Ohio

Gregory from Ohio got in touch a few months ago saying, and I'm paraphrasing, 'I've raced motocross, I've starting reading Sideburn and this dirt tracking looks fun, but when I've tried to speak to some dirt track race people in my area they've been very dismissive and I don't know where to start. Help.'

I remembered that regular blog contributor and sometime Sideburn magazine contributor, Roger F (whose great shots from Ohio races in the 1970s are in Sideburn 7) lives in Ohio. I introduced Greg and Roger via email, and...

Thanks again for putting me in touch with Roger, Looks like I'll be racing this weekend. Really appreciate your kindness. Looking forward to many more issues with my new subscription. I included a photo of my first flat track build (Yamaha 360).

The race is at Western Reserve in Salem, Ohio. Roger said he would also be there. Looking forward to the fun. Have a good race this weekend, let me know how you do! Will you be in the states for Dirt Quake USA? 
Greg 

Sideburn - converting the world to flat track, one rider at a time. And yes, we'll be in Castle Rock for Dirt Quake USA. G

AMA Season Starts Today!

The season kicks off in Daytona tonight. With the second night of the double-header tomorrow. You can watch live on fanschoice.tv

Moving in line with the MotoGP world, the Expert class is now called GNC1 and the Pro (support) class is GNC2. Here's all the info from the AMA... (ET is Eastern time (New York time) if you're trying to work it out from anywhere else in the world)

On-track action begins both days with practice sessions at 3:30 p.m. ET (12:30 p.m. PT). The pre-race show is slated for 6:15 p.m. ET (3:15 p.m PT) to 7:15 p.m. ET (4:15 p.m. PT) and opening ceremonies are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET (4:30 p.m. PT). The GNC2 main is set for a 9:40 p.m. ET (6:40 p.m. PT) start with the Bruce Rossmeyer's Daytona Harley-Davidson GNC1 main slated to see the green flag at 10:10 p.m. ET (7:10 p.m. PT).

Every session from the "World Center of Racing" will be streamed live for fans around the world at FansChoice.tv. 

Jared Mees will begin his GNC1 title defense, sporting the No. 1 plate for the third time in his career, but he'll be facing off against the likes of Bryan Smith - last year's runner-up for the GNC1 title - Brad Baker, Kenny Coolbeth, Jr., Jake Johnson and the rest of the star-studded field. 

In 2014, Briar Bauman and Coolbeth kicked their seasons off on the right note. Bauman took the first checkered flag on opening night with Coolbeth putting on a clinic in Round 2 to earn the victory. 

In the GNC2 class, Ryan Wells and Brandon Wilhelm left Daytona Beach with victories to start the season. 

Kyle Johnson, the 2014 GNC2 champion, and Jarod Vanderkooi, winner of four GNC2 races last year, highlight a rookie class moving up the elite ranks to challenge Mees, Smith, Johnson and the others. 

The GNC1 lineup is full of potential winners. Sammy Halbert, Johnny Lewis, Mikey Rush and Brandon Robinson have all won main events at DAYTONA Flat Track since the new circuit debuted in 2010, and none can be counted out in 2015. 

DAYTONA Flat Track will also play host to, for the first time in AMA Pro Flat Track in history, a brother and sister racing with National Numbers. Shayna Texter will debut her new No. 52 and join her brother, Cory Texter, owner of No. 65. 

Baker, the 2013 Grand National Champion, will be back in the saddle after suffering a shoulder injury at the Superprestigio exhibition race in Barcelona, Spain, in December. His status has been the subject of speculation recently, but the Factory Harley-Davidson rider has confirmed he'll be in the field Thursday. 

Jared Mees' wife, Nichole Mees, will not be in the field at Daytona, but plans to run other races in 2015, which she said will be her final season. 

The entry list also has plenty of international flair with Doug Lawrence and Michael LaBella representing Canada in the GNC1 ranks and Italian Vittorio Marzotto and England's [the DTRA's!] Alan Birtwistle racing in GNC2.

UPDATE - Perris Tomorrow Night

RAINED-OFF. CHECK THE POSTER FOR THE NEXT DATE

The season opener happens at Perris tomorrow night. Get out there to see a massive variety of machinery from brakes Indians to framers and DTX, plus some of the top US racers preparing for the GNC.
Race entries available on the day too, I think. G

Ocala Dirt Track on FansChoice.TV today

The same FansChoice TV crew that delivered GNC live streams all year are streaming live racing from Ocala, Florida today. This is a non-GNC race, but FansChoice and the AMA are using it as a test for new equipment. Some of the top racers will be there preparing for the season opener at Daytona next month.

Live streaming coverage will begin with pre-race interviews at 3:00 p.m. ET (12:00 noon PT) with practice at 4:00 p.m. ET (1:00 p.m. PT). The evening program of racing is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. ET (3:00 p.m. PT). Log on and tune in at http://www.FansChoice.tv.

