American Motorcyclist September 2021

SEPTEMBER 2021

THE JOURNAL OF THE

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CONTE NTS

PERSPECTIVES

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Editorial Director Mitch Boehm

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FROM THE AMA PRESIDENT & CEO 8 AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman

AMA INSIDER 10 Contributing Editor Pete terHorst

BACKFIRES 11 Membership feedback on special July OAS issue

ASHES TO ASPHALT 12

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Hope was lost after a fire destroyed Eric Stahl’s Baggers race bike, until…

LIVEWIRE ONE DEBUTS 14 Harley-Davidson’s all-electric sub-brand leads the charge

COVER STORY: YELLOW PERIL 18 The real story of Kenny Roberts, Yamaha’s TZ750 ’Miler and the 1975 Indy Mile

42 ON THE COVER: KENNY ROBERTS, YELLOW PERIL

Easily the most notorious happening in dirt track history, and arguably a top-five event in all of motorcycling, Kenny Roberts’ performance on the legendary Yamaha TZ750 ’Miler at the 1975 Indy Mile is the stuff of legends. Inside, KR gives us a from-thesaddle report of what went down.

September 2021 Volume 75, Number 9 Published by the American Motorcyclist Association americanmotorcyclist.com 4

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STEEL SHOE STORIES 32 Compelling anecdotes of youngsters and pros from the flat track venues of America

LEFT TURN LADIES 42 A short history of the female struggle to race professionally

ROOKIES TO THE RESCUE 54 The Rookies of ’79 have helped countless racers in their time of need

EVENT CALENDAR 62 AMA-sanctioned rides, races and events you just can’t miss

FLASHBACK: ONE VERY WEIRD ’70S START 70 Experts weigh in on a curious image

COMMUNICATIONS

AMA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mitch Boehm Editorial Director Todd Westover Art Director Joy Burgess Managing Editor Kali Kotoski Editor-at-Large Chad Fulton Graphic Designer Gina Gaston Web Developer Pete terHorst Contributing Editor submissions@ama-cycle.org

Contact any member of the AMA Board of Directors at americanmotorcyclist.com/ama-board-of-directors

Steve Gotoski Director of Industry Relations and Business Memberships (951) 491-1910, sgotoski@ama-cycle.org Forrest Hayashi Advertising Manager (562) 766-9061, fhayashi@ama-cycle.org Lynette Cox Marketing Manager (614) 856-1900, ext. 1223, lcox@ama-cycle.org All trademarks used herein (unless otherwise noted) are owned by the AMA and may only be used with the express, written permission of the AMA. American Motorcyclist is the monthly publication of the American Motorcyclist Association, which represents motorcyclists nationwide.

For information on AMA membership benefits, call (800) AMA-JOIN or visit AmericanMotorcyclist.com. Manuscripts, photos, drawings and other editorial contributions must be accompanied by return postage.

No responsibility is assumed for loss or damage to unsolicited material.

Copyright© American Motorcyclist Association, 2021.

Russ Ehnes Chair Great Falls, Mont.

Gary Pontius Vice Chair Westfield, Ind. Byron Snider Assistant Treasurer Newbury Park, Calif.

Jerry Abboud Executive Committee Member Thornton, Colo.

Paul Vitrano Executive Committee Member Medina, Minn.

Brad Baumert Louisville, Ky. Robert Pearce Hub Brennan Amherst, Ohio E. Greenwhich, R.I. Tom Umphress Christopher Cox Jordan, Minn.

Florence, S.C. Faisel Zaman Mark Hosbach Franklin, Tenn.

Dallas, Texas

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Rob Dingman President/Chief Executive Officer James Holter Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wolens Chief Financial Officer Donna Perry Executive Assistant to President/CEO Danielle Smith Human Resources Manager/Assistant to COO

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RACING AND ORGANIZER SERVICES Mike Pelletier Director of Racing Bill Cumbow Director of International Competition Michael Burkeen Deputy Director of Racing Erek Kudla Off-Road Racing Manager Ken Saillant Track Racing Manager Joe Bromley Program Development Manager Alexandria Kovacs Program Manager Connie Fleming Supercross/FIM Coordinator Lakota Ashworth Racing Coordinator Olivia Davis Racing Coordinator Serena Van Dyke Recreational Riding Coordinator

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American Motorcyclist magazine (ISSN 0277-9358) is published monthly (12 issues) by the American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.

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PERSPECTIVES

MONSTERS INC.

By Mitch Boehm

E

verything seems to trigger someone these days, and so whenever the subject of the 1975 Indy Mile comes up, and it comes up a lot with us moto-oriented Baby Boomers, I immediately flash to that epic race and the motorcycle involved — Yamaha’s legendary TZ750.

My reaction stems largely from all the motorcycle magazines I gobbled up in the 1970s, all those race reports and tech pieces on the big TZ in Cycle and others (Cook Neilson and the late Gordon Jennings were my faves), but also because I’ve owned two of the things over the years — a restored-to-stock-byStephen-Wright 1976-spec C-model twinshocker and a later-model monoshocker with Toomey pipes, Lectrons, Morris Mags and a bunch of other hot-rod bits. A runner, in other words.

I’d also seen — and gotten up-closeand-personal with — a TZ at Michigan’s Grattan Raceway back in ’76 when I attended a club race with my sponsor and tuner Dale Dahlke, a roadrace mechanic who ran a small shop near my home called Cleveland Motorcycle Supply. Watching Bob Wakefield’s red and white TZ scream by in practice, and then walking up to the half-melted rear slick in the pits just after the session, left an indelible mark. I clearly remember thinking, “This thing's a monster!”

When I bought the twin-shocker it was way too perfect to ride, so it sat in my office for a few years. Which I absolutely loved. But after getting a chance to race ’70s privateer Kurt Lentz’s TZ at Daytona for a story called “Meeting The Monster” in Motorcyclist magazine back in 2006, I wanted more…so I sold it — stupidly — and bought the ’77-spec monoshocker

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(previously owned by Don Vesco) from long-time TZ afficionado Scott Guthrie.

I rode it and raced it a little and enjoyed it, but it was a hassle to keep running and parts were rare and expensive, so I eventually tired of the thrash and sold it to fund another project.

My mistake, of course, was selling the Stephen Wright-restored bike — as it was totally stock and, in that condition, extremely rare and special — just so I could ride and race a TZ in some vintage races. But hey, you make your decisions and you live with them.

I’ve looked on and off for a replacement for that twin-shocker, but stock-condition TZs are like hen’s teeth and have literally doubled in price in the last decade or so — and a $50,000 piece of living room furniture is just a teeny, tiny bit out of my range. The ’79 CBX I have in my home will have to suffice.

Still, riding and writing about Yamaha’s legendary TZ750 all these years has been an amazing experience, one I will savor for many years to come. I hope you enjoy the cover story.

Before I sign off, I’d like to dedicate this very racing-oriented issue to my good friend Steve Johnson, who passed away on June 9. Johnson worked with and won races and championships with the likes of Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Sir Phil Read, Brad Lackey, Jimmy Weinert, Jeff Ward, Scott Russell, Thomas Stevens, Doug Chandler and others, and was one of the nicest, most dedicated and talented men I have ever met. Godspeed, Steve. We are thinking of you.

