Astro!

We have an interesting couple of features coming up on the Bultaco Astro in the next Sideburn, number 14. One is written by Astro racer and owner, Don Miller of Metro Racing (above). We can think of few better to get under the skin of this revolutionary short tracker.

The magazine is due out in July. If you're a subscriber and have changed addresses lately, please let us know. G

Metro Racing Calendars

We have some Metro Racing calendars in stock. They have all the usual Metro Racing ingredients many of you know and love. Over to Don who put it all together...

We got some top notch bikes to accompany the Lovely Metro Girls, including a '65 Bultaco, TSS racer, BSA Dirt Tracker, Maico MX'er and we even managed to get Legendary Harley Racer, Jay Springsteen to lend us his MX250, short tracker for this year. 

They cost £10 plus post. Get yours at the Sideburn webshop. 

Short and Sweet Slo-Mo

Beautiful video with a very different kind of soundtrack that works for me.
I recognised a few people in it. I'm sure that's regular Sideburn contributor and advertiser, Don from Metro Racing (white bike, #1) doing a massive wheelie off the start. I think Fumi from Sixth Street Racing (the NY-based amateur flat trackers we featured in SB9) is in there too.
Let us know if you're in this clip. G
Spotted at El Corra blog

Metro x Springer's MX250 x Scott Parker

From Don at Metro Racing.

Here's a picture of Jay Springsteen's factory HD MX250 that he lent me for Scott Parker to ride at our 2 day AMA Vintage National event at the Square Deal Riders in Harpursville,NY on June 29th&30th. What is the connection with Parker to this bike you say. It is the very bike that Scotty won his first short track national on. Jay was feeling ill and lent the bike to Scotty. It will be awesome to see Scotty on this bike again.

Scott Parker Star Guest

Ride Academy Metro Give-Away

From Don at Metro Racing...

METRO RACING ANNOUNCES VINTAGE DIRT TRACK WEEKEND PLANS
Ride Academy Holds School at Square Deal Raceway to kick off AMA Vintage Dirt Track National Weekend

The last weekend in June at Square Deal Raceway in Harpursville, NY is traditionally when vintage flat track racers come to race and this year is no different. The AMA Vintage Dirt Track National, also known as the Larry Weiss Memorial, will be held Friday, June 29th & Saturday, June 30, 2012.

To get the weekend started, the staff at Ride Academy have agreed to hold one of their highly acclaimed flat track schools on Wednesday, June 27th and Thursday, June 28th. All of the instructors at the Ride Academy (including Johnny Lewis, above) have raced the quarter mile track at Square Deal and have been looking forward to an opportunity to doing a school there. And while the school is being offered to vintage riders who can learn some secrets of speed and agility at the school and take their knowledge to the track the following two days, any one at any level can attend to experience two days with the champions from the Ride Academy.

As a bonus, Metro Racing, has stepped up to give away one spot in the Ride Academy school that weekend. Metro's VP, Don Miller says, "We're excited that Ride Academy chose to come to Square Deal and do a school. Classes have been packed for their schools in the past and we're sure it will be capacity for this date too. So we're happy to be able to offer a free pass to one lucky person to attend. Face value is $500, but the stuff these guys will teach you is absolutely priceless."

The entry form is below. The winner will be picked by one of the Ride Academy team during the opening round of the AMA Pro Flat Track Race at the Daytona Speedway on March 15.

To reserve one of the remaining 19 spots in the school, contact the Ride Academy.

UPDATE: From Don to make it clear... The school will be on the 27th&28th. The instructors, GNC riders, will beat feet out to Lima, after the school lets out in time for the National. Our AMA National Double header is June 29th&30th. As for the last 7-8 years, it's been on the same weekend as Lima.

Metro Racing Calendar 2012

Bubba's Bike

'No huge plan led to Honda's 1980s domination of flat track, it just kind of happened...' Don Miller on the evolution of Bubba Shobert's RS750.
SB#9 is steeped history. Don also talks us through his own painstaking nut-and-bolt restoration of Mike Scott's basket-case. BP

Ossa

From our friends at Metro Racing. G

Peoria TT photos

Johnny Lewis in practice.
Wiles the winner in practice.
The UK's Tom Woolley and Ben Baker were spectating during their US tour and made it on the AMA FT site! Ben is rocking a Jacapo Monti patch. They're talking to former GNC racer and current AMA official Steve Morehead.
Wiles on his way to victory.
Pro Singles practice. They're all wearing their Metro Racing Gary Nixon tribute shirts. Well done Don and Peg for organising that.
Crazy lines. Look at 92, Kevin Vance some getting mid-air lean on!
Sammy Halbert came third, a place behind Jared Mees. He now leads the GNC combined championship by just 3pts.
Jared Mees.
Chris Carr and Rob Pearson.
Monster.

All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing

Gary Nixon Tribute 1

From our friends at Metro...

