Briar Flips The Bird

No sooner had a local paper, then the AMA commentators, crowned Henry Wiles 'King Henry' than his 'subjects' were acting in a revolutionary manner.

Earlier this month Henry Wiles won his 11th straight Peoria TT and thanked current champion Jared Mees for at least making a race of it this year. Here the young Briar Bauman is showing what he thinks of Wiles' achievement.

Bauman came fifth in Peoria and third at the Black Hills Half-Mile, Sturgis, in the previous round. He's sixth in the championship standings, Wiles eighth.

As you can see from the screengrab above, the young Californian wasn't ashamed of getting caught giving the racewinner the bird. He even put it on his instagram. He was given a fine for being detrimental to the sport of motorcycle racing.

Peoria was feisty. It sounds like two other riders were fined $625 and $500 and banned for a race each, for having an 'altercation'.

While I was trying to find a better shot of the Bauman incident, and failing, I found this video below. The needle between the two is pretty funny.

Final thing, what's with sticking the tops of your ears into your cap? Never a good look. G

Peoria Reflection

There are a few strands to this post.

1. The proposed AMA rule changes for 2016 and my personal thoughts on them.

2. Yesterday's thrilling race in Peoria. 

3. A comment Sideburn reader Randon left overnight. 

First the rule changes. You can read more here and here, but in the briefest terms, AMA Pro Racing (the governing body of dirt track's Grand National Championship) is stopping the GNC1 class (the Experts as they were called) from racing 450 singles, instead making them race their twin-cylinder bikes at all tracks including short tracks and TTs. There are lots of differing opinions on this, but read the comments in the links above and leave more here if you want to debate. I am loving reading the comments and opposing thoughts on this. 

Yesterday's race was the last Peoria TT contested by 450 GNC1 bikes for, as Wiles very cleverly put it, at least one year. It was a great race to end an era with. 

Now Randon's comment, cut and pasted... 

A while back you said the Peoria TT was a "shit motocross race." 
I can't disagree more. You have it absolutely backwards. Motocross is a shit Peoria TT. 
Today was evidence of that. Watching Mees chase Wiles for 25 laps was an absolute pleasure. I will always cherish knowing I was there. I love you. I have each issue on my shelf, except Sideburn #1. You have done a lot to promote flat track world wide, but I have been pissed about this since you said it.

Yesterday, I (Gary, Sideburn editor) watched six hours of Peoria coverage on a window smaller than a postcard on a computer screen. You can believe me when I say I'm a big fan of all the modern racing and I'm not looking at it through rose-coloured glasses because I wasn't watching the racing when Aldana et al were involved. However, I like to think I know a bit about the sport and the characters involved. I didn't need telling it was a big deal Coolbeth didn't make the main. I knew it was poignant that one racer who normally runs 7 chose 69 instead. I knew that when the cameras were concentrating on race at the front that it was almost equally important to the season-long battle that Bryan Smith finished 11th. I know all that, because I try and watch every race if I can. But flat track needs more than people like me. It needs people who don't know a single thing about flat track to turn up or tune in to their local race. 

I wasn't at the race yesterday but a few things stuck out. Chris Carr (who knows a bit about Peoria and the sport in general) repeatedly commented that this was the closest race Wiles had ever had in 11 straight wins at Peoria. So, it was a good one. 

Secondly, the crowd looked a bit thin and, just from the glimpses I got, mainly of an older generation. I have no problem with an older generation and their money is as good for the sport as anyone's but it's indicative a withering, ageing fanbase.

The entry for the expert class was very small. In 2010, 47 riders posted times in Expert (GNC1 qualifying). In 2015, 26 GNC riders posted a qualifying time. Are 450 DTX bikes bringing more money or riders into the sport? From that scrap of evidence, you'd have to say no. So, if that's the case perhaps you try something else. Right? If the entries aren't healthy, concentrate on something that brings more money and interest to the cream of riders (like MotoGP does), rather than trying to make it a democratic sport lots of people can enter. The grassroots will do that and the cream will rise to the top. 

