Charlotte Half-Mile: Tomorrow

I'm pretty busy, so this is taken straight from the press release. Watch the race for free on fanschoice.tv . Chris Carr is part of the commentary team and he's always good value for money...

Last year's Charlotte Half-Mile winner, Bryan Smith, pilot of the No. 42 Crosley Radio Kawasaki Ninja 650, heads into this year's event with a 13-point lead in the GNC1 point standings. Smith ripped off three consecutive wins in the month of May and is well within striking distance of capturing his first GNC1 championship. The Michigan native finished fourth in the Round 8 contest at Lima, which was impressive considering his strength is typically reserved for Mile circuits. If Smith wants to earn his first championship, he's going to need to continue to find success on the shorter courses, as only two of the remaining six races in 2016 are Miles.

Another hurdle that Smith is going to need to overcome goes by the name Jared Mees. X Games Gold Medalist Mees stole the X Games crown from Smith this year, and aims to recoup from last year's mechanical issue at Charlotte to take the crown in North Carolina too. Mees is the reigning GNC1 champion and has won the ultimate title three of the last four years. Sitting just 13 points back of Smith in the standings, and entering Charlotte fresh off three-straight races where he finished second or better, Mees has proven that he's more than capable of running Smith down and capturing his fourth GNC1 championship in the last half decade. The No. 1 Las Vegas Harley-Davidson XR750 pilot was poised to earn the Charlotte Half-Mile win a year ago before a bike malfunction on the last lap of the main event forced him from the race and gave Smith the victory.

 Entering Charlotte third in the point standings is Sammy Halbert, who is changing teams mid-season and arrives at Charlotte as the rider of the No. 69 Wiebler's Harley-Davidson. Halbert is coming off his worst performance of the season, 13th at the previous round in Lima and is aggressively looking to get back to the front this weekend. Replacing Halbert on the No. 23 BriggsAuto.com Harley-Davidson is Jeffrey Carver, Jr.

Go Sammy

Slammin' Sammy Halbert won Daytona I. More racing from Florida tonight, and you can watch livestreaming on fanschoice.tv

Sammy, running his late brother Jethro's #69, won from Brandon Robinson and Brad Baker was third. Interestingly, Bryan Smith, qualified through the semis, the tough way to make the main, and came fifth. A great result for his championship. Smith has narrowly missed out on the last two titles, because of poor results on singles, compared to Mees.

The Superhooligans were given a support slot, and Roland Sands one on one of his Indian Scout Sixtys. Read all about these bikes in the next issue, out at the end of March.

If you're in the UK or Europe and fancy racing your road bike, the DTRA is running a three-roudn Hooligan class at Peterborough, Hell's Race in Belgium and Dirt Quake. G

Charlotte Last Week/ Springfield Tomorrow

Last weekend, the 2015 GNC series rolled up to Charlotte Half-Mile, North Carolina for the Don Tilley Memorial. I won't give the result here, for those that might have missed it, because you can see it at your leisure at FansChoice.tv (and it's worth watching). 

Cory Texter (Shayna's brother) debuted a new framer with a Kawasaki Vulcan S (the parallel twin cruiser), supported by Cycle World magazine.

The Basic twins ran at Charlotte, this is the GNC2 class on twins. This has been the most half-baked of recent AMA innovations. The idea was to prepare the GNC2 'Juniors' by having them ride twins at mile rounds, and also not thrash their 450s to death on the big tracks. But the idea fizzled out and the GNC2 riders raced 450s at some miles in 2014. Now they're totally forgotten from 2016 onwards in the new rules...
Anyway, this is Rob McLendon III's Triumph, the only Triumph to make the main in the GNC2 class.

 Henry Wiles and Stevie Bonsey

Having broken his leg after hitting something on track at the Black Hill,s South Dakota round, Brad Baker turned up to sign posters. #5 Jake Johnson has been standing in for him on the factory Harley.

GNC1 rookie Jarod Vanderkooi and Brandon Robinson. Vanderkooi has been great this season and Robinson's making the Triumph work much better than Shayna Texter did last year.

Johnson and Sammy Halbert. Sammy is running 69, instead of his normal 7, in memory of his recently deceased brother, Jethro.

