Pete and Laz

Pete and Laz
Yeah, Pete it's rough...but it's a runner.

Thursday, June 25, 2015

The Vintage Mile at Cal Expo ( Part One )


On the Sunday after the Saturday GNC Sac Mile race at Cal Expo....is the Amateur and Vintage Mile.
                               This is put on by the California Flat Track Association.


I have been wanting to attend one of these since they started doing them (someday hoping to participate in an amateur race myself) This year I got to see Gary Inman and Dimitri Coste participate. Here they are the night before in the open paddock after the Sac Mile main had just concluded. Gary is editor of Sideburn Magazine out of the UK. Dimitri is a French photographer and amateur racer , who keeps a bike in the states for races here, and has a bike in Europe for racing there.


The pic at the top is a screen shot I borrowed from Dimitri's Instagram...that is the bike known as 'OSFA' or 'One size fits all". It is a stock motored 1967 Triumph TR-6. The lower pic is a Yamaha 500 single cylinder loaner that Gary raced.


Got nostalgic when I saw the old Econoline Van. I've owned several of these and really regret selling the last one I had, which was the deluxe 'all window' version. This one was owned by 'One down, Four up', a clothing vendor. Entry to the races was only a tenner...same as parking. When I found out entry to the paddock and infield was only $20.00, I sprung for that as well. Have always wanted to view the racing from 'inside'. So for $40.00, I was way below what I paid just for general admittance the day before.


Even on the 'outside' you can get pretty close to the track at this vantage point. The day before at the GNC races there was a barrier to prevent access at this point.


Nice sign painting on the Econoline van


Gary with fellow racer and host.


The editors paddock...or pit...


Gary wrenching on his borrowed racer...


Dimitri's Triumph...he shared space with the Deus Ex Machina guys out of Los Angelos...


My finger is pointing that out...


'OSFA'


Dimitri and another Southern Cal racer with Deus, unfortunately I've misplaced his name...


The Triumph 500 tracker belonging to Julian of Deus....he also raced at the 'Mile' in Sac...


A trackside montage...nice to have a pass to the inside this race...


Rear view of 'OSFA'


Some competitors lining up for a heat race...


Julian posing for pics with his Triumph after the races were done.

It's looking like this is going to be a two part post....so this is a good place to end for now...and in the second part, lots of pics of the various machinery that took part...and if I persevere, possibly some videos....so check back.
























Sunday, June 21, 2015

DIRTQUAKEUS II IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW


Due to circumstances beyond my control I didn't make it to DirtquakeUS this year ...if you have an Instagram account you can go to the hashtag DQUSA and see what people that are participating are posting.

Been checking on Instagram, and it does look like I missed out on a good time...well, here's to next year. I might come back with a couple of borrowed pics to post here. 

Friday, June 12, 2015

Flattrackers...at the Sacramento Mile.GNC races Saturday


A better view of Sammy Halbert's new bike...a  Briggs Racing Kawasaki.




Sammy before the races, during the open paddock time, greeting and talking to his fans. He is really one of the nicest guys out there. Got myself a new T-shirt, with the old XR-750 on it, guess they haven't made up any Kawa ones yet. That's ok, I still like XR 750's.


I met Samantha and Dennis outside the race track, getting ready to go for some lunch. They drove all the way from Wyoming on their KTM 1190 Adventurer to see the Sacramento Mile.


This year the Mile race didn't coincide with the last day of the State Fair as it has in the past. So...didn't have to work through hordes of Fair goers to get to the track...and I don't think I missed getting any 'cotton candy' or 'deep-fried Mars Bars". Did miss the fireworks though...that's always fun.


From here on...in no particular order are scenes from the 'pits' or 'paddock'...
First up some Triumphs...I'll try to get back and attach racers names...but I'll have to look them up on the program..


Ducati


A stock Ducati Scrambler...after reading what Tim had to say about these at the 'Loveless' blog...I better stay out of the dealerships. So much lighter and powerful compared to a Triumph Bonneville...and cheaper too! At least in the UK.


A more front on shot of Sammy Halberts main bike...a Kawasaki twin.


XR 750 Harley Davidson


Kawasaki Twins


A KTM















view from the stands looking toward turns one and two. (or as Tim calls them, 'corners')


Looking from the stands back towards the paddock ( or as Yanks used to call them, 'pits')... a bit out of focus. In the distance is the ambulance that has just picked up Troy Bayless who unfortunately had a run in with the air fence and injured one of his legs. Fortunately, they do have air fencing.



Ran into these guys after the main was over and the 'Open Paddock' began...Gary Inman from Sideburn magazine...and French photographer and  motorcycle racer Dimitri Coste. That slightly snockered chubby dude in the middle, is myself... sporting my new Sammy Halbert T-shirt. They were here in Sacramento to watch the Sacramento Mile....and on Sunday:


They raced these bikes at the Vintage Mile, put on by CFTA (California Flat Track Association) The 1967 Triumph is Dimitri's ...Known as OSFA (one size fits all) . The Yamaha is a loaner Gary raced...but more on the Vintage Mile later.



Some times I think I have this blogger stuff figured out, but having troubles with video tranfers at the moment...so, this might be the point to go ahead and hit the publish button. I'll get back and try again on the vids. Next installment will be about the Vintage Mile on Sunday.