DTRA 2017

The dates are out for the UK Flat Track Nationals, sponsored by Maxxis and promoted by the DTRA.

There are Friday races, two-dayers, Sundays, nights, days, short tracks, TT, half-miles. There are eight rounds with seven counting towards the championship (riders can drop their lowest score if they attend all eight). The Greenfield round is an Oval meeting on Saturday and a TT on the Sunday.

People are asking about the Hooligan class. News on that is coming soon, but the rounds are likely to be Peterborough (in front of the big crowd at the MCN Festival); the Greenfield Oval, Dirt Quake, Eastbourne and Hell's Race in Belgium.

The DTRA needs some more help. Especially in the following areas. Get in touch if you can help.

Pre meeting admin work
Machine examiners (to work with our current team)
Pit marshals (to work with our current team)
Clerk of Course (to work with our current team)
Timing and Scoring
Setup and Breakdown on race days
Transporting stuff.

Ollie Brindley Flying at the Superprestigio

Young DTRA racer Ollie Brindley posted a quicker lap time than Brad Baker in Friday night's Open Class class practice. Marc Marquez topped the Superprestigio class and was quickest overall, Ollie second quickest.

Ollie has always qualified well at the big races, but hasn't always had the best luck in the races. He has made the grand final in the past.

Contrary to what we posted the other days, the Fanschoice stream is for the US only. Motors TV are showing the live footage in the UK. Go to DTXBarcelona for other country details.

The other Brits out there are Alan Birtwistle (who gives us his Get Schooled tips in Sideburn 27); George Pickering and Toby Hales. 

 Photo: Anthony Brown

New DTRA Magazine

The Dirt Track Riders Association, the UK's amateur flat track race series has done a great job of building on the foundations of what Short Track had built up. The UK scene is now over ten year's old and is growing year on year with their attitude and innovation.

Part of that innovation is a free digital magazine. Go to DTRA Magazine 6 to read the 117-page magazine (I know, 117, but that's digital for you, you can break the rules). G

Hubert & the Husqvarna Shirt

In the post below Hubert Bastie mentioned the very few items that his racing father kept after he stopped competing. One of the items was a Husqvarna race shirt. Hubert wore the shirt to race in the the DTRA and in French motocross on his own vintage Husqvarna two-stroke. Lad above, Dad below, same shirt over 30 years apart. G

Yamaha XS650 for Sale

Texas Chris Jenner is selling his street legal DTRA racer.  The bike is located in Yorkshire. £5500.
Here's the info...

1976 Yamaha XS650 Flat Tracker, Street legal, DTRA Thunderbike race bike. 
-Motor rebuilt in February, kick start only, all electric starter parts removed 
-Aluminium, box section Radian swing arm conversion 
-Frame and swing arm powder coated 
-Fibreglass tank and seat unit 
-Morad, Akront high shoulder aluminium 19 inch rims 
-Maxxis DTR-1 flat track tyres (DTRA and road legal) 
-Single wall TT style pipes 
-Custom made, solid mount, aluminium riser bushings by Survivor Customs 
-PMA Stator conversion 
-New Boyer Bransden ignition, coils, battery and regulator this summer 
-small ‘shark fin’ chain guard and lanyard kill switch (as per DTRA race regs). 
-LED taillight and headlights set in front plate. 

 Overall, it’s a super clean bike, and starts (1st or 2nd kick), runs and rides and races great. It’s fully compliant and race ready for Dirt Track Riders Association flat track racing. Just take the front brake off and the taillight/number plate (the taillight/number plate is built onto a little removable sub-frame bracket, comes off as one with 4 bolts). For the road, it’s just had its MOT in August, passed with only 1 advisory, headstock was a little loose (it's adjusted now).

Contact him through thebikeshed.cc

Dust & Throttle: A film about Dirt Quake

DUST &THROTTLE from sam barker on Vimeo.

Very emotive film shot at the two days of Dirt Quake V by top photographer, Sam Barker. The action and characters are a mixture of Friday night DTRA and Saturday Dirt Quake.

Sam filmed and wrote the poem for the narrative. Lovely stuff. G

This Saturday...

...if the weather behaves. The final round of the 2016 DTRA season. Racing all afternoon, but finals from 6pm. Free to spectate.

100% Supports The DTRA

The DTRA has some great supporters, including 100% Goggles. And DTRA riders wear 100% goggles.

