Jamie Hacking on a Superbike
Ben Spies on anything
But we will likely see some good racing . . .
. . . and surfboards in south-central Virginia
Can't wait!
11 August 2009
Scenes from last year: V.I.R.
AMA Pro Racing visits Virginia International Raceway again this weekend. With the Daytona SportBike championship coming down to the wire and Mat Mladin (presumably?) in a mood to dominate, it promises to be a good racing weekend. I'll kick things off with some photos from last year, starting with a couple things we won't see this year.
Jamie Hacking on a Superbike
Ben Spies on anything
But we will likely see some good racing . . .
. . . and surfboards in south-central Virginia
Can't wait!
Jamie Hacking on a Superbike
Ben Spies on anything
But we will likely see some good racing . . .
. . . and surfboards in south-central Virginia
Can't wait!
03 August 2009
WERA National @ Summit Point
While the AMA series was in Kansas experiencing the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a "new" circuit on their calendar, I was working Round 7 of the WERA National Endurance & Challenge series at the familiar Summit Point Raceway in West Virginia.
My weekend started on Saturday with the 6-Hour endurance race. Based on my informal observations, entrant turnout was low, certainly lower than last year. This is the entire field for the 6-Hour:
It probably won't come as a surprise to anyone that follows WERA National Endurance that Vesrah Suzuki won. Tray Batey and Cory West handled the riding duties.
But it was a close race, with BEI Racing Team (#72) enlisting fast guys Jeff Wood, Robert Jensen, and Tim Bemisderfer to give Vesrah a real run for the overall win. It almost worked; after 6 hours Vesrah's winning margin was 26 seconds. Here Robert Jensen hounds Vesrah's Tray Batey:
Sunday was for sprint races but they didn't figure to be all that quick given the steady rain that fell throughout the morning. As it happened, the rain stopped falling, the skies gradually cleared, and only the first few races were run on a wet track.
AMA @ VIR up next!
My weekend started on Saturday with the 6-Hour endurance race. Based on my informal observations, entrant turnout was low, certainly lower than last year. This is the entire field for the 6-Hour:
It probably won't come as a surprise to anyone that follows WERA National Endurance that Vesrah Suzuki won. Tray Batey and Cory West handled the riding duties.
But it was a close race, with BEI Racing Team (#72) enlisting fast guys Jeff Wood, Robert Jensen, and Tim Bemisderfer to give Vesrah a real run for the overall win. It almost worked; after 6 hours Vesrah's winning margin was 26 seconds. Here Robert Jensen hounds Vesrah's Tray Batey:
Sunday was for sprint races but they didn't figure to be all that quick given the steady rain that fell throughout the morning. As it happened, the rain stopped falling, the skies gradually cleared, and only the first few races were run on a wet track.
AMA @ VIR up next!
27 July 2009
Hagerstown 2009
Another Hagerstown National is in the books. Jake Johnson won the GNC Twins Main event, rain-shortened as it was, over Ken Coolbeth and Sam Halbert. Brad Baker won the Pro Singles Main.
Damn. Next they’ll tell me I can’t run the blender in the bath.
Lloyd Bros. Ducati
Ready to Race
Not ready to race
Unfortunately rain and track-prep delays meant there were no bikes on track during the “golden hour,” the early evening period of low and warm sunlight that usually illuminates practice and qualifying at flat track events. By the time bikes rolled onto the track Saturday evening the sun was gone for the night.
Jake Johnson’s brake works
Brad Baker (17M) leads his heat
Sam Halbert (43) leads Jared Mees (21) in their heat
Sideburn Magazine fans. In the tswphoto blog is as good as in the magazine, right girls? Right?
14 July 2009
09 July 2009
US(Moto)GP from Laguna Seca
What a difference a week makes . . .
The previous Saturday I was at the Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio, enjoying the golden late-afternoon light and the familial, Midwestern flat-track scene. By the following Friday morning I was moving into the media center at Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, California, soaking in the chorus of different languages being spoken excitedly all around and preparing to cover Round 8 of the MotoGP World Championship.
Practice
Race
The previous Saturday I was at the Allen County Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio, enjoying the golden late-afternoon light and the familial, Midwestern flat-track scene. By the following Friday morning I was moving into the media center at Laguna Seca Raceway near Monterey, California, soaking in the chorus of different languages being spoken excitedly all around and preparing to cover Round 8 of the MotoGP World Championship.
Practice
Race
29 June 2009
Last Saturday in June: Lima, Ohio
The Allen County Fairgrounds on the east side of Lima, Ohio, are host to the longest continuously running event on the AMA Pro Flat Track schedule. I know this because the PA announcer said so and I was there to hear it--my first trip to the half-mile cushion.
This guy had been there before, however.
As had this guy, last year's winner, Slammin' Sammy Halbert. Think he's wide open?