Flyin' Bryan Smith.

Photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.

More GNC Rules Thoughts

There are some great comments giving lots of different views to the 2016 GNC rules - see them here. DTRA Rookie racer Damian McCann sent these thoughts in...
UPDATE: I've replied to some points. Damian's words are in italics, mine are bold with my initial after.

Tried to post on the blog but too many character and its too late and i cant be arsed to try and edit it as I have to fly in a few hours time, i may have gotten carried away a little: 

 Having only got into all this 2 years ago I'm not sure I know enough to comment but I have fallen in love with the sport so even though i don't have a solution here's my thoughts: I think you all have really good points and I think you should all join the AMA board! 

Gary I agree that it needs its own identity and twins and leathers etc. gives it that identity. When I was first investigating flattrack the thing that captured me was the images of the awesome framers, that look like nothing else in motorcycling leant over sliding round a mile track. The thing that really captured me and this gets into marketing, social media etc. was go-pro footage of Sammy Halbert at a night race (above) and it was a rear facing camera, he was absolutely hammering it and then you had Mees etc.. Drafting and getting inches within the camera and then anchors on or going flying by with the bike snaking about, only to be overtaken again, it gave me goosebumps! It was new to me and was the first time in years that Motorsport had me excited, I wanted to see more. 

 Having said all that I joined the DTRA and I bought a DTX bike because it seemed more accessible and cheaper. I love it and because I race a DTX bike I look at Wiles or Baker or Brindley, Neaves etc and think "damn i want to ride like that". On the smaller tracks we ride on they are far more spectacular than the framers. I do feel there is a slight bit of snobery (not sure thats the right word) between the two types of bikes and this can't help the sport. Peoria was intense racing! 

I think DTX bikes have their place and logic would tell me that they should give the sport a wider target market ie. from wise old Harley Riders to young motocross whippersnappers. The trick is to get the kids into it and they'll get into competing through DTX. 

I've never been anti-DTX, I don't want one, but I've said from the off that the racing is exciting, but my belief is the overall spectacle isn't bringing people through the gate. This isn't about grassroots, or support classes, purely selling the big race to punters and sponsors. G

I went to the Xgames and there was a good turn out of over 30's but very few kids spectating. As Brad says Speedway or certainly british speedway is in crisis, it desperately needs new blood, more riders. I go to see Newcastle speedway, again, very few kids but then the average speedway fan probably can't afford to take the kids and perhaps this is the same with AMA events, I don't know I've never been to one I'm just assuming it's an older possibly blue collar fan, whereas motogp just like premier league football is becoming a sport for the wealthy corporate world. Fans choice is good and bad, now you don't need to go to a race and who wants to sponsor something where even on tv you can't get your message across because most people will watch it Mon a laptop or device, the screens so small etc. They could do a lot with fanschoice and it should be a major boost to the sport. 

To finish on a positive note as Brad says, in comparison with speedway, grass track etc. from what I can see flattrack is moving in the right direction: 

Fanschoice is hugely important, despite my comment above and gets better, with improved camera angles, commentary with Chris Carr. 

The AMA seem to be trying to do something: rule changes good or bad they are changing which means they are trying at least. Bringing someone like Bayliss in from another sport is the right idea even though it's been a disaster due to injury and probably not the right personality and could be seen as making a mockery of the sport so they need to tread with care on this one. Stuff like thundermedia footage. Xgames. Hooligan scene. I agree with Anthony that it probably needs to be a lot more international. And the gap after rnd1 Daytona doesn't help much I don't think. 

I think Bayliss was great for the GNC. The accident was unfortunate, but it shows how difficult the sport is. He's making his comeback at Springfield. He's a trooper. G

DTRA successful through good organisation, non-motorsport sponsors, a cool image, great dedicated participants. 

- Superprestigio is helping with awareness, although I agree it's only because of the Marquez factor. 

- Marquezfactor; it seems like every other superbike/motogp rider is using dirt track to improve their skills, that can only be a good thing for awareness. 

- Sideburn/Dirt Quake etc. 

- Articles in the independent, MCN, it would seem in the Uk it is getting more coverage than ever but this doesn't help the top level, or certainly not the scale of new fans it needs to pull the money in. 