Thanks to every company that supports grassroots motorsport. G

DTRA Thunderbike for Sale

This sale is nothing to do with us, we're just passing on the details, but if it is good and you do buy it you'll have it in time for the final DTRA round at Rye House... This bike is eligible for Rookies, Restricted, Pro (if you're good enough) and Thunderbike classes, so you could ride two classes in one day (like I love to do). G

2002 XT600e, R6 forks rebuilt by MCT with K-tech Comp adjusters, custom Nitron N2 shock, 2.5in rear rim, good Maxxis, custom alloy tank. Ready to race, £2200.
Pete 07739 852 866

DTRA Magazine 5

The world's coolest motorcycle racing club has published another issue of their online magazine.
Loads of great photos, tips, race reports, interviews with the racers.

The DTRA's next race is a two-dayer on the half-mile (or thereabouts) horse track at Ammanford , South Wales, this weekend. G

King's Lynn DTRA

I raced on Friday night at the DTRA round of Dirt Quake's Friday night. I had an absolute blast. Out of my six heats races I scored two firsts, two seconds, a third and a fifth. The finals are always harder because the quickest 12 from the 36 restricted and 24 Thunderbikes get through. I finished fifth in the restricted, then didn't even leave the track before going into another 8-lap final for the Thunderbikes. I beat some class acts, riders I don't normally beat, like Tom Clemens, and still came fourth! Bugger. I had great fun though.
Thanks to the DTRA and all their staff and helpers. Thanks to Icon for the Airframe Pro helmet. I really rate it.
Go to Dirt Track Riders Association to find out more about this great series.

The race was livestreamed, so you can watch a video of the whole race meeting here. G

Photo: Ian Roxburgh/DTRA

DTRA Livestream: This Friday

The DTRA have invested heavily in organising free livestream coverage of this week's Friday night races, at Dirt Quake. Don't know what that means? It means you can watch the races anywhere in the world on your computer or tablet screen.

The DTRA are a not for profit club, who want to showcase their riders, sponsors and sport. I'm confident they'll put on a slick show. The racing comes thick and fast in the DTRA. There isn't going to be a lot of dead time. There are nearly 30 heats and 5 mains.

There are a bunch of different classes, they are explained below, for the casual observer.

Racing from Friday 5.30pm BST (British Summer Time) that is:

6.30pm Central European Time
12.30pm Eastern Time
10:30pm Indian Standard Time
09.30am Pacific Time
01.30am Saturday Tokyo Time
02.30am Saturday Sydney Time

Go to dirttrackriders.co.uk to watch

These are the classes racing at the Maxxis DTRA Round 4 on Friday.

Pro - The expert class. None of these guys are paid racers, but some have competed against the best at Superprestigios and in the AMA. Virtually all riders are on 450 DTX bikes.

Restricted - One step down from the pros. Riders use a mix of 450 DTX and Thunderbikes.

Thunderbikes - Air-cooled bikes up to 650cc in steel, specialist dirt track frames and modified road bikes.

Vintage - Classic Trackmaster Triumphs, Bultaco Astros, Harley 45s and wide variety modified road bikes, all in one class.

Hooligan presented by Harley-Davidson - Road bikes with engines over 750cc and stock frame.

Go to dirttrackriders.co.uk to watch

Texas Chris Jenner

Back in May we organised a Yorkshire Ride Out with HebTroCo. Among a bunch of great bikes was a very neat very neat, street trackered XS650 built by and belonging to 'Texas' Chris Jenner and American living in the UK. Nothing particularly unusual, there were a few good looking street trackers among the mix. What was interesting was I knew Chris was heading to dirt track practice at Greenfield the next day on the very same bike.

Chris is a graduate of the University of Dirt Quake, yet another rider who has undertaken their first motorcycle race at Dirt Quake, only to be seduced by the action and atmosphere and then bought or built a bike to race more seriously.

Chris took off the front brake and light overnight in preparation for the practice. These aircooled Yamaha twins are solid machines, but it didn't stop Chris, a BMX rider, launching it off the Greenfield TT jump and even crossing it up in mid-air, looking like a 21st Century Kenny Roberts. Great photo by James Boddy.

The DTRA Greenfield TT is on this weekend. Spectator entry is free, but car parking is £5. There is a bar on site, camping, and two days of racing.
Aim for Greenfield Farm, Alford, Lincolnshire, LN13 0EB.

A report of the Yorkshire Ride-out will be in Sideburn 25, coming very soon. G

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

DTRA 4

Latest issue of the online magazine from the UK's Dirt Track Riders Association.
Have a flick and read interviews with top UK racers, tips, race reports and great photos...