Now, my comment about Peoria being a crappy MX race. This is not my take on the race, but my clumsy attempt at describing what the person on the street, the non-expert sees. It was headline-grabbing to stir thought and emotion. It worked in Randon's case.

Look back at my posts and I've never doubted the quality of DTX racing, but this ISN'T about racing. This is about marketing the sport to secure its future. This is about USPs (unique selling points) and, of course, there are are forgettable twin races sometimes. 

There are too many sports and pastimes all looking for spectator and sponsor dollars. Show a photo or clip of Henry Wiles going over the Peoria jump to anyone and it looks like MX. No one can argue that. It has NO USP. Randon, you are an expert, you can see the nuance and detail. But to survive, AMA Pro Racing has decided to stop worrying about the fans it has now and chase the fans and sponsors it doesn't currently have. Running twins at Peoria is not going to lose any current fans or spectators, but it has the chance to attract a lot more simply because it will be unique. Of course, this will only happen if it can get the message out and market itself well.

Also, I want to add that the Peoria club and the racers do a great job to put on a race and even though there were some crashes, the hold-ups and injuries were minimal, thanks to air fences etc. People who love the sport respond with emotion when they read their favourite race called a crappy MX race, but I still believe AMA Pro Racing are looking at (or at least for) the bigger picture and revolutions always put someone's nose out of joint. 

Please feel free to leave a comment on this. If, for whatever reason, you can't leave a comment and really want to, you can email us dirt @ sideburnmagazine.com and I'll cut and paste your email into the comments section. G

Peoria TT - Today

Henry Wiles

Jared Mees

Jake Johnson (who has sat out half the season, but is now standing in for Brad Baker in the factory Harley team). 

If your name isn't Henry Wiles, you're the underdog today. He's won the last ten Peoria TTs on the bounce and won a non-National short track last night, ahead of Sammy Halbert (who was running #69 in honour of his late brother) and Scott Baker.

The rider who I think could have pushed Wiles the hardest, Brad Baker, broke his leg hitting some debris (that was rumoured by be from a dirt track racecar, but I haven't heard for sure) at the recent Black Hills GNC round in Sturgis.
Jared Mees will be up for a fight, but will be happy with a podium to keep his title defence on track.

This is likely to be the last Peoria TT National the Experts will ride 450s at because of somewhat controversial proposed changes to the AMA GNC rules, that will mean Experts ride twins in ALL race, TT or short track.

Today's race is available to watch live on fanschoice.tv
Here are the timings to watch online.

Practice/qualifying: 11:30 a.m. ET (8:30 a.m. PT) Pre-race show: 1:45 p.m. ET (10:45 a.m. PT)  Opening ceremonies: 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT)  Heat races: 3 p.m. ET (noon PT) GNC2 main: 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT)  GNC1 main: 5:30 p.m. ET (2:30 p.m. PT)

These photos, from Peoria 2014, courtesy of AMA Pro Racing. G

AMA New Rules: The Debate starts

Reader Pat Riot left a comment to the post below  (Sideburn Talks AMA GNC Listens?) that brought up some good points that I've already been discussing with friends. I'm going to give me view on them below. Pat's comment are bold, my replies are italicised... G

Pat wrote, Well I have to say that I agree with and am excited about the rules changes except for two notes: 1) I don't like the bit about 'production motorcycles' for GNC2 - I'd love to see single cylinder framers make a comeback as well. Perhaps 'production engines' would be better. Chris Carr has commented (in your mag if I recall) that jumping from dirt-bikes to framers is a big gap for up-and-coming riders starting out in GNC1.