Salem: This Saturday

This scene is really growing. Loads of spectators making it out.
Get along if you can. Cheap to race. Cheap to spectate. G

AMA Rule Changes

From AMA HQ...

For the 2015 season, the winner of the Dash for Cash will be awarded one championship point, but no other finishers will earn points for their performance. Instead, the starting lineup for the GNC1 main will be based on finishing position in the Dash. 

Previously, the top five finishers in the six-rider Dash for Cash earned championship points, with five points awarded to the winner. The change in point distribution promises to keep championship battles even tighter as the season progresses.  

In 2014, three riders were alive for the title at the season finale in Pomona, Calif., but under the new point schedule, even more would have had a shot at the championship in the final round. 

"It's a good thing, for sure," 2013 Grand National Champion Brad Baker and rider of the No. 6 Factory Harley-Davidson said. "The Dash for Cash, you're not recognized for second, third, fourth or fifth. You go out there and you should want to win it."

Racing at Del Mar

Roland Sands is promoting this race at Del Mar's short track (the race I saw there in 2000 turned me on to amateur flat track). Roland says...

Join IV League Flat Track and RSD as we bring Flat Track Racing back to DelMar. This is your chance to bring out the old iron and that rusty steel shoe and put them to good use. There’s a class for nearly everyone so go to the website and register now. Hooligan classes, quads, vintage, pro, beginner and classes for the youngsters. Southern California Flat Track by the Beach in Del Mar is back!

Poster by Adi Gilbert...

Daytona short Track 1971

Sent to us by regular contributor Alastair McQ. Check out British speedway rider Barry Briggs' riding style and how he has his bars set in the contemporary speedway style, so different to the dirt trackers. Kenny Roberts makes an appearance, still with his District 38 number - 80Y. Notice how unforgiving the outer wall looks too.

Sideburn's Poet

Every issue, for the last six or seven, we've had a page featuring a short poem by Travis Newbold.
I first met Travis when I went to the Gene Romero West Coast Flat Track race at Las Vegas, in January 2010. He was racing a ratty XS650 and there with his dog, Baja. We chatted, I took some photos for Sideburn and we kept in touch.

Through Sideburn, Travis became good friends with the Co-Built family and has come to the UK and Europe twice to race with us. We've also been over to the US to race and watch him.

The poetry is bar room, lo-fi stuff. It rhymes. It comes to him on the hellish long drives between races. He started writing it on his blog and I thought I'd like it in the magazine, first because I liked it and thought it was odd that even a cheery, gentle, but brutally fast racer, would take the time to write it and put it on his blog. Then, I wanted to include poetry because if Sideburn doesn't do things differently then we're picking fights with some pretty big publishers and that's not what we're cut out to do. It also gives us an excuse to print a photo of Travis in action. These two were taken by Dave Lehl, a customer of his (Travis also runs a motorcycle repair shop in a suburb of Denver, Colorado). Beautiful.

Check out Travis's blog - 747 Rider. G

Colorado Flat Track

Following up on the Travis Newbold post from a couple of days ago - these are the dates of the local Colorado flat track race series.
See more at banginbars.com (no, it's not a Tinder style hook-up site, though it's a great name for one).
Support Your Local Racetrack. G

Essential Viewing: Flat Track Racing Young Matadors

You must make the time to watch this. The first 20 mins are the best.
For regular readers of Sideburn you'll recognise a lot of names - Steve Eklund (and this season - Sideburn 13) Steve Morehead from (SB12); Mert Lawwill (SB13); Skip Aksland (SB11); Jay Springsteen (SB9); Scott Parker (SB8); Alex Jorgenson (SB7)...
This was sent to us by Dustin Aksland, son of former GNC pro Skip.

Hope all is well, by the looks of Sideburn it seems like you are pretty busy. 
Just wanted to share this video with you, it finally appeared online after many many years. You might have seen it, if so, sorry for the introduction. 
This short film follows Jay Springsteen through the 1979 season in pursuit of his 4th GNC title. 
I probably watched this film 400 times when I was a kid, because it features my pops getting second at the San Jose Mile. Eventually someone recorded over the film, (have to love VHS) and I thought it was gone forever. Then a few days ago a family friend posted it on Facebook. He runs a cool flat tracking group on Facebook, you should check it out, there are some great little gems on there. https://www.facebook.com/groups/WCDTs/ 
Take care, D 

Chad Cose Corner Entry

I don't know if it will work, but I'm going to watch this 100 times and see if anything rubs off on me. G
Spotted at derestricted.com

Good news from Ukiah, California

This news from regular Sideburn contributor Randy K.

This group popped up out of nowhere. They (local car track promoter and local rider) hatched an idea to run a couple of practice sessions and they/we were amazed that 70 heretofore unknown flat track riders showed. Word has it that local MC shops have experienced a resurgance of parts business with new/old racers now building bikes. 