Like I said I don't have a solution but I'll certainly be doing my bit to get the uneducated educated. Damian

There are so many things that could be improved, but things are moving the right way and no one has all the right answers. The twins thing is very controversial and does seem rushed for 2016, but is that just the actions of a governing body trying to grasp the nettle and move things along, while there is interest an momentum? That can be viewed as good or bad, but change is sometimes painful. As a fan, I'm excited about the idea.  G

UPDATE 2
Damian got back in touch to say this was the video that inspired him to start racing.

Sammy's Framer

After years of racing his own Harley XR twin, Sammy got on a Kawasaki twin and won. The Savannah, Georgia race was a non-AMA event, but with plenty of top riders all in the South-East for Daytona Speed Week.
I thought Sammy had done a deal with Yamaha, so I was surprised to see photos of him on this bike.
If he is running his own show again, it's likely he'll keep his XR750 for the half-miles, that Harleys still  do so well on.
Not tied to one manufacturer, Jake Johnson had Harley, Ducati and Kawasaki to choose from in the twin races last year. G

Troy Bayliss Classic

Multiple World Superbike champion, former car paint sprayer and all-round good sort, Troy Bayliss has organised another of his Classics, a kind of Australian Superprestigio.
Bayliss (pictured above at this year's Superprestigio) is now Aussie dirt track and supermoto champ and a big fan of dirt track.
He has invited Jared Mees, Henry Wiles and Sammy Halbert. Look at them pretending to tolerate each other.
There is a who's who of Australian racers from different disciplines, too.

It all goes off this Saturday in Taree.
More info at Troy Bayliss Classic.

Taree is an oil track. In the old days they'd soak the dirt in old motor oil to help keep it together and form a tacky track, now, I've read, it's vegetable oil. There are no new oil tracks because of environmental issues, but the old ones can still run.

The Australians tend to race lefts and rights. Read Andy from the Jerkyls inside line on racing as a happy amateur, in the current Aussie scene on a vintage two-stroke in Sideburn 19. G

Who? What? When? Why? Where?

We have a great interview with Sammy Halbert for our on-going Who? What? series in SB#19, with a stunning pen drawing by Luke Dixon.
Order the new illustration-heavy issue here. BP

UPDATE
Here is the full list of subjects we've interviewed for this series (this isn't all Sideburn's interviews, just ones for this regular slot).

ISSUE  RIDER
3            Dick Mann
4            Don Castro
5            Dave Aldana
6            Gene Romero
7            Eddie Lawson
8            Scott Parker
9            Jay Springsteen
10          Chris Carr
11          Bubba Shobert
12          Steve Morehead
13          Mert Lawwill
14          Joe Kopp
15          Nick Hayden
16          Jim Rice
17          Brad Baker
18          Skip Aksland
19          Sammy Halbert

Sammy Halbert Night: TONIGHT

If you're in the UK, you really want to make the DTRA x Sideburn Sammy Halbert Night tonight. A very rare opportunity to ask a top GNC flat track race winner your own questions.

Pay on the door. Saturday 18th October 6.30 - 10.30 with a licenced bar

VENUE The Benn Hall , Newbold Road, Rugby CV21 2LN

DTRA x Sideburn Sammy Halbert Night

Don't forget, this Saturday is one of the very, very rare occasions a top US flat track racer comes to the UK to talk to fans and racers over here.

Fresh from being the fastest qualifier at the Pomona Half-Mile GNC race last weekend (above), Sammy is flying to the UK before travelling over to Spain for the Dirt Track Festival.

It's been a hard decision for Sammy to come over, because his brother Jethro is in a medically-induced coma after a crash in the Calistoga GNC race program, but Sammy didn't want to let down the DTRA, so please come out an support this event.


Slammin' Sammy is one of the top racers in the US, winning mile and short track races. He is also one of the most controversial figures due to his take no prisoners style.
Sammy will be presenting awards to the DTRA racers before being subjected to a lengthy Q and A.

The event is open to anyone, not just DTRA members. and it's just £5 admission.
We're promised the awards will be kept very short, to give more time to Sammy.