By production motorcycles, they mean 450 MX bikes modified for dirt track - DTX bikes as the sport refers to them.
The move to DTX bikes, and away from framers (450 or older Rotax motors in custom dirt track chassis), made some kind of sense. We at Sideburn never hidden our love of framers or ambivalence to the appearance of DTX bikes, but saw the sense or trying to attract manufacturer support by running production bikes they could market. But the support never came. If you're trying to sell MX bikes, it's easier to put all your marketing into MX or supercross. It's big budget, spectacular, the riders are more famous, the races are better attended. Really, why the hell would Honda support flat track 450s in any significant way when they had the huge US MX industry as a battleground?
And if there's a transition from DTX bikes to framer twins of the Expert class, then so be it. For years, Grand Prix road riders had to jump from 250 two-strokes to 1000cc four-stoke MotoGP bikes and just got on with it. The talented thrived, the others fell by the wayside. That is racing.  
Also, framers making a come back doesn't make sense. The GNC2 guys are on a real budget, and DTX makes sense for them. Also, they make sense for amateur club racers too. Be clear, we are NOT anti-DTX, they're good for the grassroots, but, I think, not for the elite. 

 2) 2016 is really soon. Especially for privateers, but even for well supported teams, that is a major reshuffling of the required bikes to solve by Daytona next year. All of that said, it will be awesome to see how short track and TT races evolve the formula for pro-twins bikes. I just can't see launching an XR750 as the best way to go at Peoria.

The bigger budget teams are always going to cope with transition better than privateers. That's life, but perhaps this opens a door for a privateer to put all their effort into building a great Peoria twin, and making a name for themselves, at the expense of another area of their programme. It's no different to now. Shaun Baer (featured in Sideburn 20) is concentrating on the twins races this season and has been a regular top six qualifier, but isn't racing any single races this year. So what's changed? If anything, it'll be easier for him and other twins teams (Ducati Scrambler, Bonneville Performance, Latus Triumph, Rogers KTM) to tweak their bikes for short track and twins than buy a whole new machine and tune it to compete with the top singles. 

I know the top teams have a half-mile bike and a mile bike, with the different engine tunes, but privateers don't. They change the gearing. They'll do the same for short tracks. 

Peoria. Everyone is mentioning twins at Peoria. That makes me think a few things. First, people are DESPERATE to see how the twins go at Peoria. When was the last time this many people were desperate to see a CRF450 at Peoria? Never. Secondly, let's be blunt Peoria is just a shit motocross race. If I wanted to watch motocross I'd watch motocross. But I don't I want to want dirt track. TT is part of the championship, but it's mutated so much it has virtually no link left. People get excited about Peoria because of its history. If it launched as a new race now it wouldn't get a lot of interest. I'm not saying the racing isn't exciting, to those really in the know, and who have favourite racers, but the GNC has to offer more to grow. 
Also, the 450s are flying so far they're missing the transition off the jump and landing on the flat. Won't the riders just back off, and land their jumps on the transition? Fans won't think, 'They're not jumping as far as a full alloy, lightweight 450, this sucks!' They'll think, 'They're jumping 'Harley XR750s? Those things must weigh a ton. Holy cow!'

The riders will suck it up and put on a spectacle. Perhaps Dirt Quake USA hero, The Rusty Butcher can give them a lesson on how to launch a really heavy Harley. who is telling me they'd rather watch a field of experts/GNC1 riders on DTX bikes or a field or riders on twins? 

Sometimes you have to take a step back to go forward. F1 has done it throughout history, and they're doing ok for sponsorship, last time I looked. 

If you want to read more on this subject read the Ronnie Jones interview in Cycle News p58-70 

Dave and Gene

Super-evocative photo. Photographer unknown.

Dave Aldana, Gene Romero and an unknown (to us) Yamaha XS jockey, lining up for the Peoria TT.
Romero running drum front brake while the privateer has a single disc and Aldana has twin.
Romero keeping faith with a Jet helmet rather than a full-face Star.
Aldana on a Trackmaster Norton (I'm pretty sure).

Thanks to Roger F for forwarding it. G

Stalion

Nothing beats the eroticism of a simple stand-up wheelie. Here, Jim Odom. BP

Peoria TT Main

The first start is red-flagged, so if you're pushed for time the re-start is around 18:30. G

Peoria TT This Sunday

Kenny Roberts only one it once (he was busy for the next few years reinventing GP racing in Yoorope).