It was a small dirt kart track and with someone's whiff of an idea, it now seems to be a real deal. As it stands now, a seven race series. in a small town best known for nice wines and restaurants. 
Randy 

Randy has written a great story on Steve Eklund and Mario Zanotti for Sideburn 13. G

Here at the Astrodome TT, Eklund leads on his Yamaha TT500 - and goes on to win. Aldana in his skeleton leathers #10

2012 AMA Highlights

Thanks to Bob Metz for the tip

Patrick's SacMile Road Trip

This is a short report from Patrick of the Sang Froid Riding Club on his trip from Portland to Sacramento for the GNC Mile race earlier this year. Patrick makes the Broke Bone patches we sell.

I just realized I never got back to you about the Sacramento Mile. That Mile was some of the best motorcycle racing I've ever seen, for a number of reasons. An extra $50 or so (not much) lets you go anywhere on the infield; you can stand at the entrance of turn one when the freight train roars by, get blasted with a mixture of dirt, rubber, and race fuel. 

The crowd was enthusiastic and the stands keep them grouped close, which amplifies the excitement. The last couple laps of the Expert main I was up in the stands, and we were on our feet, everyone cheering like crazy. Great stuff. The Pro main, where Shanya Texter won, was equally as impressive.

The pits are open too (all day if you have a pit pass, after the races otherwise), so you can walk up and shoot the bull with the tuners and riders. 

The track's also open for walking, both before and after the races. So in a nutshell - an absolute blast, I'd go to another in a heartbeat.

The ride down was outstanding too, the RC51 ran like a top and returned with a knackered rear tire - perfect excuse for big burnouts at the local bar at homecoming.

Below, The Broke Bone patch. The idea is you sew it on your riding kit where you've broken a bone in an accident. It's a badge of honour. Evel cleared us out, a while back, but we've restocked.

Queen Creek Flat Track, Arizona

Great poster for an upcoming indoor race. More details at QC Flat Track. G

GNC final at Pomona Tomorrow

The last GNC race of the year. Mees v Halbert, with Johnson still in with a faint shout. It'll be great. Get there if you can. G

Tuscon Half-Mile Report

Steve (or is it Stevie now?) Bonsey doesn't compete every race of the championship, so to turn up at the tail end of a hard season and win is classy. He won his first National at Calistoga in 2010. Bonsey did a season or two of 125 GP, on a KTM, where he was mentored and kept an eye on by Kenny Roberts Sr. Before he got his national number, Bonsey ran the same 80Y regional plate the young KR ran.

 

Retaining the number 1 plate is, I think, mathematically still possible for Jake Johnson, but unlikely. Sammy clawed back a few points on Jared Mees. It's going down to the last round at Pomona next weekend. Get there, if you can. It'll be memorable.

Brad 'Bullet' Baker, fifth in the main and looking very stylish.

Pro Singles rider Jason Issenock styling.

Wearing sail-like leathers didn't stop Duke Erickson making the main.

Kevin Anderson made the main too.

Shayna is becoming a half-mile specialist, after winning a pair of Knoxvilles.

When it comes to motorcycle plus rider power-to-weight ratios, Texter has them beat. Look at the size of second and third placed Rodney Spencer Jr and Wyatt Maguire in comparision.

Matt Weidman in Evel leathers, complete with peace sign medallion and collars, on the Scott Powersports Kawasaki we featured in Sideburn 9.

The long trip from Florida to Arizona was worth it for the Bonneville Performance team. Their rider, Mikey Martin, made another main on the only Triumph out there and came 13th.

Dash for Cash for the six quickest heat qualifiers. Weidman, Mees, Baker, Johnson, Halbert, Bonsey.

Bonsey won the Dash for Cash too.

Robert Pearson (27), Mikey Martin (91), Henry Wiles (17), Doug Lawrence (73)

Bonsey won by 1.2s from Smith. Sammy was three-hundreths back from Smith. Series leader, Jared Mees, was fourth.

Remember to get to Pomona this weekend if you can.

All photos courtesy of AMA Pro Racing.

Pre-Pomona Perris Preview

The GNC  visits Tuscon this weekend, then returns to California for what is going to be an amazing final round at Pomona on October 13.
BUT, the night before Perris is holding short track races for the fastest modern and vintage racers in the West...

Friday October 12
Gates open at 1 PM, practice at 4:30, races to follow at 5:30. 
Many of the National riders come out to ride Perris, so come out and get a mini-preview of the Pomona National! As usual, only $10.00 for spectators. Snack Shack will be open with hot and cold goodies. 
Goodyear tires in stock. 
Due to the expected large turnout, please park across the street and leave the pits to the racers.
For more info go to www.southerncaliforniaflattrack.com/

Tucson Raceway