Mitch Boehm is a long-time AMA member and Editorial Director of the AMA

FROM THE AMA PRESIDENT & CEO

THE AMA AND THE FIM

By Rob Dingman

I

The bottom line is this: The future is bright for AMA Supercross.

Feld Motorsports is a terrific promoter and the relationship between Feld and the AMA is stronger than ever.

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n June of this year, AMA Supercross Championship promoter Feld Motorsports, Inc., notified the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme that it would not be renewing its international sanctioning agreement.

This agreement, which made the series a world championship, had been in place for the last two decades and expired at the completion of the 2021 AMA Supercross season earlier this year.

As most loyal AMA Supercross fans are aware, the series had been dual sanctioned by both the AMA and the FIM since the 2003 season. This dual sanction made the series both the AMA’s National Supercross Championship as well as an FIM world championship. Early in this relationship, each Championship within the series was governed by its respective rulebook, which across the board were not harmonized.

On occasion, this resulted in the crowning of different champions within the same series, with an AMA National Supercross Champion being crowned by the AMA and a World Champion being crowned by the FIM. Needless to say, this created a great deal of confusion among the teams, sponsors and fans.

Early in my tenure as AMA President and CEO I insisted the series be governed by one rulebook. The AMA contract with the series promoter provided that the series would be governed by the AMA rulebook, but the AMA had allowed the FIM to impose its rules on the series. It was agreed that the FIM would be invited to provide input to the rules-making process, but the AMA would have final say over the rules and the series would be governed by the AMA rulebook.

The exception to this were rules that were specific to all FIM world championships, such as requirements for FIM licenses for certain officials and riders, and compliance with the FIM’s antidoping code. The FIM is bound through an affiliation with the International Olympic Committee to adhere to rules established by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

WADA’S penalties are based on the four-year cycle of the Olympics, and in my opinion aren’t appropriate for motorcycle racing. Their one-sizefits-all approach does not take into consideration the relatively short career span of most motorcycle racers. This has been compounded by the FIM’s welldocumented mismanagement of their own anti-doping program under the previous FIM administration.

The AMA entered into a new agreement with Feld Motorsports, Inc., in July of 2019 to continue sanctioning the AMA Supercross series through the 2034 season.

And since the AMA Supercross series had been governed by the AMA rulebook and had been operated by AMA officials even while dual sanctioned with the FIM, teams, sponsors and fans should see little difference in the series going forward.

One significant difference will be in the rules pertaining to anti-doping. We intend to work with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to develop a program that’s more appropriate to the sport.

It is important to point out, however, that USADA is also affiliated with WADA, as is the AMA as a member federation of the FIM. It remains to be seen how much latitude we will have to improve the rules. Since, however, the program will be completely administered here in the U.S., that alone will address some of the major shortcomings of the FIM’s anti-doping program.

The bottom line is this: The future is bright for AMA Supercross. Feld Motorsports is a terrific promoter and the relationship between Feld and the AMA is stronger than ever. Even though the series will no longer be designated as a world championship by the FIM, the AMA Supercross Championship is the world’s premiere Supercross series, and will continue to attract the most talented Supercross riders in the world.

Rob Dingman, a Charter Life Member, is president and CEO of the AMA

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AMA INSIDER

THE STRAIGHT STORY

By Pete terHorst

W

hen I was growing up my dad, a newspaper reporter, always stressed how important it was to get the full story before reporting the news. Or forming an opinion. “There’re always two sides to every story,” he’d say, “before you can get the straight story. And often more.”

I didn’t grow up to be a reporter, but that message is always running in the back of my head. (Full disclosure: Our company, SymPoint, has been handling media relations for the AMA since 2008.)

In the early 1990s, while I was running the Honda Rider Education Center in Alpharetta, Ga., I recall getting an AMA feedback postcard in the mail. I was also an MSF instructor at the time and knew full well the value of wearing helmets, so in a reflexive moment I bluntly scrawled, “Why the h_ll doesn’t the AMA get behind helmet laws? Your position makes no sense!” I mailed it, but did not expect an answer.

Imagine my surprise when I got a call from Eric Lundquist from the AMA’s legislative affairs office. Eric listened to my rationale — basically, “How bad can helmet laws be?” — and then calmly explained the AMA’s position on voluntary helmet use.

The essence of it went like this. Imagine 100 percent of riders wore DOT-approved helmets due to a national law. But riders

10 AmericanMotorcyclist.com

were still getting killed. Then imagine that safety officials, having discovered their fix was not the silver bullet they’d hoped for, would then require more…things like airbags or crash cages. Or make it unlawful to ride during high-risk times. Or in high-risk areas. Or on so-called “highrisk” motorcycles.

Eric said the AMA not only urged riders to wear helmets, but also sought measures to lower the chance of crashes occurring in the first place, like state-supported rider training and awareness campaigns.

I had to admit his logic made sense. And I heard my dad’s voice, chiding me for forming a half-baked opinion.

Nowadays, anyone with an internet connection can Google “Why did the AMA sell pro racing to DMG” and read the explanation for themselves.

I’m reminded of this because of an article I read in the July 13 issue of Cycle News by former Honda staffer (and a guy I respect) Keith Dowdle, titled Moriwaki MD250H: Triumphs and Tragedies. It was a heartfelt story about the tragic death of young Peter Lenz. But in the middle of the story, Dowdle wrote this: “But in 2008 the AMA inexplicably sold the rights to pro road racing to the Daytona Motorsports Group without any input from, or consideration for, the manufacturers. It was a move that left American road racing in shambles for many years to come.”

Come on Keith, you should know better! Same for his Editor, Kit Palmer, because Cycle News and other voices in racing — with the notable exception of John Ulrich — have been repeating this false and uninformed narrative for over a decade.

Nowadays, anyone with an internet connection can Google “Why did the AMA sell pro racing to DMG” and read

the explanation for themselves. There’s AMA CEO Rob Dingman’s 2008 press conference at Daytona announcing the sale. There’s a 2010 interview with Rob in Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology with more insights. Heck, AMA members could read all about it in an interview with Rob and then-AMA Board Chair Stan Simpson in the October 2009 issue of this magazine.

Bottom line, AMA exists to represent the best interests of its members, folks like you and me. People forget that. The AMA did not start AMA Pro Racing so that the manufacturers could sell sport bikes and make money at the expense of the AMA. But that’s exactly what was happening in 2008 when pro racing was hemorrhaging money. The AMA was even asked to budget for losses. What kind of sense does that make?

History shows that DMG made a mess of pro road racing. And the AMA could have washed its hands of the whole affair.

But instead, the AMA played a pivotal role getting DMG to sell its road racing assets to the KRAVE group, who launched the very successful MotoAmerica series.

But don’t take my word for it. In KRAVE’s 2014 announcement, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Legend Wayne Rainey, a principal there, wrote, “The AMA was instrumental in this deal coming together, serving as negotiator and mediator at all points of discussion.

We appreciate the efforts of Rob Dingman throughout the process.”

We are living in a time when it’s too easy to let off steam and fire off criticisms, posting them for thousands to read moments later. It’s hard to resist the urge, and none of us are perfect, I can attest.

But when that urge arises, remember… there’re always two sides to every story.

And often more.

