Tommy Rockwood

Tommy Rockwood styling on a BSA Gold Star in a Sonicweld chassis.
Apparently he set an Ascot Park lap record on this bike. No rear brake, so pre-1970.
Photographer unknown, but almost definitely Mahony. G

Mahony Photo Archive Fire

I heard about this fire when I was out at the US Superprestigio, but didn't know the details until the other day.

Sideburn has featured Dan Mahony's dirt track photos since issue one. He photographed throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s, before moving to Montana Missouri where, according to Mark Gardiner (see below), he and his wife fostered abandoned animals while Dan converted his 1000s of images from print and negative to digital. Virtually any Ascot photo you've ever seen is either Dan's or his father's, Walt (who helped found the Ascot track and the Trackmaster frame company). An example of one of Dan's evocative shots, this one from the Houston Astrodome, is below.

The archive was stored in Dan and Vickie's home and was wiped out by the fire. Most of the animals perished too, but Dan, his wife and mother-in-law escaped, though Dan was badly burned trying to rescue some of the animals.

A friend of the family has set up a Go Fund Me page if you would like to help with any money to put the Mahonys back on their feet.

Many more sad details of the fire are over on Mark Gardiner's online Backmarker column on MotoUSA.com. G

#20

Who'd da thunk it? We certainly never realised our little fanzine would make it to twenty issues. Sideburn #20 is now at the printers!
We do appreciate the seven years of cheering from the grandstand.
Without you, there would be no us. Thank you for your support.

Classic photo by Dan Mahony of #20 Johnny Murphree leading the freight train at the Springfield Mile. BP

What it's all about

Gary Nixon. On it. Photographer unknown. This is why people, even rank amateurs like us, start racing flat track. One day, sooner or later, you get one to sample one of these. For some it's in their first race, some, like me, have to wait a lot longer before years of road conditioning can be ignored.

Read Mat Oxley's great interview with Gary Nixon, illustrated by Dan Mahony's fantastic photos, in Sideburn 8. G

Santa Rosa Mile this weekend!

After a 42-year-gap Santa Rosa, in Sonoma, California is hosting a GNC race this Sunday.
There's District 36 short track on Friday and Saturday nights, and, also at the venue, on Saturday from 12-4pm, the legendary flat track photographer Dan Mahony (above) is showing his, and his father's photos in a Wine, Art and Pinstripe Fest (eh?).
For more details go to AMA Pro Racing. G

4 Years Old!

The Sideblog was 4 years old - yesterday! duh missed our own birthday. Championing zeroes and heroes past present and future. Thanks for riding with us. BPphoto by Dan Mahony taken at San Jose Mile 1974. Roger Crump #4, Gene Romero #3, Bob Sanders #5

Kit Kat

Since SB#2 we've had wonderful trophy queen stories in every issue with period photos from Dan Mahony. This sparkling Ektachrome in SB#9 is of Kit Kat who was a Camel girl. Interview with Bubba Shobert, as Scott Parker was too busy with the shampoo. BP

Gary Nixon RIP

Two-time AMA Grand National Champion Gary Nixon died today at a hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The man simply known as 'Nixon' was 70 years old.
Nixon took ill while spectating at the Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca and was admitted to hospital after returning to his home in Maryland. He suffered a heart attack on July 29 and died from complications from that heart attack. He had been in ICU at St. Joseph's Medical Center in Baltimore after undergoing surgery to place two stents in his arteries.
Cycle News All time classic photo by Dan Mahony

Calling Londonites

Living in central London, it's a challenge I know, to travel past the M25 without the aid of an airport. But this is a call to leave your comfort-zone and travel the 60 miles from Marble Arch to Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1AT tomorrow evening for our Aldana night, and watch him and a host of other current hot riders race at the Sandy Lane OX4 6LJ, speedway circuit on Friday night under floodlight.
Yeah I know you're sick of us harking on about DA, but you'll be more sick if you miss him. BPClassic trophy queen snap by Dan Mahony

Freight Train

Dave Aldana full steam ahead. Classic shot from stalwart Dan Mahony. Anybody know why he wasn't flying his usual #13? BP

UPDATE: From Roger, whose fantastic shots from the 70s and 80s are in SB7. Thanks Roger.
Dave Aldana's first national number was 13, which he ran from 1972-74. The next year he went to #10 and ran it through 1979. Interestingly, at least stateside, the number 13 is considered to be bad luck, and nobody rode with it in 1971, the year the AMA awarded national numbers based on the 1970 final point standings. Rick Hocking rode it after Aldana and he was a good racer, and a top competitor at vintage events up until his passing earlier this year. The next guy to run it was Randy Goss, from 1978 though the 1980 season, when he earned the #1 of the Grand National Champion. Bad luck indeed!....Roger

UPDATE 2: Thanks Roger, Yes #13 is also considered unlucky in the UK, but it doesn't stop our very own GI racing with it and having it emblazoned on his regular road helmet.

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

Ventura Outlaws

Go. Take shots for us. The last one sounded good. And Gene Romero is a lovely man.
We hope Dan Mahony is getting a few bucks for the uses of his photo, because he's pretty broke and not in very good health. If you want to use his shots and would like to get in touch we can help.Dan is very reasonable.

www.vintageoutlawraces.com

Thanks for the reminder Jason. http://byhandandbybrain.blogspot.com/

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

Craig at Ascot Park

We hoped Sideburn would be a magnet for global flat trackers. And it has been. Craig from Georgia sent us this today.

"The photo is taken at Ascot Park in Gardena, CA and wastaken by Dan Mahony. It is from 79-80 I am 182g and Richard Arnaiz is right behind me (probably not for long as me and Ascot didn't get on).
Richard had some success in AMA superbike in the mid to late 80's, I know he got a couple of podiums. I had some success road racing, won a couple of AMA/CCS SW superbike regional championships, but blew up my motors and went completely broke."