Speedway: 2022 Season

[6]

First practice:
Last year I missed the last race because the bike was backfiring and popping after it got hot. Jason guessed ignition, found a used one in Europe somewhere (big downfall to racing Speedway... no parts over here). Popped the new one in and hoped. I can't get it hot here at home, so I couldn't test it here .

Got to the track sat with my fingers crossed and...
Well... He was correct!!! Bike runs like a top.

First practice was sat and the bike ran well. Not going to lie.. The motor doesn't have the compression that it had when I first got it, it's getting a little tired but hey... Took me couple seasons before I learned to even get to full throttle out there. So...


Anyway, here is a fun practice video with a crash.. I didn't string together a whole lap all day sat. but I got some good corners strung together here and there and a couple good starts. No good laps but those are the second set of the season.

Oh.... Kristen was being followed around by a little kid. He decided he was going to be in my pit. I was the first Speedway bike out, so little dude was fascinated. Kept saying "that guys crazy, that guys crazy" so you can hear her talking to him while she films.

https://youtu.be/klNtINb8S6M

Bike runs great. Everything else is wrong with ht, but the bike runs great.


Sunday practice went way better. Got two laps strung together at the end of the day that where really good laps.. don't have them on vid. Just a picture going on the track and one going off because she didn't realize it was on photo not video.

I didn't have to do much more than breath the throttle for 8 corners. Hope first race I can still do that, because this may be the last practice.

Bike needs:
Oil drain stripped
Air filter fubared
Seat bracket
Massive oil leak from timing cover
Throttle sticking
Front tube leaking
Rear valve core leaking
Foot peg bent, bent...
Suspension bands cracked
Fender bolt missing
Rear fender cracked
Grips passed their useful prime

and that's just from memory. So bike runs well, everything else is wrong.


Speedway here we come...

[gh129]

Enjoyed the video thanks!
I tried a flat track school a couple of times it beat the crap out of me, good luck with the repairs!

[6]

Enjoyed the video thanks!
I tried a flat track school a couple of times it beat the crap out of me, good luck with the repairs!

Thank you sir. I'm doing them on a $0 budget.. so I need the luck.

Jason (track owner) is putting in a flat track track right next to this track.. hopefully he will have it open this summer. My mind keeps flashing to a flat track hawk.. it's a naughty thought, but it keeps popping up.
Mmmhmm.

If you are ever close stop in and check it out. Speedway is pretty wild.

[harpo]

Where is this track? Racing on dirt is some of the best fun. I used to race go-karts back in the 80's at Sugar Hill Speedway- Weare, NH (when it was as dirt track). I remember one night they had some crazy speedway motorcyclists from Canada show up to put on a show. Couldn't believe they put a metal shoe on to skid it off the ground.

[Fastmongrel]

Didn't know that Speedway was a thing in the US. It's not as big as it used to be in the UK but I remember going to the Manchester Belle Vue track in the 80s to watch the Aces when the crowds were 20,000 plus.

[6]

Where is this track? Racing on dirt is some of the best fun. I used to race go-karts back in the 80's at Sugar Hill Speedway- Weare, NH (when it was as dirt track). I remember one night they had some crazy speedway motorcyclists from Canada show up to put on a show. Couldn't believe they put a metal shoe on to skid it off the ground.

Ya, we have the metal boots. Kinda need it. I've went out without it, not good.....

I'm from NH. Weare is cool. We-are in weare.

May be back in NH soon.

But this track is in Owego NY. Probably 5 hours from Weare.

[nt650hawk]

the dirt looked too soft

[6]

the dirt looked too soft

It was! Good eye!

The low line was passable But the cussion was huge and low and dangerous.

Normally the cussion is rideable and up off the bank. You can get grip from it when it's not too deep by riding just the edge of it (Lenny McBride is a master of it). Makes another high line for someone with the balls and skill to run the outside when there is a battle going on down low you just want around.

There where not enough bikes out yet to push it up off the track far and it was the first practice so a LOT of dirt got churned up quick.

Issue with it is that it will suck you in if you hit it wrong and just pull you into the wall. Get in it passed the apex and the only move is lay it down because you are going skraight no matter what you do.

Sunday practice was better.. track was better, I rode better, but we didn't get any good video of it.

[6]

Didn't know that Speedway was a thing in the US. It's not as big as it used to be in the UK but I remember going to the Manchester Belle Vue track in the 80s to watch the Aces when the crowds were 20,000 plus.

It's kinda a thing in the us. We have two tracks in NY, apparently one in CO. and a few in California. I've heard rumors of Florida (perfect place for that sport) but I don't know.

A couple times a year we have guys from Europe come over for nationals and big races.

Our crowds are a couple 00's of the 20,000s but we do get a good and EXTREMELY loyal and mentally invested fans. We will fill the bleachers and have trucks parked all around the corners with people watching from the beds on a good night.