Pete terHorst is a Media and Public Relations Consultant for the AMA

BACKFIRES

LETTER OF THE MONTH

50 Years of On Any Sunday

S

uperb job on the OAS anniversary issue! To give credit where due to an AMA Hall of Famer, on page 49 that’s E.W. “Pete” Colman handing an award to Bruce Brown, with Steve McQueen looking on. The award is likely from the Motorcycle Industry Council, which Colman headed twice during his 50-year career. He was a championship Speedway racer in the 1930s, service manager and racing boss at Western Triumph distributor Johnson Motors from the 1940s to the 1960s, and VP and racing czar of BSA-Triumph in the early 1970s. In his retirement Pete held court at Champion Kawasaki in Costa Mesa. Keep up the great work!

Lindsay Brooke | Plymouth, MI Thanks, Lindsay, for the assist on Pete! — Ed

Of SL70s and Sundays

on our 30-acre farm in Connersville, Ind., and even competed in a few hare scrambles. When I got my driver’s permit 18 months later I bought a new SL125 and gave the SL70 to my younger brother.

We took off the lights and he raced that thing in the under-100cc class for a couple more years. I found this picture of me getting “big air” on it off this dirt pile, and I hate to say this Mitch, but my shot kind of makes your picture in shorts, t-shirt and slip-ons in your driveway seem kinda wimpy! Of course, it didn’t stay that way for you very long, as we all know.

Richard Dennerline | AMA #565459 Looking stylish, Rich! — Ed.

Just read Mitch’s July column and found it interesting that he and I were living the same dream at about exactly the same time. I, too, got a new red Honda SL70 for Christmas in December 1970. I had just turned 14 and the SL was my first real motorcycle, replacing the Rupp I’d been riding. I rode it as often as I could

More OAS! Great issue about my favorite movie of all time. I’m just enough older than you, Mitch, so that I actually had (my first) motorcycle when OAS came to the big screen. Specifically, it came to the

Wescove Theater in West Covina, Calif., and my high school motorcycle buddies and I rode our gaggle of small Japanese bikes to the theater. My 175 CT-1, a couple 125 AT-1s, and a Kawasaki 100 or two all left the theater in a fit of enthusiasm I’m sure you and anyone else who had a similar OAS experience will remember well, whoops and wheelies all the way home! I often close my eyes while watching these days and am magically transported back to age 16 wearing an open-face helmet and blue jeans. These days really aren’t that much different except I dress much better (ATGATT) when riding my Husky 350 or KLR650. Thanks Bruce!

David Thom | AMA Charter Life Member

Forgiveness, Finally!

As a lifetime AMA member I never thought I’d reach the point that when American Motorcyclist arrived, I’d rarely even open it. Too much boring industry news and depressing political stories about losing more places to ride. But now the magazine is interesting again, and I look forward to seeing it in the mailbox.

Thanks, Mitch and Co! (And now, Mitch, I’ve finally forgiven you for running me into the dirt at the chicane at Daytona!)

Keith Cambell | Homer, GA Sorry, Keith! Was in a hurry to catch Gary Nixon that afternoon! — Ed.

Life-Saving Sundays Just read Joy’s Life-Saving Sunday column in the July issue and couldn’t agree more. I was so pleased to hear that motorcycles have had such a profound effect on her life, and it made me wonder how many other people are standing where she was and how a simple two- or three-wheeled machine could possibly change their lives. It also made me think of the old saying, “You don’t see motorcycles parked outside a psychiatrist’s office.” Thanks for sharing your story, Joy. Ride on!

Darrin Mleynek | Yale, IA

Letters to the editor are the opinions of the AMA members who write them. Inclusion here does not imply they reflect the positions of the AMA, its staff or board. Agree?

Disagree? Let us know. Send letters to submissions@ama-cycle.org; or mail to American Motorcyclist Association, 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147.

Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.

September 2021

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UP TO SPEED

ASHES TO ASPHALT After Eric Stahl’s King of the Baggers race bike was destroyed in a fire, fans and the industry pulled together to get him back on the grid

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By Kali Kotoski and Ron Brefka

Photo: Brian J. Nelson

hold of you,’” Stahl said. “When they told me they had a bike and mechanics ready to get it race-worthy, it was almost as shocking and emotional as the fire because we could still continue to race. [The King of the Baggers] is a short series and you have to make the best of it.”

Once the new bike arrived, the team worked feverishly with the support of House of Harley-Davidson to get it ready as the clock was ticking down to race day.

One by one they handled all the things needed to turn a bagger into a competitive race bike that could go head-to-head against the other Harleys and the lone Indian Challenger.

“Stahl and his team hit every bump in the road, but we are so proud we could help him finish the race,” said House of Harley-Davidson General Manager Tom Donnelly.

Crew Chief Travis Blasier of Blasier Performance Door County said the outpouring of support was “one hell of an experience.”

“From Eric’s rig burning while driving from California to actually competing…it has just been an amazing journey,” he said.

“This is what it’s like when the Harley-Davidson racing family comes together,” said Harley-Davidson Senior Public Relations Manager Paul James. “When we saw the news, we put our heads together to see what we could do.”

A true comeback story, there was so much emotion for Stahl — and the entire team — when he took the new bike out on the track at Road America. And despite a mechanical setback in practice that had the team working through the night again, he finished 8th in the June 13 race, which, given the circumstances is still an admirable finish in a race currently dominated by big-spending teams with professional racers and plentiful budgets.

“I couldn’t give up on account of my family,” Stahl said. “Getting to this level of racing is not easy with all the sacrifices we’ve made. For everybody that put in the time and the effort, they were counting on me and I had to keep pushing forward.”

Family. It’s a big part of what makes motorcycling so special. Because, really, in that larger sense, we are One Big One. Photo: Ron Brefka

A

s Jiffy Tune Racing’s Eric Stahl and his team were crossing the country and heading to Wisconsin’s Road America for the second race in the lauded MotoAmerica King of the Baggers series, tragedy struck.

En route, the truck and trailer hauling Stahl’s modified Harley-Davidson Electra Glide caught fire while on the interstate, the trailer bursting into flames and belching dark clouds of smoke. Soon the Dodge truck was also engulfed, with the keys to the trailer (which held the team’s tools) lost in the truck.

It was a total and devastating loss, leaving nothing but a crisp skeleton of iron, and it dashed any hope Stahl had as a privateer racer of beating the deeppocket OEM-backed teams and racers.

“When I first saw the fire, it was like a huge hole in my stomach…to see your life’s work gone in a fire is very heartbreaking,” Stahl told American Motorcyclist. “That one right there really pulled me down to my knees.”

Stahl had purchased the Electra Glide in March in preparation for the series and poured untold amounts of money and time into getting it race worthy, all while securing sponsorships to lessen the financial burden privateer racers face doing what they love.

But what should have been a season-ending accident turned into a rallying cry for the industry to come together and help Stahl and the team get back on the track.

First, Stahl shared the news on social media and it spread like wildfire. Then he set up a GoFundMe account, which raised $12,872 from 126 donors. A nice and generous sum for sure, but a far cry from the cost of a tricked-out performance bagger that conservatively runs between $20,000 and $80,000 depending on the modifications.

As the news spread and the outpouring of condolences flowed over, Wisconsin’s House of HarleyDavidson and The Motor Company reached out to him with a plan.