Classic high-low, over-under cushion track racing: Nichole Cheza was robbed of a trip to the Main by a flat tire two laps from the end of the Semi.
Many, including me, miss the single-cylinder framers, but the racing doesn't seem to suffer in their absence.
Next up: Laguna!
This guy had been there before, however.
As had this guy, last year's winner, Slammin' Sammy Halbert. Think he's wide open?
Classic high-low, over-under cushion track racing: Nichole Cheza was robbed of a trip to the Main by a flat tire two laps from the end of the Semi.
Many, including me, miss the single-cylinder framers, but the racing doesn't seem to suffer in their absence.
Next up: Laguna!
01 June 2009
Memories are made of this
The last two weekends sent me back in time a bit. First was a couple days at Summit Point Raceway for the annual Memorial Day weekend Summit Point Cyclefest, featuring CCS and ASRA club racing. And this past weekend offered a chance to take my 4.5-year-old son Jack to 75-80 Dragway in Monrovia, MD, for an evening of (very) amateur drag racing. Both venues were the setting for some of my earliest gearhead memories.
Although Jack wasn't with me this Memorial Day weekend, he has been to Summit Point before and every time I'm there reminds me of my first visits with my dad. I vividly remember a Roush Trans-Am Mustang on jackstands, engine lit and rear wheels spinning--it seemed alive, and powerful. I also recall a Trans-Am car flipping over backwards as it crested the rise out of Turn 4 and flying into the trees. That was exciting (for the driver too!). As was the chaos brought on by a surprise downpour and slick-shod racecars slithering around searching for suddenly unavailable traction. These things leave an impression in a budding gearhead's mind.
These days Summit doesn't host professional racing series like Trans-Am, but it's still a popular stop for a number of car and motorcycle club racing organizations. Jeff Wood (leading, above) is a consummate club racer--get out front early, maintain a gap, don't take too many risks. Watching a fast guy like Wood amongst average weekend racers is eye-opening. Every movement broadcasts his talent, skill, and commitment.
* * *
Recently there was an article in the Washington Post about local racetracks. In a photo that ran with the story I thought I recognized 75-80 Dragway, but it couldn't be, I thought--it had been closed since '05, the owner intent on a housing development. A building ordinance change put paid to his plans however and the land wasn't developed, so this spring they've put the dragstrip back into operation. Jack and I visited Saturday evening.
Looking at the racecars--sorry, Jack, hot rods--as we walked through the staging lanes was like a case of deja vu, only now I was the Dad with the reassuring hand around the apprehensively offered hand of the boy. The noise was what had made him nervous, just as it did for me years ago. Hot rods are loud!
75-80 is an unassuming place. The grounds are modest in size and scope. We were free to wander freely and we did. The racing was strictly amateur, with many of the competing bikes and cars driven or ridden to the racetrack.
Jack had a blast. I figured he'd enjoy it but for how long would it stoke his preschooler attention span? Sometime after 10pm I decided enough was enough and we had to go home . . . I promised we'd go again. A good day out.
Although Jack wasn't with me this Memorial Day weekend, he has been to Summit Point before and every time I'm there reminds me of my first visits with my dad. I vividly remember a Roush Trans-Am Mustang on jackstands, engine lit and rear wheels spinning--it seemed alive, and powerful. I also recall a Trans-Am car flipping over backwards as it crested the rise out of Turn 4 and flying into the trees. That was exciting (for the driver too!). As was the chaos brought on by a surprise downpour and slick-shod racecars slithering around searching for suddenly unavailable traction. These things leave an impression in a budding gearhead's mind.
These days Summit doesn't host professional racing series like Trans-Am, but it's still a popular stop for a number of car and motorcycle club racing organizations. Jeff Wood (leading, above) is a consummate club racer--get out front early, maintain a gap, don't take too many risks. Watching a fast guy like Wood amongst average weekend racers is eye-opening. Every movement broadcasts his talent, skill, and commitment.
* * *
Recently there was an article in the Washington Post about local racetracks. In a photo that ran with the story I thought I recognized 75-80 Dragway, but it couldn't be, I thought--it had been closed since '05, the owner intent on a housing development. A building ordinance change put paid to his plans however and the land wasn't developed, so this spring they've put the dragstrip back into operation. Jack and I visited Saturday evening.
Looking at the racecars--sorry, Jack, hot rods--as we walked through the staging lanes was like a case of deja vu, only now I was the Dad with the reassuring hand around the apprehensively offered hand of the boy. The noise was what had made him nervous, just as it did for me years ago. Hot rods are loud!
75-80 is an unassuming place. The grounds are modest in size and scope. We were free to wander freely and we did. The racing was strictly amateur, with many of the competing bikes and cars driven or ridden to the racetrack.
Jack had a blast. I figured he'd enjoy it but for how long would it stoke his preschooler attention span? Sometime after 10pm I decided enough was enough and we had to go home . . . I promised we'd go again. A good day out.
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