DATE
Saturday 18th October
6.30 - 10.30 with a licenced bar

VENUE
The Benn Hall , Newbold Road, Rugby CV21 2LN

Please book in advance at the DTRA shop http://www.dirttrackriders.co.uk/#!shop/c1hjo
Tickets are £5 each with a £1 booking fee to cover the paypal costs. (This is to cover hall hire)

Sideburn x DTRA Sammy Halbert Night

Following the tradition of our Chris Carr Night and David Aldana Night, Sideburn has joined forces with the DTRA to organise an evening with Sammy Halbert.

Slammin' Sammy is one of the top racers in the US, winning mile and short track races. He is also one of the most controversial figures due to his take no prisoners style.
Sammy will be presenting awards to the DTRA racers before being subjected to a lengthy Q and A.

The event is open to anyone, not just DTRA members. and it's just £5 admission.
We're promised the awards will be kept very short, to give more time to Sammy.

DATE
Saturday 18th October
6.30 - 10.30 with a licenced bar

VENUE
The Benn Hall , Newbold Road, Rugby CV21 2LN

Please book in advance at the DTRA shop http://www.dirttrackriders.co.uk/#!shop/c1hjo
Tickets are £5 each with a £1 booking fee to cover the paypal costs. (This is to cover hall hire)

Obviously or thoughts go out to the Halbert family who are currently dealing with Sammy's brother Jethro, who is in a medically-induced (we think) coma after a crash at last weekend's Calistoga Half-Mile.

Watch this incredible battle (for second place at Perris) with the Current AMA #1, Brad Baker, to get a taste of Sammy's hard-charging style. He takes as much as he gives in this race.

Sammy Halbert coming to UK and Europe

Slammin' Sammy Halbert, the baby-faced assassin, the baddest bad ass in a race series full of bad asses, is coming to Europe in October to be the guest instructor at the 2014 International Dirt Track Festival, at Motorland Aragon, Spain (there are still a few places for novices and experts, but only a few).

This is a rare opportunity for mortals, numpties even, to ride and race with a proper star.

The Multiple GNC race winner will also be appearing - talk show style - at a DTRA x Sideburn night on Saturday 18th October in the English midlands. Details to be confirmed, keep watching the blog.

It'll be something like the Chris Carr Night and the David Aldana Night we've done in the past. Open to anyone who buys a ticket, not just DTRA members. G

When Thor Went to Elma

Last weekend, the GNC series visited Gray's Harbor, Washington for a half-mile race. Our good friend and fellow Dirt Quake USA organiser, Thor Drake of See See Motorcycles went along...

I packed up the ol’ Purple Hog with the bare escentals; tent, sleeping bag and Polaroid camera. No plan in place, just a destination, 130 miles north of Portland to Grays Harbor Racetrack in Elma, Washington for the half-mile AMA GNC dirt track race. My little lady was on a separate trip with her family, coincidentally on the way. I met Tori in a logger bar about halfway to Elma. I roll up on my old leaky Harley, she jumps out of a car, we both load up on the Harley and hit the road. I wonder if this made any sense to the bar keep? 

The sun was shining and was about 85 degrees out, almost perfect conditions for a nice little jaunt up the coast. Leaving the house I had some sense to pack a leather coat knowing full well that in the Pacific North West the weather can change at a moment's notice. Exactly what it did about 20 miles away from the track. In an almost comedic way a black cloud wrapped its arms around the general vicinity of Grays Harbor, living up to its name apparently?!

As we made our way up the hill a slow mist coated us in a chilly blanket. Tori and I arrived at the turn off to the track, I saw some familiar faces headed the other direction. This does not bode well, I think to myself. Still holding on to some lick of hope we pulled into the parking lot. A guy in a golf cart rolled up and said, “Race cancelled.” Just to be sure, as though it was some surprise, I asked again. You mean to tell me the race is cancelled? “Yup” 

Tori and I set up camp in the field next to the track. We cracked a cold one and strolled over to say Hi to group of old timers, Some you may recognise.
They told us it was going to be dry in the morning and with any luck they will be racing by 1:30. 