Chris Carr won the GNC main a record 13 times.

Henry Wiles has won ten straight and only an idiot (or Brad Baker) would bet against. Baker is desperate to break the cycle. And lost out by 3/100ths last year.

All the action can be seen live, in high definition and free of charge, at FansChoice.tv.

The Expert main event is scheduled to start at 4:30pm. Central time (google it). The Pro Singles main is scheduled for a 4pm CT green flag. On-track action will begin at 10:30am CT and opening ceremonies are slated for 1:30pm CT.

We'll post the recorded main here as soon as it's available. G

Sideburn Goes To Springfield

At the end of May, the week before Dirt Quake USA, Sideburn will be at three races in Illinois.

Friday 23 May - Peoria Short Track, All Star Series race.
Saturday 24 May - Springfield Short Track, All Star Series race.
Sunday 25 May - Springfield Mile, AMA GNC race

For the Sunday race, at the very least, we'll be trying to sell some magazines and T-shirts and handing out stickers from the Memphis Shades truck in the pits, so come and find us between the racing. Gary, Ben and Dave Skooter Farm will be there.

Then we fly out of Chicago, to the West Coast, early on Monday morning.

Let us know if there's anything we should try to see, places we should visit, eat in, drink in... Thanks. G

Wiles Peoria Video

I've seen countless Peoria photos, but never been to the track. This video finally shows me what it's like.
Thanks to Roger for the link. G

Peoria TT Report

Henry Wiles, #17, came through the semis, to win his ninth back to back Peoria, but Brad Baker #12, sews up the GNC Singles title, beating Wiles by just 2pts. 

 Jake Johnson.

 Thunk.

 JD Beach, #95, came third overall.

TTs aren't Sammy Halbert's strongest area, but wiping out in the heats meant he didn't even make the main.

Jake Johnson, scrubbing and styling. The man who has taken his Zanotti ride, Stevie Bonsey, #80, came in 8th, four places ahead of Jake in 12th. Shaun Russell, #28, was an impressive 4th in the main.

 Baker won the Dash for Cash, too

 Briar Bauman remained everyone he's a class act by coming 5th.

 JD Beach, #95, scored another great finish with a third.

 Robert Pearson, #27, Jake Johnson #5, Jeffrey Carver Jr, #23.

1. Wiles, 2. Baker. 3. Beach.
Baker extended his lead over reigning champ, Jared Mees in the combined championship too. Mees came in 8th.
In the combined standings Baker has a comfortbale lead of 19pts over Wiles, and 42 over Bryan Smith in 3rd, going into this weekend's Indy Mile.

All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.

Sammy Halbert Explained

Just watched this over at Co-Built's DBA blog. It's a great insight into one of the most controversial and interesting characters in flat track. He delivers more printable quotes in the first three minutes than Dani Pedrosa has in a career. G
PS I quite like and massively respect Dani Pedrosa.

UPDATE: Sammy Halbert leaves comments on Sideburn's blog.

Wiles wins again

Henry Wiles won the Peoria TT matching Chris Carr's eight consecutive wins at the Illinois TT track. He must turn up feeling invincible.

 Jake Johnson, came second in the Main.

 Pro Singles rider Dan Bromley racing in cool Metro Racing kit.

 Jared Mees.

Sammy Halbert won the Dash for Cash, but his exhaust header snapped in the Main and he held on for fifth.

Jeffrey Carver Jr in the lead.

The Dash for Cash. JD Beach (95); Sammy (7); Jake (1); Mees (9); Wiles (17); Baumann (10Z). Result of the Dash was Halbert, Johnson, Wiles.

 Above and below, Pro Singles winner, Dominic Colindres.

What Peoria is famous for.

Wiles, Johnson, Mees. What were we saying about Mees and Johnson. They're on it at every round.
Next, the Indy Mile this Saturday. G
Photos: AMA Pro Racing

Jim Odom Rides It!

We interviewed him for Trophy Queen in Sideburn 10. Here he is at Peoria. Wow. Amazing helmet, Bell Star, I think. 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