The Flat Track thread

[DogBoy]

Danial Kalal's XR vs. RS thread reminded me to start a flat track thread for this season. I used to love going to the Sacramento Mile and really enjoyed watching the championship when ESPN2 used to cover the races. I'm making an effort to pay more attention this year. I know Danial Kalal, Stromgal and Tom (Playinthestreet) are rabid fans. Anyone else? Is the AMA Flat Track page the best place to get info?


I'd like to recomend that race fans attend a short track or TT event near them. It doesn't have to be an AMA national, the local dirt track will have exciting racing all night most every weekend this summer. Tom and I hit the Lodi Cycle Bowl for their last TT race of the season last fall. Fantastic racing all night in a low key atmosphere. I got in for $5 since I rode my bike. Seeing a whole pack of racers on the edge of traction for an entire race is too thrilling to describe.

[Jeff N]

Flat track racing is some of the best stuff you'll ever see.

And of course, I've a pic.

[Scratch33]

Went to see the annual Barbara Fritchie Classic flat track races in Frederick, MD last year.  Real fun.

[Jeff N]

Bad asses, all of them.

[Jeff N]

I mean really, could you ride such a thing?

[UPNET]

Yikes!!!! Wasn't that KR's TZ based.... Run only once at the Indy mile... then banned? Wonder where that bike is today??

[Playinthestreet]

If you're ever travelling thru St Louis stop at Donelson's on St Charles Rock Road.  The 750 BSA triple ridden by Jim Rice is there, Gene Romero's Yamaha, the 750 Triumph which is the last Brit  bike to win an AMA national, Terry Poovey's Santa Fe winning Bultaco, etc, etc.....

Only 2 miles on the schedule this year, Mem Day and Labor Day at Springfield.  Hope to get there for Labor Day...

Babe DeMay (Memphis Shades) has been working with what started as a Yamaha Vision motor for a couple of years.  Perhaps they'll get that in the main events this year.  3 good riders, Johnson, Varnes and Schnabel are riding for Suzuki.  Tough to beat those XR-750s on the mile but the Aprilla and TL based Suzuki bikes have been making the mains.

[stk0308]

If you're ever travelling thru St Louis stop at Donelson's on St Charles Rock Road.  The 750 BSA triple ridden by Jim Rice is there, Gene Romero's Yamaha, the 750 Triumph which is the last Brit  bike to win an AMA national, Terry Poovey's Santa Fe winning Bultaco, etc, etc.....

They've also got a Nicky Hayden CRF450, and a Mark Brelsford XR750.  And on the streetbike side, a 1987 Norton Classic Rotary.

Babe DeMay (Memphis Shades) has been working with what started as a Yamaha Vision motor for a couple of years.  Perhaps they'll get that in the main events this year.  3 good riders, Johnson, Varnes and Schnabel are riding for Suzuki.  Tough to beat those XR-750s on the mile but the Aprilla and TL based Suzuki bikes have been making the mains.

The TLs and Ape are having the same problem, I suspect.  To much power for the 1970s tech tires.

Oh, and don't forget the Hinkley Bonnie out of GA, I think, that's been trying to make nationals since atleast last year.

[stk0308]

Yikes!!!! Wasn't that KR's TZ based.... Run only once at the Indy mile... then banned? Wonder where that bike is today??

It won only once, true.  But Kenny wasn't the only one to be running a TZ flat tracker.  He's the only one to get it fairly tamed.  There were also Suzuki and Kawasaki 750 2-stroke triples on the dirt back then.  Kenny and Kel were insturmental in getting the monster 2 strokes banned because they knew it was a deadly deal if left alone.

Rumor has it the KR TZ was found, renovated, and verified by Kenny and Kel, about 2-3 years ago.

[Jeff N]

It won only once, true.  But Kenny wasn't the only one to be running a TZ flat tracker.  He's the only one to get it fairly tamed.  There were also Suzuki and Kawasaki 750 2-stroke triples on the dirt back then.  Kenny and Kel were insturmental in getting the monster 2 strokes banned because they knew it was a deadly deal if left alone.

Rumor has it the KR TZ was found, renovated, and verified by Kenny and Kel, about 2-3 years ago.

As far as I know, you're correct on all accounts. The bike does still exist. It's in a storage somewhere, and yes, Kenny did suggest to the AMA that it would be a good idea to ban it.

According to the Barry Coleman biography of Kenny Roberts (of which I have a copy that I'm never giving up ), Kenny was the one to suggest to the AMA that they ban it. He understood that once he won a final on it others would gravitate to it and soon everyone who had the skills would learn to ride it and soon afterwards the great spectacle of American flat-track racing would see 20 racers screaming around on Yamaha strokers. The salient point being? Kenny saw the need for variety in racing. His career up to the present day seems to bear that philosophy out, don't ya think? I mean Christ, he's got Honda practically begging him to stay in MotoGP just so they have some some spice in their competitors, though what they think of Ducati is another matter. On that last point, I think Soichiro is smiling.

[katrider]

A friend of mine here at work is talking me into making a trip down to Castle Rock, WA. this year...

http://www.mshmc.org/

might be fun.

[Jeff N]

I miss the San Jose Mile.

There's a 1/4 mile track in Chico, Silver Dollar Speedway, that is so low key they don't even have a website (shock horror! ). The only linkage for any info is through Placerville's sprint car site. Sprint cars are cool, but I wanna see flat track bikes. I'll have to give them a call.

[heinee]

Some of the best amateur racing, not to mention the place that kicked off the careers of some illustrious alumni, such as Kenny Roberts, Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Doug Chandler, Randy Mamola and current European Superstock champion Kenny Noyes  http://www.lodicyclebowl.com/  

They used to hold an annual event called the 100cc TT Nationals. Chris Carr used to be a regular and the Bostrom brothers used to come out as well, riding XR100's on the TT course. Even got to share some JD after the races once with Mr.Carr ...aahh, memories

[DogBoy]

Tom and I saw the 100cc TT National at Lodi last fall. This one kid just cleaned up. Lapped the field up to fourth or fifth place pulling off un-fooking-believeable pass after pass.  

[heinee]

Tom and I saw the 100cc TT National at Lodi last fall. This one kid just cleaned up. Lapped the field up to fourth or fifth place pulling off un-fooking-believeable pass after pass.  

We need to make sure we plan on attending this year. The Lodi Cycle Bowl is celebrating their 70th anniversary on the weekend of 10/13-14 ...100cc National on Sat    

[Jeff N]

Googling around I found this site. http://www.vft.org/

It's a link-o-rama of gearhead stuff.

[DogBoy]

I miss the San Jose Mile.

There's a 1/4 mile track in Chico, Silver Dollar Speedway, that is so low key they don't even have a website (shock horror! ). The only linkage for any info is through Placerville's sprint car site. Sprint cars are cool, but I wanna see flat track bikes. I'll have to give them a call.

Jeff we have an extra room and some garage space for a bike. If it works with your schedule, we'll get a pack together for one of the TT nights at Lodi.

[Gaolee]

I heard about a flattrack school somewhere.  Anybody know anything about it?  Flattrack looks like way too much fear and loathing not to try it.

[stromgal]

I'm hoping to catch the Joliet Half-Mile and the Springfield Mile this season. Being a Strommer, I like cheering on those Zook twins. 

Wonder if the Lodi or Sacto tracks will be running anything when I'm out there in early June?

[stromgal]

I heard about a flattrack school somewhere.  Anybody know anything about it?  Flattrack looks like way too much fear and loathing not to try it.

http://www.americansupercamp.com/