“I was getting a lot of calls and texts and was ready to head home. But I kept on getting this one call that I was ignoring because it was just all too much when someone told me ‘Hey, the MoCo is trying to get a

September 2021

13

UP TO SPEED

LIVEWIRE ONE DEBUTS Harley-Davidson’s all-electric sub-brand leads the charge

By Kali Kotoski

W

hen Harley-Davidson announced it was spinning off its halo electric motorcycle — the LiveWire — into its own dedicated subbrand, plenty of doomsayers came out saying what they always do.

Was the LiveWire technology and brand up for sale? What is the future of HarleyDavidson and electric vehicles, given this severing from the mothership? Some even predicted the death of its EV endeavors altogether given the secrecy surrounding the Motor Company’s “Hardwire” strategy.

But none of those fears seem to have been anything more than bar-room banter with the LiveWire ONE coming in with a 26 percent retail price reduction for a

One Rate

44 Terminals

model that is basically identical to the original. A more affordable Harley-Davidson is a pretty big deal, not to mention that it has revolutionary technology.

“As part of The Hardwire Strategy we made a commitment that Harley-Davidson would lead in electric. We recognized the pioneering spirit and brand value in LiveWire for our community and took the decision to evolve the original LiveWire motorcycle into a dedicated EV brand,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO of Harley-Davidson in a press release.

“Today’s LiveWire ONE builds on the DNA of Harley-Davidson but with the electric focus and ambition of the new LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson and LiveWire will continue to rewrite the motorcycle rulebook, and we are excited about this next chapter in our legacy,” Zeitz added.

Billed as the electric motorcycle built for the urban experience, with the power and range to take you beyond, the LiveWire ONE’s price comes in at $21,999, which puts it in reach of directly competing against Zero’s flagship all-electric model the SR/S. While the H-D LiveWire came in at a little under $30,000, throw in some federal electric vehicle credits and the LiveWire ONE price drops to below $20,000.

The motorcycle still has the same range (146 miles in urban setting on a full charge) and charging time (100 percent full battery in an hour, or 80 percent in 45 minutes). The press release claims that the LiveWire ONE has “evolved software and hardware” to reflect the new identity of the LiveWire brand, but the company has not released what evolved means and what it does.

More details of the future trajectory of Harley-Davidson-backed electric motorcycles will certainly be presented soon. But what we know so far is that you can preorder a LiveWire ONE at livewire. com for a $100 deposit and there are two color options (black and white) and two customizable packages. For those skeptical of placing an order online, LiveWire has 12 incoming LiveWire brand dealers in California, New York and Texas with additional locations planned for the fall.

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800.730.3151

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2021 Harley-Davidson LiveWire ONE

ON THE RADAR

Judges Kill Rule Allowing Year-Round E15 Fuel Sales

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he U.S. Court of Federal Appeals for the District of Columbia struck down a 2019 rule that allowed for the sale of a 15 percent ethanol gasoline blend during the summer months by concluding that the Trump-era waiver fell out of the administration’s legal www.mxbootrepair.com jurisdiction.

The American Motorcyclist Association joined the American Petroleum Institute, National Marine Manufacturers Association, BC_047460_DRI0416P.indd 1 1/11/16 7/28/16 Coalition of Fuel Marketers and CitizensAnthony's benefit logo.indd 1 Proud sponsor of Concerned about E15 in a lawsuit against the MotoAmerica ® Environmental Protection Agency citing that fuel blends containing more than the standard 10 percent ethanol sold during summer • Crash Damage Repair months violated the Clean Air Act and dam• Section & Zipper Replacement & Repair aged motorcycle engines and exhaust systems • Custom Lazer Engraving & Cutting The judges ruled that the EPA change to Leather Drop Off • Alteration, Cleaning & Dyeing allow for year-round E15 sales must be depenLocations at All dent on congressional approval, as the Clean MotoAmerica Races Authorized Repair Center for Dainese, Alpinestars, Air Act sets out clear regulations governing REV’IT, MITHOS, and SPIDI fuel volatility.

949-486-9000 • anthonysleatherworks.com “We’re happy to see the court rule against year-round sales of E15, which would have drastically increased the danger posed by this fuel to motorcyclists,” said the AMA’s Director of Government Relations Michael Sayre.

“This decision is a win, but it also raises the stakes in the long-running battle between the renewable and petrochemical industries.”

The AMA opposes further expansion of E15 fuel in the marketplace, as none of the estimated 22 million motorcycles and allterrain vehicles in use in the United States are approved by the EPA to operate on ethanol blends higher than 10 percent. Using higherethanol blends in those vehicles is illegal and may cause engine and fuel system damage and void the manufacturer’s warranty.

“We expect pro-ethanol members of Congress to introduce legislation to allow for the year-round sale of E15, and even now the EPA is considering regulatory changes to further weaken or eliminate the existing E15 warning label. The AMA will continue to be vigilant and advocate for safe fuels for our motorcycles,” Sayre said.

To stay up to date on the latest advocacy news, make sure you are subscribed to the AMA’s Action Alerts at americanmotorcyclist. com/subscribe-rights.

1-949-791-8009

3:13 3:04PM PM

Member deals and discounts! americanmotorcyclist.com

September 2021

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UP TO SPEED

BRITTANY YOUNG RECEIVES BESSIE STRINGFIELD AWARD Pro-motorcycling activist teams with B&O to help inner-city kids

By Staff

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Photo: Peter Stokus

rittany Young (right), recipient of the AMA’s 2021 Bessie Stringfield Award, accepted her award in early July at Baltimore’s B&O Railroad Museum from the AMA’s Director of Government Relations Michael Sayre (left). The B&O location was no accident, as it has agreed to partner with Young’s innovative B360 program, which aims to get kids off the streets and on dirt bikes by teaching them Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) via dirt bike technology and design. B&O is hoping to add more to the classrooms, garages, etc. to facilitate B360’s work in the future.

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RPM ACT: ALERT TO RACERS Stand up for your right to modify production-based bikes for competition

By Joy Burgess

Photo: Scott Hunter

F

lat track, road racing and land speed racing all have one thing in common — racers often take production-based bikes and modify them for competition. But what would happen if you could no longer transform that street bike into a flat tracker or modify it to challenge land speed records at Bonneville? It’d change motorcycle racing as we know it.

The Recognizing the Protection of Motorsports Act (RPM Act, H.R. 3281) has been reintroduced into the U.S. House of Representatives. What does that mean to you? The bipartisan RPM act would ensure that converting your street-legal motorcycle into a competition-only bike remains legal. The AMA supports this bill and its protections to keep amateur and professional racing enthusiasts competing.

Motorcyclists have a chance to have a voice and stand up for their right to modify production-based bikes for competition. Let your representative know that you support the RPM Act. Visit americanmotorcyclist.com/action-center for more information.

By Kenny Roberts, Mitch Boehm and Patrick Bodden

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t is without a doubt one of motorcycling’s most notorious and legendary happenings. And in the world of dirt track racing, America’s original contribution to world motorsport, it is undeniably the biggest, baddest story in the sport’s century-plus history.