It expands if you click it. G

DTRA Ladies Dirt Camp

After the success of their 2015 Ladies day, the DTRA has organised another with changes, and this time it's at the new Greenfield track, in Lincolnshire, with camping as an option. Only a handful of places are left.

There are tons of details at www.dirttrackriders.co.uk, but here are the basics...

Options and costs:

2 day Dirt camp (20 places available)
Come and enjoy of weekend of riding and hanging out at Greenfield. What's included.
2 days of tuition and fun riding on bikes provided
Loan of steel shoes
Camping
A participants number board
Memory stick of photos
Cost £160

Sunday training 
A single day of basic training and fun (10 places available)
Tuition and fun riding on bikes provided
Loan of steel shoes
A participants number board
Memory stick of photos
Cost £80

What you need to bring along
Some riding gear if you have it.
We will have some spare if you don't.
Your own helmet and gloves
Some boots that cover your ankles preferable motorcycle boots
Your tent and all the stuff you need to camp.
Toilets on site but no showers!
Feel free to bring friends and family if you wish. We will have a gazebo and a seating area. Well behaved dogs are welcome on a lead.

Poster at by Toria Jaymes of Stay Outside Studio (who also did the Sideburn 24 cover)

John Harrison 104R: UPDATE

I mistakenly called John 'Andrew' in a blog post last week, after meeting him at Rye House, and got this email...

Amazed to be included in today's blog (and Sunday's instagram) but really ...Andrew?!? 

I'm gratified that you and others realised I'm trying to keep the whole look as early '70s as possible. It's pathetic really, but I'm simply acting out my 'On Any Sunday' fantasies at last, 44 years after being mesmerized in The Regal, Eastleigh. Now if I can just find some old race boots that lace right up the shin. 

Due to pre-race nerves and chronic inarticulacy I fear I didn't express myself adequately when I blurted out that The World of Sideburn is a huge part of my life. What I should have expressed perhaps, is how checking your blog and instagram are part of my daily routine, and just how much I enjoy gems like the rubber boned sisters and Sam n' Dave's early 70's sartorial wonder etc as well as all the mo'sickle related stuff and things like your wonderfully understated Mablethorpe film. 

 I just wish I'd had the balls to join in years ago, when I first discovered Sideburn, and found that I wasn't the only Limey who got flat track. 

I was speaking in truth when I said that I wouldn't have been at Rye House and racing if it wasn't for Sideburn, but I expect you hear that a lot. I thank you deeply and sincerely for making it possible for an old fart like me feel enabled to have a go. Just don't call me Andrew please. I don't have anything against the name, I like several Andrews /Andys, but it's just not me. 

 To show there's no hard feelings, and because I'm unlikely to ever to be able to afford to use it to get to a DTRA meeting here's a pic of my other old kit, which I think you'll get. 
Cheers, John Harrison #104r

UPDATE: John sent a follow-up email of him racing his 1958 Dodge Coronet at a local hillclimb. It's impressive.

Read more about John's car at akinamedia.jp

DTRA Round 1 Report: Rye House

The first DTRA race of 2016 was the biggest ever UK short track race (except for the Dirt Quake two-dayers that we hold with the DTRA). The meeting was split into two, with self-contained morning and afternoon sessions. Juniors, rookies and minibikes ran in the morning. Pros, restricted, vintage and Thunderbikes got on track at 2pm.

Rye House has a new owner and is under-going renovation. The DTRA seemed much happier with the new regime and the track was well prepared and looked after during the meeting. In the past, the previous owner would dump 1000 litres on it halfway through the meeting and totally screw it.
One result of the track being looked after was a very safe meeting. I didn't see the medical staff called once.

There were a ton of new riders in all the classes and some of last year's top restricted riders moved up to the Pro class. The DTRA has introduced a B Final for the Pro class to encourage those without a realistic chance of making the final to enter the dwindling Pro class in the knowledge they'll get three heats and a B Main. The B Main also acts as a last chance qualifier (LCQ) with the top two from the B Main qualifying for the A Main. There was a slight mix-up with the race order of this meeting so the B Main riders went straight from their ten-lap B into the 10-lap A Main without a break. That was a bit of a poisoned chalice, meaning they had to race knackered against the best amateur riders in Europe. The DTRA will sort that for future races.

