DTRA - Amman Valley

The next DTRA race is Saturday 9 August (not this weekend) at the Amman Valley Horse Track, Ammanford, South Wales. This half-mile paperclip is the biggest oval we race on in the UK. It's a cushion track, that throws up big roosts. The championship race is Saturday, but there's an extra non-championship round the next day.

Camping available Friday and Saturday. £5 or free to volunteers.
Saturday racing is from 2-8pm, then hanging out in the pits - hopefully watching a Skooter Farm film night on a big screen*
Sunday is 12-5pm. (Times approximate).

If you want to race, get your entry in before the end of Friday. Newcomers welcome.

If you'd like to volunteer to marshal (on either day), leave a comment or email us at dirt @ Sideburnmagazine.com. No experience necessary.

If you want to spectate, just turn up and support your local racetrack. G

* sheet on the side of a van.

Red Riding by Lily Ashley

This film was made by Lily Ashley the daughter of one of our good mates and Dirt Quake survivor, Nick. It was made for her degree show. It stars Nick too, in a career-defining role. I want a furry helmet (no, not prison slang). G

DTRA Round 4, Tir Prince, Wales

This race is on a super-fast, two-thirds of a mile horse racing oval near Rhyl in North Wales. This is proper On Any Sunday action.
It's a Friday night race with racing starting at about 7pm. The DTRA needs marshals for this race. You'd need to be there for 5-ish to get a briefing and cover the practice.
Times and gate prices will be confirmed on the blog.

Sideburn's ongoing sponsorship of the UK Dirt Track Riders Association sees us commissioning different artists to produce a poster for each of the races. Please share this poster on any of your own social media.

Round 1 was Ryan Quickfall
Round 2, Essy May
Round 3 is Dirt Quake by Adi Gilbert
Round 4 is by Adam Nickel, interviewed below.

ADAM NICKEL

Where do you live? 
Brisbane, Australia.

What bike do you own? 
A 1955 Triumph Thunderbird.

What's your dream bike? 
I wouldn't mind owning a DAH Harley race bike.

Who is your motorcycle hero? 
Burt Munro, though watching Malcolm Smith in the Elsinore Grand Prix in On Any Sunday gives me goosebumps.

If you were to start racing flat track what bike would you choose to compete on?
I love the KR flattrack bikes

What was the inspiration for your DTRA poster?
Early 60s graphic design, specifically rock posters from around era.

Finish this sentence: I love my motorcycle... 
...but I think it hates me.

www.adamnickel.com

Made In Britain

Hannah wearing Davida lid and leathers, posing with Mr Llewelyn's home-built GM dirt tracker at a sodden Amman Valley. Check those cowhorn bars!
Photo: Ben Part

Cagiva Dazzler

Our old friend Simon in North Wales has been building bikes for years, but Sideburn has inspired him to build his first street tracker. It was never going to be normal. It's a Cagiva Gran Canyon (Ducati engine). He made his own petrol tank and did his own 'dazzle' camouflage this morning.

He says 'Mission a) completed, out and back without breakdown, onwards and upwards'

Here it is before. The dazzle scheme might make an appearance on my Triumph Cockroach. G

UPDATE: Y Niwl

Twangy Welsh surf band Y Niwl play Cafe Kino in Bristol tomorrow night (Sat 7 Jan).

UPDATE: DUE TO BAND ILLNESS THE SHOW IS CANCELLED

Review from the Sunday Times

Rhyl - Tomorrow!

Evening flat track race on the big track! Should be a great spectacle and a nice ride from anywhere in the North West.
Tir Prince Raceway, Towyn Road, Towyn, Rhyl, North Wales LL22 9NW

Tir Prince International

Saturday evening 6th August, the fastest Flat track meeting ever seen in the UK will take place. Held at the largest Horse trotting track in Britain, with wide open bends lap times are anticipated to be close to 100mph! There will be Flat Track racers from all over the world competing and guest riders from other motorcycle disciplines, including TT star Guy Martin (if it doesn't clash with other commitments).
Pete BoastTir Prince Raceway, Towyn Road, Towyn, Rhyl, North Wales LL22 9NW

Not Amman Valley

I didn't get to the Amman Valley race. I was tied up doing what I call work for a living. Thursday I rode five hours to North Devon. Lovely. Then...

Then, rode via the Pippa and Ike Show in Bristol to meet Tom Shed Brewed for a great ride around South Wales.Next was two days on the brilliant BMW Off-Road School repeatedly crashing a GS1200 without anyone even mentioning it. This was a steep hill. I needed two attempts. (Photo: Peter Gray)

And riding through water so deep it went over the cylinders. I can't stop thinking about second hand GS1200s now. I'll get over it.

Ross Noble called in for breakfast on his way home from the Welsh Two-Day Enduro.

Followed by a family day out to watch the Mexican wrestling in London. My kids with Blue Demon Jr. So, that's why I didn't make Amman Valley. G

Amman Valley

Next weekend, June 24-25. Big track, fast bikes plus a slew of novices (including Sideburn's Ben) tackling this 500m oval for the first time. Racing on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.
AMMAN VALLEY TROTTING TRACK,TAIRGWAITH,AMMANFORD, S.WALES, SA18 1UU.

Beezumph 19

Imagine the sound of this lot on-song.Beezumph 19 on 16-17th July, will be moving from its usual venue of Cadwell Park to the even more picturesque north Wales coastal circuit of Ty Croes, Anglesea. The Grand Marshall will be none other than Gary Nixon. On the Friday night, he will also be hosting a talk with Don Emde. The rest of the event is more star studded than 'I'm a celebrity Get Me Out of Here'. Excellence guaranteed. BPThis signed print is hanging up in Gary's ShOffice (that's a shed come Sideburn head office)