It, of course, is “King Kenny” Roberts’ superhuman performance at the 1975 Indy Mile on the legendary Yamaha TZ750-powered dirt tracker, a motorcycle so powerful, so brutal and so potentially dangerous to human existence — not to mention Harley-Davidson’s all-conquering XR750 — that the AMA eventually banned it from competition.

YELLOW

PERIL The real story

of Kenny Roberts, Yamaha’s TZ750 ’Miler and the 1975

Photos by Dan Mahony

Indy Mile

It’s an AMA Hall of Fame freight train, with TZ750mounted Kenny Roberts leading the XR750s of Corky Keener (62) and Steve Morehead (42). It’s a sight the Milwaukee contingent would see very little of, as the AMA banned the TZ at the end of the 1975 season.

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he story of AMA Hall of Famer Roberts and the TZ750 dirt tracker at Indy is one of those culturalphenomenon tales that gets tossed around and regurgitated so often that it ends up taking on a life of its own. Everyone’s heard a version, but over time the facts lose their edge and the story gets muddled.

Luckily, there’s quite a bit more red meat here than simply the race reports, rememberances of folks that were there (or said they were), or Roberts’ oft-quoted quip after the race that, “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing.” Which he meant quite seriously.

Many moons ago, back when print magazines ensured that motorcycle enthuiasts would get both good information and good writing about their sport (regardless of whether you liked a particular magazine’s angle or tone), I asked my friend and threetime 500cc world champion Kenny Roberts to write a series of articles about his life and career, and do

so with racer, architect and Motorcyclist contributor Patrick Bodden — another old friend.

Kenny agreed, and the collaboration generated several year’s worth of insightful and insanely interesting features — 14 or 15 in all, I believe, and all from The Man himself — chronicling KR’s life, from childhood to retirement. Naturally, we called them the Roberts Chronicles, and they were a huge hit with Motorcyclist readers between 2003 and 2007.

The most popular piece by far, of course, was the one Roberts and Bodden wrote about the 1975 Indy Mile. No surprise, really, as that event, that particular motorcycle and Kenny’s performance on it that night has taken on

Built by joining a pair of TZ350 cylinders on a common crankcase, the TZ750 engine was a simple but brutally effective weapon, winning nine straight Daytona 200s between ’74 and ’82. Mated to a Champion frame, the brutality would continue.

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mythic proportions over the decades.

Roberts’ take on that race and the motorcycle he used to stage what is perhaps the wildest, last-to-first victory in history is supremely interesting for a whole lot of reasons, not the least of which is the fact that it’s his take on what happened between him, Jay Springsteen and Corky Keener that night. Roberts, who was just 23 years old at the time (let that sink in for a minute), was the only person in the world on that motorcycle that evening, so his words and descriptions carry significant heft.

“With a good 100 horsepower at the rear wheel there was no question the thing was going to be fast.”

KENNY ROBERTS

Between originally editing the piece for publication in 2004, proofing it several times during ship week and then re-reading it over the years for fun, I’ve probably read the Indy piece 25 times.

And every time it generates goosbumps and awe. That’s the sign of a truly great story, and great stories are meant to be retold, reconsidered and re-enjoyed.

And that’s why we’ve included it here, along with some commentary from Springer, Keener and Kenny himself.

Enjoy the time-capsule trip back to August of 1975, folks!

— Mitch Boehm

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The Race

Even today, people will walk up to me and say, “I was at the race” or “I was at the mile.” They don’t have to say anything more or explain what they mean. They know I’ll know exactly which race they’re talking about — the Indianapolis Mile in 1975 on the Yamaha TZ750-powered dirt track racer.

To be honest, I hadn’t been exactly enthused at the idea of building this thing, this overpowered dirttrack miler that used a 750cc four-cylinder twostroke engine from a 170-mph Yamaha roadracer. For one thing, there were only a limited number of mile races on the AMA schedule. I wanted to retain the number 1 plate I’d won the previous season, and thought we — Yamaha — should build a proper dirt track racer, which meant building it around an engine designed for the job — not the XS650 production-based engine we’d been using. But Yamaha wasn’t going to do that. They didn’t disapprove of the TZ project, but they didn’t provide any real support, either.

I guess you could say we were on our own, looking for a way we might be able to beat the Harleys, which did have proper dirt track engines and were constantly improving.

So at the time, I more or less said, “Go ahead and build it. I’ll ride it.”

The idea to build this TZ-powered ’tracker was actually Doug Schwerma’s. Doug was the owner of Champion Frames, which produced excellent dirt track racing frames, including some of those we had used on our XS650 racers. So Doug built the first TZ ’Miler for Rick Hocking. Hocking rode it at Ascot, which wasn’t an overwhelming success. But he demonstrated enough potential that several more were built: Terry Sage built one for Bud Aksland’s brother, Skip; Randy Cleek had one built; Yamaha Canada built one for Steve Baker. And Kel Carruthers built mine.

With a good 100 horsepower at the rear wheel there was no question the thing was going to be fast...on the

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straights, anyway. But all that fourcylinder, two-stroke roadracing power comes in with a big rush and it was going to be difficult for the rear wheel to put it to the ground. The bike was also fairly light, which only made the traction problems worse. Naturally, there was quite a bit of experimenting with tires, trying to find a combination that would work. At the time, the only good dirt track tires available to us were 4.0-inch x 19-inch Goodyear DT’s, which weren’t good enough for this bike. Eventually, we came up with a workable tire, 18-inch Goodyear roadracing tires with hand-cut treads.

In fact, these tires worked so well that they became the basis for the tires that are used today. [True at the time, but things have evolved tire-wise on the professional circuit — Ed.] As for modifications to the engine — to try to get the rear wheel to hook up in the turns — there weren’t any, really. I did have Kel fit a kill switch directly into the grip that would cut the ignition on the number-three cylinder. I would push it on going into the turns, and then let it off when I felt the time was right. Trouble is, there would then be an instantaneous extra 33 horsepower delivered to the rear wheel. Basically, regardless of what we tried, the thing just wanted to spin the rear tire everywhere and go

“What became immediately clear to me was that someone was going to die riding such a bike... or cause someone else to die. I wasn’t interested in either option.”

KENNY ROBERTS

sideways. When it did hook up it was fast — like 145-150 mph fast down the straights, a good 25 mph faster than the Harleys, maybe more!

The first time I ever even sat on the TZ750 dirt track racer was before practice for the Mile at Indy. Practice was exciting, to say the least. What became immediately clear to me was that someone was going to die riding such a bike...or cause someone else to die. I wasn’t interested in either option, so I spent practice trying to figure out how to come to grips with this situation.

I was at the top of my game in those days, but I really had to wonder what I had gotten myself into.

The heat and semi races were no less exciting. When I managed to pass other riders going into a turn, they would often get past me coming out, and I had to ride like a madman down the straight to pass them back and put enough distance on them so that they couldn’t pass me again in the next turn. Basically, the TZ and I clawed our way to a 4th in the heat and in the semi we just barely transferred to the Main. Had I not figured out during the semi that I needed to shift up into 5th — instead of riding the entire track in 4th — I would never have made it to the Main. The big fun was about to begin. I would be starting from the last row and still didn’t really know how to get the bike around the track.

When the flag dropped for the Main the thing just about sat there, spinning the rear tire. I was dead last off the line. When I did finally get the bike launched I passed about 10 riders when I hit the straight for the first time. The next five laps were nothing but a blur.