We woke up at the crack of 10 the next morning to the sound of the intercom followed by some unmistakable V-twin engines. A quick “pack em up” and we purchased our $35 general admission tickets. We watched some practice, the Pro Singles and the Big Twins bouncing around the banked corners. Sammy Halbert #7 throwing down the fastest lap. 

A brief intermission gave me a chance to stop by the pits and say Hi to Brad Baker and Sammy. For whatever dumb reason I alway get super nervous in the pits, and this time was no exception. I was stumbling for words and spilling my drink all over myself while trying to take pictures. 

The races started promptly at 1:30 The first race was the Pro Singles. Jarod Vanderkooi yaking the win. Behind him local nice guy, Davis Fisher, in 3rd. Ryan Wells. Davis always gets a little nervous when he has to talk on the intercom. Poor guy choked up pretty good but rode one hell of a great race.

The main event for the Pro Twins followed. Sammy was in pole position and jumped out to an early lead. Pacing the pack for the first half of the race. He was caught about mid-race by both Bryan Smith and Jared Mees. Smith led the race for the next 6 or so laps and was passed right at the end by Jared Mees. Sammy and Brad scrapped for 4th and 5th. The top riders all aboard the HD XR750s, with exception of Bryan on his Crosley Kawasaki. Man, I love flat track racing. 
Tori and I jumped back on the hog and split southbound for a warm shower and a home-cooked meal.
Thor Drake, Portland, 21 July 2014

GNC Flat Track in the Pacific North West

We know Dirt Quake USA turned on a lot of people to the joys of dirt track in the Pacific North West. Now's your chance to see how it's really done. This weekend, the GNC rolls into Grays Harbor Raceway, Elma, Washington. This from the official press release...

For the first time in over 30 years AMA Pro Grand National Twins make their return to the Great Northwest! You can expect to see multiple brands on the track including Kawasaki, Suzuki, KTM, Triumph, Aprillia, Ducati, and of course Harley-Davidson! In the 450cc Pro Singles Class you will add Yamaha and Honda to that list.

2013 AMA Pro Flat Track National Champion, Brad Baker, hails from Dryad, Wash. and looks to take the win in his home state. Baker says, "It would be amazing to win this race! I grew up not very far from Elma and won my first ever West Coast National Championship on a 50 there. So the track has a special place in my heart. It's just going to be super cool to race there, whether I win or lose." You can bet that Sammy Halbert is looking for that win in his home state just as much as Baker. Halbert, from Graham, explains, "I'm excited to race my Harley at a National in my home state for the first time ever. It'd be amazing to pull off the win in front of my family and friends. That's exactly what I need right now to get my season rolling."

More info at www.amaproracing.com

Smith wins in Hagerstown

Bryan Smith broke Harley's decades-long grip on AMA pro half-miles when he won last weekend's Hagerstown half-mile in Maryland. This is his second win of the season, after dominating the Springfield Mile. 

We have an in-depth tech feature on Smith's Crosley Kawasaki ER-6 (same engine, different chassis to this bike) in Sideburn 15. 

 Jared Mees came in second leads the championship. 

Jake Johnson has Ramspur XR750, Ducati 1000 and Kawasaki to choose from. He picked the Harley for the Maryland race and continued his good run of finishes with a sixth place.

Jake Shoemaker - who made his first main in 2012 - got his best result so far, a third on another Kawasaki. Nine Kawasakis made the main. There was one Triumph - Mikey Martin's, the rest Harleys.

After the cruel luck of breaking down while having a clear lead at Lima, Sammy Halbert came in 5th in the main, one place behind...

 ...Brandon Robinson.

Like Sammy, in the last race, Kenny Coolbeth was in the lead and way ahead when his Zanotti XR750 broke down. A few laps later his teammate, Bonsey's bike expired. Very unusual from this championship-winning team.

Like he did at Springfield, Smith won the Dash too.

Semi action. Johnny Lewis, #10, on the KTM. Mikey Martin, #91, on a Triumph, Steve Murray, #51, on a Harley. Only the Triumph rider made it to the Main.

Henry Wiles overheating on the startline.

Johnson and Halbert.

Smith and Mees.

Next race: Grays Harbor Half-Mile, Elma, WA - July 19.

All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.