On August 21, 2011, Don and Peg Miller hope to see the entire AMA Pro Racing Flat track field in Gary Nixon Enterprises jerseys to pay tribute to the great Gary Nixon who passed away on August 5th. Don and Peg have been supplying Gary with his trademark red, white and blue logo emblazoned on a wide variety of items for close to 20 years. They are truly saddened by the passing of not only a great racer, but a very close personal friend. So to honor Gary Nixon, they are offering to supply a free Nixon jersey to all of the racers participating in the Peoria TT. Through the approval of AMA Pro Racing, all jerseys will have the required AMA Pro Racing and Harley Davidson Insurance logos along with the riders name and number on the back. All jerseys will be shipped to racing legend and close friend of Nixon's, Jay Springsteen, and can be picked up at his pit area in Peoria.

Look back in the history books, you will find out more information on Gary Nixon than one could only imagine. There is a reason for that. Gary Nixon truly was one of the greatest motorcycle racers that ever lived. He was as big as it could get on and off the track. Through his endeavors, Gary Nixon Enterprises rose up and became a staple in the motorcycle industry. Along with the business came a logo that would become highly recognized through the racing world. The "Nixon Flag" was worn by most everyone that was into the sport at one time or another. It even became world famous when Barry Sheene stated that he wouldn't race without one on. Through the years, Gary's love for racing would not let him be away from the track no matter what his position: racer, friend, advisor or team owner. it didn't matter, the track was where he had to be.

Seeing a field of Nixon jerseys at the Peoria TT would show the world how much the flat track community cares about their heritage.

Call toll free 877-746-3876 or email information to metroracing@earthlink.net.

I dug mine out to race at Rhyl (above). That's Vlad, my excellent mechanic for the night grinning next to me. G

Metro Grasstracker

From Don at Metro Racing...

Here's some cool sideways action for the readers. A Bultaco/Hagon grasstracker, complete with Metro Nikki.
Enjoy, Don

Honda RS750

Larry Weiss Memorial Race- RS750 with Bubba from Johnny Lewis on Vimeo.

Don at Metro Racing has rebuilt/restored one of Honda's almost mythical RS750 flat trackers that won the GNC, first with Ricky Graham, then three times with Bubba Shobert, from 84-87.
Shobert is racing this bike at Harpursville, NY next weekend. It'll be something special. Got and support it. It'll be historic. G
PS The Johnny Lewis that made this video is the same one that's been scoring podiums in the GNC all year. He's our kind of racer - he dresses like the Cookie Monster and still wins. Don't believe us? Check here

Cuddebackville,NY

Rain didn't put off the AMA Vintage racer at Oakland Valley Raceway Park (OVRP), NY. Don from Metro Racing, Greaser Mike, Fumi and Hugh Mackie of Sixth Street Specials.
Next race at OVRP is June 24-25 and Bubba Shobert's going to be racing! G

Correction - Bubba and the boys are racing at Harpursville on the 24-25, not OVRP.

This Weekend: UPDATED

If you're not watching or racing flat track, you better have a good excuse (living in Iceland is a good one).

UK - Silverstone. Short Track UK GNC is supporting MotoGP. With racing on Saturday night taking place on a custom-built, brand new track. Sideburn will be there flogging stuff and trying to qualify.
NY - Cuddebackville. Don from Metro Racing (and, we're assuming, the Sixth Street Specials guys) will be racing on Saturday in the AMA Vintage National. Don's even stuck a Sideburn sticker on his Sonic Weld Yamaha for good luck (above).
MI - Hartford, Michigan hosts the AMA GNC for the first time. Apparently, it's a 'Wicked Fast Half Mile'. Sammy Halbert leads the title race.
CA - Perris, California hosts the fifth round of the SCFTA series. Everyone from 4-yr olds to ex-National numbers on vintage metal take to the track

Support your local race. G

UPDATE: We've just discovered the Silverstone short track is on the outside of Stowe corner.

Bubba's RS750 by Metro Racing

From Don at Metro. Another post that got gobbled in the blogger meltdown.
UPDATE: Hey, it looks like Blogger restored the original post below.

Getting the RS750 ready for Bubba Shobert to ride at the Larry Weiss Memorial in NY State on June 24th&25th.

Metro Racing RS750

Don at Metro Racing builds a mean flat tracker (that's not him in the photo). Just check out the Castro Fiberglas Works Triumph in Sideburn 7. Not he's building the near mythical Honda RS750 for Bubba Shobert to race at the Larry Weiss Memorial race, Harpursville, NY on June 24/25. It will be something special. G

That Bike

Most people know the story about the infamous Castro Triumph with the intergalactic Fiberglas Works bodywork that got banned by the AMA, but SB#7 has the inside story from Metro Racing's Don Miller who restored the Redline framed bike to it's former glory. And I've bet you've never seen up it's megga end pipe. BP

Metro Calendar 2011

Metro Racing - purveyors of fine motorcycle branded Ts and other apparel, have a gurl heavy 2011 calendar out. Buy it here
Say Don what does the lovely April use that cage for? BP

Homer's gloves

For Stevie Coles, and anyone else who was wondering, Metro Racing is where you get those gloves. GI