Even at the time I wouldn’t have been able to say exactly what I was doing. I was just riding on pure instinct.

As the field spread out things became a little less crazy. I could experiment with different techniques. For the next 15 laps, lap after lap, I worked at finding a way to get the TZ to hook up. How fast in, how fast out of the turns; precisely where to position myself just before the apex. Use the

Roberts contemplates his mortality as a tech readies the TZ for battle, while Yamaha Canada’s Steve Baker (background) wonders about his chances aboard the ferocious two-stroke.

Roberts, surrounded and sideways on the spin-happy TZ750 ’Miler.

Yamaha’s Kel Carruthers fit Kenny’s TZ with an ignition-cut switch (for one cylinder) to help the thing hook up, though when released, all 100-plus horsepower came alive in a rush.

kill switch, don’t use the kill switch; throttle position in each case. There were a lot of variables to get just right, and it required a lot more precision than you might think. Of course, the whole time, the tires were chunking, so there had to be a kind of conservative/aggressive approach to the whole deal and knowing when to be which, and under which circumstance.

No matter what, there was no way I could run in the same groove with the Harleys. I thought, “Different bike, different track.” So for lap after lap, I created my own track, building my own groove, pushing the dirt — the berm, the cushion — farther and farther out, making it bigger and more solid so I could get a decent drive off it. By then, I was way out there,

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far from the rest of the racing going on. When I say far, I mean far — all the way to the edge of the track. I was clipping the hay bales with the rear of the bike hard enough that the bike came in from the race with straw wedged into it and baling wire embedded in the exhaust pipes! Looking back on it, it was not the smartest thing I ever did. If I had ever seen Kenny Jr. or Kurtis doing such a thing, I would have tried to have the race stopped...or I would have just left so I wouldn’t have to watch something so crazy and dangerous.

Anyway, running my own race on my own track was paying off, and I finally settled into a pattern. But I had to hit every point on the track within 12 inches so that the bike was in the

groove, working as well as possible, and turning the fastest possible lap times. Lap after lap, I was passing rider after rider and moving forward.

Eventually, I came up on Gary Scott and Mert Lawwill who were battling for third entering a turn. Keep in mind, because of all the extra power I had, I was closing in on them into the same turn going at least 25 mph faster. Lawwill decided he could take Scott on the outside and swings out to pass him. Holy shit! I can’t pass Scott on the inside, because he’s right on the guardrail. I can’t pass Lawwill on the outside, because...well, because I just can’t turn the thing. But Lawwill swings just wide enough that I make the pass between him and Scott, completely sideways with no room to

spare between all of us. I really had no choice in the matter and it was really a question of a split-second educated guess that turned out to be correct.

But just how many times was I going to get away with guesses? And how many times were other riders going to get away with them as more TZs showed up? Just picture it…six, seven or eight of these things mixing it up with the Harleys, but going 25-30 mph faster on the straights and going into the turns. A rider would have to guess right each and every time to avoid disaster. Pitching it into a turn at 150 mph, you’re not going to stop. These things didn’t have any brakes to speak of. You’re not going to turn, as it’s already sliding sideways to scrub off speed. If someone changes his line and moves into your path, that’s it; you’re just going to hit him at full speed. As it was, I was lucky I had fit between Lawwill and Scott when I blew by them.

Then there was me, by myself, with my own line at the edge of the track.

Had I misjudged, jumped the berm and hit the hay bales, I would have cleared the concrete wall on the other side. No problem there; I would have just been pitched over the wall and into the catch fence designed to catch sprint cars, which meant it was heavy duty, which meant hitting it at speed would be like going through a cheese grater. And going through the narrow gap between the pairs of I-beam posts that held up the sections of fencing?

Well, I think you can imagine. Like I said, the whole thing was a surefire recipe for disaster.

So far, I had avoided disaster…by inches in some cases.

Five laps from the end of the race I could finally see the leaders, Jay Springsteen and Corky Keener.

They were racing each other down the straight, with Keener having the advantage on top speed. I started to think I hadn’t been riding my ass off and risking life and limb for nothing.

It looked like I was going to get 3rd, and I wasn’t sure I could do any better than that. But it wasn’t over yet.

Springsteen and Keener were so involved in racing each other that they hadn’t noticed I was coming up. Until three laps from the end, which is when Springsteen heard something and looked back as I was closing in. I’m sure he must have looked back several times during the race and seen no one.

This time was different. There I was, and coming up fast. Springsteen decided he had better signal Keener. So he pointed rearward with his thumb, then held up his finger to indicate number 1, which was me. Keener got it wrong.

He assumed Springsteen was indicating that no one was behind them and that he was going to win the race since he had the faster bike. The two of them continued racing as they had been, Keener thinking he could relax a bit. Bad idea.

“We were going back and forth, I didn’t see Kenny again until we crossed the startfinish, and he was going 20 or 30 mph faster than we were!”

Jay Springsteen

Going into the last turn, I closed right up on them. Coming out, I don’t know what happened, exactly. I shifted up into fifth and that thing got a drive like it had never gotten during the entire race. It was like God himself decided the TZ was going to get traction coming off that turn! I was doing my part, straining every muscle in my body as hard as I could to get the bike to hook up. When I nailed the throttle, the bike didn’t go sideways…it accelerated so hard and so straight that, for an instant, I thought I was going to hit Springsteen. But I didn’t, and just blasted past him, thinking, “Great, I’m gonna get second.” But I didn’t stop there. The next thing Keener saw was my yellow and black fuel tank, and he saw it too late. I mowed him down with that TZ750 racer and beat him to the finish line by inches.

The place went insane! I’ve never seen anything like it. Ever. It was complete chaos. The whole crowd was on its feet, everybody out of the bleachers, yelling and screaming and jumping around. Even people who weren’t there remember that race... and the comment I made afterward. I understood what had just taken place and I said, “They don’t pay me enough to ride that thing.”

It was spectacular. But it was just too crazy...really, really dangerous.

Even the AMA — an organization I didn’t often agree with — understood that. They knew that with more development the TZ750 dirt trackers would become missiles, and soon. And they understood that, even if they managed not to kill anybody in the process, they were for sure going to kill HarleyDavidson. The next year they were banned. You could say it was over before it ever got started.

Fine by me. Riding that TZ750 ’Miler was a hell of an experience, though, and I will always remember the race at Indy in 1975 as my most significant accomplishment on a dirt tracker. I’m just glad I lived to tell the story!

— Kenny Roberts with Patrick Bodden

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The AFTERMATH

Roberts talks about the crowd going “insane” in the aftermath of his dramatic, come-from-behind victory, and from what I’ve heard from folks who were there (industry folks, primarily), he wasn’t wrong. Despite the fact that a lot of dirt track fans rooted for the Harley-Davidson factory and the many privateers that ran its superb XR750s, Roberts — who was the reigning Grand National Champ, after all — was a fan favorite on his yellow Yamahas.

The TZ750’s wicked, high-pitched wail didn’t hurt the energy level at the racetrack, either. Few aural experiences in motorcycling can match the sound of a TZ750 at full snarl through its expansion chambers and narrow stingers. There’s simply nothing like it, and it’s a prime reason folks went berserk in 2009 when Roberts was reunited with the TZ at Indy — and even did a couple of laps on it.