But every fan knows every rider and they absolutely love it. Lots of people will pay for pit passes just to be able to come by and talk races with the racers.

I'm not going to lie, when a 240lb man in camo with a beer and beard stops by to tell me what I should be doing different it's hard to keep a straight face... But at the same time at least people besides my friends and family care at all about my racing.. so that's cool.

Its a fun sport, a family sport, an exciting sport, a cheap sport, and one of the few forms of racing where skill will beat money 9 times out if 10.

[Fastmongrel]

I have been to Sweden and Poland for international meetings and both countries are nuts about the sport. I remember being told the Polish extraleague gets bigger average crowds than most Polish football league fixtures.

[6]

Alright. Here we go!

First race tonight. Ribbon up in two hours.

I have 0 pit crew. No one.... I'll be starting my own bike, somehow lubing the chains, while running, wheel spinning. Tightening bolts that come loose every heat, doing tire pressures, fueling, checking the bike over, managing my own gear, watching track conditions, did I mention starting my own bike... As in push starting it, in leathers, in a metal boot, a min before racing it....

This is going to be interesting. Speedway more than any racing I've done needs a crew, or at least a guy. Bike needs a lot of attention and work between races. Race's are sometimes almost back to back, and as physical as riding is, rider recovery is important. . .

But it is what it is! Wish me luck gents, Speedway 2022 here we go!!

[6]

IMG_20220514_180420.jpg
Found a kid to pit me...


Then the track needed a gate guy and stole him..

Thanks...

But I got the bike popped off and warmed up.


Then I broke the seat bracket..
IMG_20220514_185649.jpg

it's ok. I don't use it after the launch.

Normally I'm more prepared.. but I found out after last practice that I'm moving to NH so the bike hasn't been touched with the move starting.

[6]

Well.. last night went about how you would expect. Rested with the bike freshish I went out and lead heat 1, D1!! For three of four laps!!

Half way through the last lap the bike out of nowhere hooked up and bucked me. I did the arms out belly on the seat superman to a recovery and rolled in 2nd.

That was the highlight.

After than was a highside to a head slam...

After than tracked down Jason because I couldn't figure out why it kept gripping up and kicking me off . He told me it looked like my clutch was slipping then grabbing.. makes sense.

I didn't have time to rip it apart and clean it so I just cranked some more tension in the springs.

Next heat I gridded a row behind the pack incase I had issues I wouldn't hit anyone. Bike ran well. Finishing about as far behind as I started.

After than I really don't even remember.
.

Had another reach where I finished mid pack. Qualified for the lcq but at this point the bike was BEAT (no maintenance between heats) and so was I (no rest between heats) and on lap 2 I backed out if the pack and just rolled it in in last.

I lost to a lot of guys I usually beat and I'm pretty beat up but a bad night racing is still better than any night not racing.

Next time.... There is always next time..

Oh and no Video this week, there was no one to record...

May be nearing new helmet time again as well... That one left me dizzy..

[6]

Oh. I forgot the real highlight of the night. In the video where you can hear Kristen talking to a kid. That's a young (7-8-9 year?) black boy (I wouldn't mention the skin town of the kid if it where not relevant.. being black and young with white parents is a HARD thing to be up here. I believe he may have two dad's. Didn't ask). Not. Alot of people will help him, talk to him, befriend him. It's just how it is here still.

He came up to me at the start of racing and said "hey! There's my favorite racer!". Then asked me if I would watch him ride. Absolutely I said.. and I felt cool for the first time in a while...

It was his first day on a j.r. Speedway bike. He was riding a lil dirt bike last time. He rode well. He took and implemented advice very well . But was racing kids that raced last year that he just couldn't catch.

Spent most of the night in third, made the main (all the kids make the main, but he actually made it under the rules)... I was trying to get him to loosen up and use throttle and body core to get the bike to turn in. He was convinced with that data he was going to win... He didn't. You can't learn that in 4 laps. .

Kid came in crushed (third place is still a trophy so.... ) But he didn't cry, and didn't throw a fit. Came right over to my pit.

I was able to say "dude. I had a hard night too. Got beat by a lot of guys I beat.. it happens."

That didn't help I could tell.

Switched gears to "it sucks right?"

"Ya"

Do you like how you feel right now?"

"Hell no!" He says.. that made me chuckle.

"Ya, me either dude. It sucks! Failure fucking sucks! But do you know what it's great for? ..... Motivation. You don't want to feel like this next week? "

" no"

"Well the only way that will be fixed is if you use this as motivation to work harder and learn faster than them. It might not be next week, or the week after, but you work harder, you beat them. It's the only way... But there is a way."

The look in his face changed. He sat up a little straighter and just said "ok"

His dad thanked me for the pep talk.

By far that was the best part of the night. Maybe even the season . I'm 40, I'm racing's past. That right there is racing's future...

[gh129]

Rough outing, glad it ended on a better note.
Take care of that head!