Romero Rep Street Tracker

I have had these photos on my hard drive for years. The owner of this bike sent the photos, but I can't find the details. It's somewhere in the UK and damn neat. Sorry for my fecklessness, but the snaps are worth sharing. G

Sideburn 1 and 2 on UK eBay

This sale is nothing to do with us, but lots of people ask about them, so we're passing on the info. Go to UK eBay to bid.

Sideburn was launched in 2008. Issue 2 came out six months later.

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

WCFTS by Gene Romero at Vegas

This has sneaked up on me. Wild racing promoted by a legend, next weekend.
West Coast Flat Track Series. G

4 Years Old!

The Sideblog was 4 years old - yesterday! duh missed our own birthday. Championing zeroes and heroes past present and future. Thanks for riding with us. BPphoto by Dan Mahony taken at San Jose Mile 1974. Roger Crump #4, Gene Romero #3, Bob Sanders #5

Shit I Been Shot

Sideburn #9 has just been sent off to the printers so I thought I'd treat myself to a day off and some fresh air. I forgot how good it tastes. Took the boy and my new toy; an OM Flyer (26" wheels), to the excellent new downhill BMX track at Stockwood, Bristol. I only sustained one injury. It was worth it. BP NB I am an old man so I am allowed brakes.

It's looking good!

From Chris in Cambridgeshire...

Hi, I have been following and buying the magazine and website from the beginning. I am currently building a Street Tracker loosely inspired by Gene Romero's Flattracker. I attach a few photos of the present state of construction. It's looking good! Chris

3 Today!

BP

Vegas Indoor meet next weekend

Don't forget it's Gene Romero's Vegas race next weekend. Check out Sideburn's coverage of Vegas Flat Track 2010. G

Vegas

News from the our mate Randy K.

'This year the event is on concrete. Beats the hell outta that shitty dirt surface that he had to work with in the past.'

Get your carpet shoes ready.
Go here to see coverage of last January's West Coast Vegas race. It's a great mix of the best in the world (Jake Johnson, Sammy Halbert...), names from the past (Rick Hocking) and great amateurs and vintage racers. G

Six years old and obsessed with Gene Romero

Our mate Simon's boy Louis in his new Davida from Uncle Fiddy.

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)

Greaser Mike's new leathers

Who could forget Greaser Mike and his beautiful Champion Triumph (though this is his Trackmaster, hey Mike, how many bikes do you have?)? Well, he's ditched his horrible MX wear for some proper cowhide. A wise move. Even the committed vegetarians at Co-Built know it makes sense to wear leather. To finish the look Mike just needs to get some boots that fit under the leathers.
Good luck at the AMA Vintage races this weekend Mike. GI
Gene photo by Dan Mahony.

Lodi This weekend

Remember all our Vegas coverage back in January? Well Gene Romero's West Coast Flat Track Series rolls up to the legendary Lodi this Saturday night. This races attract beautiful classics and super rapid GNC stars (like Jake Johnson and the Halberts) on framers and DTX bikes chasing the dough-ray-me. You really should go. Please email us your photos if you go. GI

Burritto

With a 3 ton flywheel made of granite, it takes a lot of effort to get each new issue of Sideburn cranked over and started. With zero market research when we bolted #1 together, we weren't even sure if we'd have enough material or readership support to make it to #2. Gloriously we have both in abundance. The logistics of kitchen table publishing are draining, so it's always good to get the first commission under way with healthy fat blue spark.James Chappell will be illustrating another legend for SB#6; Gene 'Burritto' Romero. This is a still from On Any Sunday, of Romero's road racer in the pits. BP
Question: Any reason why Romero spelt Burritto with 2 'T's?

Vegas Short Track in GQ Italy

The story I went to Vegas for has appeared in GQ Italy and is on sale now.
Eight pages of Gene Romero Flat Track and my monthly column.
Go buy it! G
Vegas Short track photos by the Mighty Ramak Fazel

Vegas: Less than a week to go

I'm getting excited. I'll be the (only) one in the brown brogues. Come say hello. Chopper Dave and Jeff from Church of Choppers are going too. Maybe Jason from By Hand By Brain too.GI

Vegas: I'm coming!

Turns out someone wants to fly me to Vegas to cover the Gene Romero short track on Jan 8-9, 2010. My bag is already packed. Should I take my steel shoe and helmet?
Who else is going? Ivan? GI
Photo: Vegas practice 2009 by Troy at Chico Moto

Vegas

Who's going? G

Sideburn represented at Pomona 2

A few notes:
From Krumpledick...

Gene [Romero, organiser of the West Coast Flat Track series, that co-promoted Pomona] had a helluva few weeks leading up to that event. The Love Ride cancellation created a huge shitstorm. And as always, he prevails and pulls it off. The event ran nearly flawless, remarkable considering the unusual co-promotion with DMG.

The track was menacing. It tore up easily and although the equipment and prep crew was top notch, they only could manage a barely-raceable surface. But that slowed nobody down. Unlike the first two years, the stands were nearly at capacity - most remarkable considering the last minute Love Ride cancellation and all of the negativity that swirled around.

The sequence is from second practice at Pomona, Jimmy Sanchez, sponsored by Bud Riddle. Jimmy Sanchez's practice crash was grandiose. Fortunately, his stay in the hospital was quite short.
Bud wasn't very happy as Jimmy flew and Wayne Karcich brought along some tainted fuel and left it for Bud to deal with. Was a fantastic night. The highlight of the evening was Sammy Halbert. Sammy wasn't very fast in open practice, nor the heats. But once it came down to business, he found the setup... and just in time. Sidelined GP250 racer Stevie Bonsey went down, taking Halbert with him in turn 4. Bonsey retired, but Slamsonite remounted and started from the back row. At the drop of the flag he started what seemed to be the insurmountable peak. On lap 23 he battled up to third place. Given a couple of extra laps, my money was on him winning. Five laps, he likely would have won from last place.
And he did it all with a seriously mashed-up left leg. Heart, Big Heart.

Sammy's ride in the main was nothing short of remarkable. Bonsey took him out on lap two and on the re-start he just mowed through the pack, a solid third at the checkers. Five more laps and he could have won the thing.

The world's worst track food can be found at Pomona. $7.50 for a chili dog that was so gross, I still get a weak stomach as I think of it. All of the food was unfettered garbage.
The girls were better than average and that's saying something
Mikey Martin was the first WCFTS rider in history to win two championships. (Open class and TopGun 450 class).
John Kocinski had the trickest dirt track pits ever seen and he rode quite well on a pristine Rotax.

'Hey, you're on my shirt' Wayne K (whose Yamaha TT500 framer is in Sideburn 4) and Gene Romero).

Wayne K. An athlete. Look at the sweat rings on that Sideburn shirt. That's what you get racing at the front in Californian flat track races. Hey, it's pay day. Get your own Sideburn Gene shirt.