After the race and in the years that have followed, both Keener and Springsteen have commented on how the race went down from their perspectives.

“On the front straight we made a bit of a show of it,” Keener told an interviewer, “for the fans. Springer and I were messing around, pinching each other on the leg as we passed one another, that sort of thing, but we were racing hard and going for the win.

When Roberts passed me at the flag I thought it was Jay at first. I was thinking, ‘Man, that’s a stubborn SOB… couldn’t even let me have this win!’ I didn’t know it was Roberts until I saw Jay pull up next to me.”

Still, Keener hasn’t let the oft-asked question of “how he let Kenny Roberts by at Indy?” get to him. “How many guys can say that even in a loss they are talked about that much?” Keener told journalist Scott Rousseau. “That’s one of the times where everybody remembers who got second!”

At his AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame induction ceremony in De-

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“I shifted up into fifth and that thing got a drive like it had never gotten during the entire race. It was like God himself decided the TZ was going to get traction coming off that turn!”

KENNY ROBERTS

As this Dan Mahony photo shows, Roberts’ best method for getting the TZ ’Miler around a Mile or Half-Mile oval at competitive speeds was to stay high, out in the loose stuff and up against the straw bales, maintaining momentum and hoping the rear Goodyear would hook up.

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After his two-lap “demonstration” at the 2009 Indy Mile (where he looked more like a current competitor than a retired AMA Hall of Famer), Roberts celebrated with Valentino Rossi, Kel Carruthers, and announcer Scottie Duebler.

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Photos by Brian J. Nelson

cember of 2018, Keener added this: “Kenny Roberts was on that scary four-cylinder thing at Indy…and I’d like to thank him for making me the best-known second-place finisher in history!” Nice.

Springsteen saw it this way in an interview from 2018. “Me and Corky [Keener] were going at it up front for the lead, and I remember looking back at one point and saw that we had a pretty good gap on [Roberts], but I was trying to tell Corky that number one — meaning Kenny — was coming.”

“We were going back and forth,” Springsteen continued, “and I didn’t see Kenny again until we crossed start-finish, and he was going 20 or 30 mph faster than we were! He was back there just far enough that we didn’t hear him. To this day, Corky says he never knew Roberts was back there.

Corky and I were exchanging hand signals during the race, but Corky was probably thinking that we were just flipping each other off, which we did a lot in those days! [Laughs] I remember telling Kenny later that it was me who made him so famous that day!”

— Mitch Boehm

The reunion

“I’m just hoping it’ll come back to me,” he said with a laugh as Carruthers and Edwards looked on humorously, “cuz if it don’t, there’ll be a yellow speck down in turn one, probably.”

KENNY ROBERTS

Nearly 35 years after the fact at the 2009 Indy Mile, Yamaha helped reunite Roberts with the exact machine he rode on that amazing night back in 1975, which had been rebuilt and restored by the late racing historian, author and restoration guru Stephen Wright. It was one of those grand racing weekends, the crowd larger than usual thanks to the MotoGP circus happening at the Speedway, and several MotoGP heroes in attendance, including Valentino Rossi, Colin Edwards and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Kel Carruthers.

“It’s pretty exciting being back here again,” Carruthers said during the evening’s festitivites. “I mean, I’ve been looking after [Roberts] since he was about 18 years of age. So we’ve been together a long time.”

Roberts, who was to do a couple of demonstration laps during opening ceremonies, had mixed feelings about the evening and the ride.

“I’m just hoping it’ll come back to me,” he said with a laugh as Carruthers and Edwards looked on humorously, “cuz if it don’t, there’ll be a yellow September 2021

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When Roberts was re-inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame as a Legend in 2011, noted motorsports artist Tom Fritz was commissioned to paint something appropriate — which he did in just five days. Fritz’s painting of Roberts scattering straw at Indy is titled, appropriately, So Woefully Underpaid, prints of which are available from Fritz at fritzart.com, tom@ fritzart.com or by dialing 805.499.1639.

speck down in turn one, probably. I haven’t rode a motorcycle in a year,” he added, which caused Edwards to ask, “Really?” Roberts nodded, adding, “I’m either gonna make it or I ain’t gonna make it!”

Once darkness fell, Roberts suited up, climbed aboard the storied yellow beast and rolled out onto start-finish, revving the motor to the stops and sending that ear-splitting TZ750 shriek ricocheting off the grandstands — just as he’d done 34 years earlier.

What followed was pure, undistilled Kenny Leroy Roberts. America’s first world champion motorcycle racer

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pulled up to the start-finish, pinned the throttle and blasted off the line, the rear wheel spinning as it had in ’75 and the bike fishtailing luridly as he headed to turn one. Once there, Roberts pitched the thing into a big, nasty slide — without one bit of practice. There’s a reason the guy is a 3-time world champ. The crowd went nuts.

Immediately afterward, KR was clearly jacked up. “It came back to me!” he said just after pulling his helmet off. “I was a little bit nervous. Had my bone doctor on standby! [laughs] I didn’t practice before I rode it. I was going make a fool of myself, or make

it look like I knew what I was doing. I wanted to go faster. It was almost like being there in ’75. Very moving for me. Very cool.”

“I’m thrilled to death that the people enjoyed it,” he said a bit later. “Cuz basically, that’s what we do all this stuff for anyway. I won world championships, was the first American to win a 500 Grand Prix title, and the only guy to do it first year out. But when you think about your best individual rides, and I’ve said this before, I’d have to say mine was the Indy Mile on the TZ750. The thing had not been raced before. The fans obviously didn’t

know what they were in for. I spent a couple of laps in last. Worked my way up. Kept going wide as it didn’t like the groove. Kept going higher and wider.

During the last two laps the back wheel was just tapping the haybales. I thought I was gonna get third, and I got a drive, which I couldn’t believe. Two feet before the flag, I’m thinking, ‘I gonna win this thing!’ People were jumping out of the bleachers, the straightaway’s full of people screaming and yelling.

And the quote about them not paying me enough? I meant it!”

I spoke to KR for this story, and he had this to say about looking back at

what happened 46 years ago. “It’s still very cool,” he said, “to have folks come up to me and say, ‘Hey, I was at the mile.’ And we all know what that means. At the time, back in ’75, I didn’t think about it much. It was just another race. I put everything I had into that race, on every lap, just like always. But other than that unique motorcycle, it was just another race.”

Then I asked about the reunion in 2009. “It was great!” he said. “The modern Dunlop race tire hooked up so well that night, something that never happened back in ’75! I got off that thing and thought that if we’d been

able to develop proper tires for that thing in ’76 and ’77 and develop the bike some more, we’d have won every Mile on the schedule. Harley would never have seen where we went!”

“It took a lot to win that night,” he added, “more than anyone realizes… pushing that cushion out, farther and farther every lap, being really precise, carrying momentum, all of it. It all came together. All my experience, and all that I learned from when I was 14 until 1975, was put into those 25 laps. It’s something that lives inside of me. It’s very special.”