The race attracted riders from Italy, Germany, France and Belgium, 12-15 foreign riders in total.
Thanks to the DTRA volunteers for all they do for the sport. They were working for ten hours on Sunday, plus travelling time, to make the event run as smooth as an oiled eel. GI

Sean Vukovic entered his very first dirt track race on his Survivor Customs CCM Rotax and won the Thunderbike class ahead of a strong field. Ross 'The King' Herrod was second, Survivor Mike Hill was third.
Want a potential race winner for £3500-£4000? Talk to Mike at Survivor Customs.

Frenchman Frank Chatokhine, #5R, came back to the series after missing much of last season and bossed the ever-growing Vintage class. We featured his Metisse Triumph in Sideburn 17.

17-year-old Ollie Brindley #24, hasn't had an off-season. over winter he has raced both Superprestigios and a bunch of Florida races, plus spent two weeks with AMA Pro Johnny Lewis. He followed the hard-charging current champ, Aidan Collins, for a few laps before finally making a pass stick and then he cleared off. Aidan came in second, Alan Birtwistle (aka Moto Ninja) came a good third. 

Vintage class rookie John Harrison looked like he'd been parachuted in from 1974. He is one of many riders who lost their dirt track virginity at Dirt Quake and now are racing in the DTRA.

Another is Ross Sharp, one of the Bike Shed MC full-time staff. Ross bought a used DTX bike last year, did a few practices, entered the Rookies and won first time out. A very confident rider.

Alessandro Rossi from Deus Milan bought Jason's gorgeous Wood Rotax (that we have a blueprint of for all the Wood Rotax fans out there) and flew in with his family for a weekend of motorcycle fun.

James from Hard Luck Tattoo is another graduate from the University of Dirt Quake. He raced two classes and was smiling like a loon every time I saw him. 

And me? I missed the Eastbourne practice because of bike problems at the Rye House practice the week before, then didn't get the bike working properly until the Friday before this race. It ran like a dream, but I forgot I only wanted to leave that rear tyre on for the pre-season practices and turned up to the first race with a worn Maxxis DT1. Better riders than me could cope with worn rubber, but I need all the help I can get. This photo shows ambition getting the better of talent. Still I made the Thunderbike final, stayed on two wheels all day and had a lot of fun. 

The next race is at the MCN Festival, Peterborough over the weekend of 14-15 May and Colin Edwards is racing with us! G

Photos: Ian Roxburgh

Bike Shed Today, DTRA Racing tomorrow!

Rye House Practice and BSMC Launch

The new DTRA season kicks off this Sunday at Rye House. It's free to spectate. Racing all day from 10am.
The club has attracted FIFTY new members this year. There are over 100 entries for this race, at a time when other motorcycle race series are struggling for enough numbers to continue.

These shots are my phone snaps from a practice at Rye House eight days ago.

Above, and at the top of the page, is Jon Bell's TT500. Jon raced in the Short Track UK series (forerunner to the DTRA) on a modern KTM a good few years ago and was very quick. He's come back with big-bore Yamaha XT/TT. It looks the part, with the aftermarket alloy swingarm and Jemco-style pipe. Jon converted it from dry sump to wet sump (not sure why) and it seemed to cause some problems on the practice day.

Darren and his Ossa Vintage class stroker.

Survivor Mike on one of the CCM road bikes he converts into race bikes. There will be four or five of these racing in the DTRA this year.

Guy and Norm Joss are sharing this gorgeous Trackmaster Triumph twin. They have two between them, so I think fastest rider gets to choose first. 

DTRA main man, Anthony Brown debuted his Death Spray village fete colours on his Honda 450.

Even my lad Max was out practicing on his XR100. 

Don't forget, Sideburn and the DTRA are having a launch this Saturday afternoon, the day before the first DTRA race. We've arranged with the track that riders can park within the Rye House track, get the train to Liverpool Street and visit the Bike Shed, then come back to the track to watch the Rye House Rockets Premier league speedway fixture, against Ipswich Witches, that night (adults £15, under-16s are £5).

The train takes 38 minutes and it means you don't have to take your van or trailer into London. 

Train times 

Return ticket is something like £20. 

Liverpool St to Bike Shed walking route. It takes 12 minutes. 

There will be :

A display of dirt track race bikes

DTRA organisers to talk to

Sideburn stuff to buy and editor to talk to

The impressive Bike Shed to look around

Good food to buy

Bike Shed's own stock of clobber or accessories

The chance of a good haircut in the on-site barbers

Drinks to be drunk (both acholic and non)

Great people to meet.

All the times and location details are on the poster. G