Leach

Back last century, before the dawn of eBay, Conrad Leach spotted an ex-Ascot TT Trackmaster for sale in Walneck's newsprint rag. A few months later, a rather sorry looking has-been turned up in a crate. Ned at The Bike Barn (now Newton and Smyl Motorcycles, South London) did a number on the engine, and with a small Bates light, managed to get the bike road registered. The open pipes were anti-social to say the least, and avoiding the police became a sport in its own right. Not wishing to cull the no holds barred beast, with silencers, mirrors, a petrol tank that would get you further than the post office and back, top-box etc Conrad sold it for a pretty penny. Returning to his first love TR6 for a more usable cross-town hack.
Fast forward to this century, Conrad has become a successful painter; selling from Oslo to Tokyo. Last year he pitched up at Peterborough and helped out GI in the pits. He's threatening to give the CCM flat track school a twirl. And maybe even trawl Walneck's on-line. Come on Connie Corlioni show us your metal.
BP

Gloves? We don't need em

Former Us flat tracker, now holed up in London, Craig Randall sent this beautiful shot. More coming soon. Here's the caption for this shot from Craig.
Just found an old photo I bought from Walt Mahony in the late 60s. This was Gene Romero, Ralph White, and Sammy Tanner at Ascot Park 1/2 Mile, California;
Craig

Wish you were there?

Evel, Skip, Swede, Butch and Destruction Derby. Hey fellas, those are some great names you got going on there. Now show us what you can do with those sickles.

If you see this fella, buy him a drink

He sent us this email and those Walt and Dan Mahony shots.

Subject: American ex-flat track racer in London
Love your stuff. Cycle World (the US Mag) turned me on to you. I will subscribe and buy Sideburn. I live in London for now, but will retire to Oregon. Couple of photos of me in my not-misspent youth for your perusal. Some by Dan Mahoney and Walt, his dad. And one of me at the Ace recently. Count me in, boys!
Best Regards,
Craig Randall
36Q
AMA Expert (retired)

We've begged Craig to come to Peterborough to give us some racing tips.

St Mert

Ascot 1963. The first year Mert rode for Dudley Perkins. 'I was just learning how to ride a Harley after riding a BSA.'

Ascot

I am attaching a couple of cool photos/scans They speak for themselves, but a fast Arizona rider is shown, Art Fredenburgh. He ran out of Shell Thuet's camp, don't know exactly how much support he got but I know he had all the good stuff like Wayne Rainey and Eddie Lawson.

Later, Craig Martin

King Kirk

A message from one of our MySpace friends. Go see him race if you're in the vicinity. And then send us photos, please.

Greeting from Kansas
...where they have been flat tracking motorcycles for over 100 years now.
..allow me to interduce myself.. the one and only "king kirk" (racing moniker). shameless self promoter. I have been riding motorcycles since the days when you could still buy a "good running" H-D for well under $2000. My first machine was a almost new 74 XLCH ironhead. Lady luck soon put me onto a nice 72 FX bigtwin.. sweet.. then on to a 80" flathead i got a deal on in california. that was when i started goin to the races.. Ascot park was down the street and i was watchin the likes of gary nixon , springer in his prime and the up n coming scotty parker..Carr was not born yet i believe, after years of watchin i made the desicion to try and see if i could do it myself... so. i ripped the runnin boards and kickstand off the flathead 80, after the heat. and drove into turn i in the am open twin class in a nftradotcom race in kansas a few years ago. the old hog was not to fast, butt. the girls loved me.. next machine up was an x#1 pro bike a 650 yamaha ina staracer frame.. fast on the cam but dang harleys and 750 triumphs were eating me up on the 1/2 mile...soooo
...the reason i am here.
..2 fellows in the kansas city area built a machine
..i of em used to race back in ba early 70's, and he searched out his old bike he had sold years back... a 750 norton ina red line frame. him n his ole bud, an engine builder, got togather ..and decided they had enough parts to build a racer.. took a cammando frame, set it beside the red line and modified it to red line specs. built up a fresh P11 lower end with a rebuile lucas mag, hooked it up to a stock cammando top end and installed his original old lectron carbs and ... .i found it on flea-bay... will have to say. the fab work and detail on this machine amazes me, and my tuner .. cockeye willis of the infamouse "go away garage" fame , who is an accomphished fab guy in his own right... rode it to cassiody, ks last sunday without a hitch, untill the fuzz snagged me anyway.. (another phuckin story)) put arond 100 miles on it with no problem... anyway
..am sure i will be needing help as the last motor i went thru was a 1938 H-D ULH...
wish me luck as i am ready to hit the track the 25th of this month at wichita kansas's 81 speedway 3/8 mile dirt track. the next night is a short track at wichita's jeeps motorcycle club..
. free beer in the pits after the race.. .everybody's welcome ..
..like you guys say
"go fast turn left"
..
.love
kk#38