Very special, indeed. — Mitch Boehm September 2021

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otorcycle racing, as we all know, is much more than wins and losses. The human element is — and always will be — the core element of competition, and nowhere is that more in play than in dirt track racing. With this issue focusing on some of the highlights of this so American sport, we wanted to take you behind the scenes and dig down into some of the less-obvious tales from this season, in the amateur ranks as well as the professional level. There’s good stuff here, so enjoy!

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Compelling anecdotes of youngsters and pros from the flat track venues of America Compiled by Joy Burgess Photos courtesy Jodi Johnson, Scott Hunter, Kristen Lassen and Tim Lester

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THE FIRST AFT Production Twins privateer Cameron Smith becomes the first African American to podium in American Flat Track history “

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I

t didn’t hit me until a couple days later,” Cameron Smith told American Motorcyclist when asked about his first career podium — and becoming the very first African American to podium in American Flat Track with his second-place finish at the OKC Mile on June 18.

“I don’t go to the track looking at the color of racers’ skin,” Cameron continued, “and when I got on the podium I wasn’t thinking that. A couple days later I realized, ‘Man, I think I’m the first one here!’ It feels great… like a big accomplishment.”

Indeed, it is.

Cameron’s been riding since the age of 5, but of course the journey toward that accomplishment hasn’t been easy.

“A friend of the babysitter got me into it,” he told us, “and that Christmas my dad got me a little Honda CRF50. I started racing that in Pennsylvania at all the local races.”

AmericanMotorcyclist.com

After winning championships during his younger years as an amateur, Cameron went pro and made his first Pro National in 2015 on a 650 Twin. Still, he was a typical privateer, running his show out of the back of a van.

Tough going, for sure.

“As a privateer,” he told us, “you don’t really have the funds to get high-quality bikes and wheels and all the good stuff that gives you an upper hand on race day. I didn’t have the fastest bike or the best suspension or fancy wheels, but I had what I needed to get by, and we made that work.”

During all his years of racing, even on a limited budget, Cameron credits his

parents for giving him what he needed to get by.

“My dad works me out every day,” he told us, “makes sure I’m doing what I need to do to be in the best shape for race day. My mom gets my race gear ready, makes sure we are organized. My dad and I work on the bikes and get them ready.”

“My parents have kept me going

mentally and physically,” he added.

“Without them helping, it’d be hard to keep seeing the vision. With them behind me and telling me positive things, even when I didn’t do well, it helps on the mental side and makes me want to hang in there for that next race or that extra lap.”

That second-place — and careerbest — finish at the OKC Mile made the struggle worth it. “After struggling for so many years trying to get there,” Cameron told us, “being third and getting knocked out, or being second and making a rookie move and going backwards off the podium… to get second was just…well, I was shell-shocked! I was so pumped I didn’t even know what to say.”

For others racing out of the back of vans or struggling for their first podium, Cameron had this to say: “Stay in there. I don’t think anyone has it easy in their racing career. It’s in the tough times you’ve gotta try harder, stick harder…and things will fall in line.”

Well-earned advice. Congrats, Cam Smith! — Joy Burgess

“I didn’t have the fastest bike or the best suspension or fancy wheels, but I had what I needed to get by, and we made that work.”

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From Crash to Dash AFT Singles rider Trevor Brunner comes back after a gnarly get-off

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urner Racing/Honda Racing’s Trevor Brunner (No. 21) started riding when he was in preschool. “We had show-and-tell in preschool,” he told American Motorcyclist, “and a friend brought in a picture of himself racing a PW50 at a local track. I started hounding my dad saying I wanted to race, so we went to Dirt Cheap Motorcycles and bought a 1992 PW50. Took me a week or so of riding the bike around the yard until

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my dad let me go to the races, and it was an addiction after that.”

Currently racing in the talent-packed American Flat Track Singles class, it’s Trevor’s second year racing at the national level. “I got my first win at Springfield in 2020,” he said, “and last year I was awarded the Rookie of the Year award.”

Trevor’s consistently been one to watch this year in the Singles class, a class so stacked that it’s anyone’s

guess who’ll win at any given race. At the OKC Mile he was fast all day. Fast in practice, fast in qualifying, and in his semi he grabbed the holeshot and was leading the pack when disaster hit.

“I’d stuck with the same line all day,” he remembered. “Nothing out of the ordinary. Did the same thing.

I picked my feet up to scoot back and get some traction, and I hit a slick spot. With my feet on the pegs, I was in limbo. I got sideways and

just held on for dear life. Suddenly, I caught traction and it shot me up on the inside berm, where I went for a heckuva ride, eventually going over the bars at speed.”

“I don’t really remember much,” he said. “Your mind kinda goes blank when those situations happen. I went back and watched the crash later, and thankfully it turned out the way it did… because it looked really scary.”

It did look scary. When Trevor

was taken to the hospital, everyone waited for the bad news…and then he showed up at the track the next day for the second OKC Mile!

“I couldn’t believe it,” AFT announcer and flat track historian Scottie Deubler said. “There he was at the track, standing there telling stories.”

“I was feeling a little beaten up… my pride more than anything,” Trevor said with a laugh. “But I was ready to prove myself again. When

I won my semi that second night, it felt nice to have that reassurance that I was still there to win.”

What’s he got planned for the rest of the season?

“Number one,” he laughed, “stay on two wheels. I’m on the rise, I’m getting up there, and my big goal is to stay consistent within the top five. Obviously, I’m pushing for wins, too, thanks to Turner Racing and Honda Racing U.S. powered

by Progressive.” — Joy Burgess

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The Privateer

AFT SuperTwins rider Bronson Bauman runs his own team on a shoestring budget

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t always looks peachy and creamy from the outside,” American Flat Track SuperTwins rider Bronson Bauman told American Motorcyclist about running his own team this year after spending two years on the Indian factory squad. But being a privateer in a class that requires thousands of dollars to buy in is tough.

“I knew going in how tough it was gonna be,” he said, “and I feel like I’ve had a string of very bad luck lately. As a privateer I have to source my own parts, pay for them, order them, plan travel, buy fuel, and still have enough money to get to the race.”

A big challenge for Bronson is getting parts, especially after he blew his Indian FTR750’s motor in May. “That week,” he said, “it felt like everything I owned or touched broke. I blew up my lawnmower that same week, too!

It’s all on my own dime, so when it comes to ordering parts I have to choose what’ll benefit me most.

When it comes to buying those gofast parts, I’ve got to pick and choose my battles.”

On the night he blew up his FTR, Bronson was racing an amateur race.

Most guys would have packed up and headed home in defeat. Not Bronson.

“Instead of packing up and leaving,” American Flat Track announcer and flat track historian Scottie Deubler said, “he came out and helped me announce, helped out with track prep…he just helped everyone. Such a good dude! He coulda loaded up and gone home, but he stuck around and helped out.”

“Honestly,” Bronson said, “I wanted to jump off the grandstands after that bad luck, but people came

up and had encouraging words for me: ‘Keep going!’ ‘You’ve got this!’ Flat track, that’s what it is, a family.”

What’s Bronson’s game plan for the rest of the season?

“It’s hard to say,” he replied.

“American Flat Track just released new rules that hinder what I’m doing this season. Some aren’t a big deal, but the new weight limit for wheels means the 43-pound wheels I bought at the beginning of the season are basically $4,000 boat anchors now. Little guys like myself just don’t have the bankroll to buy four new wheels.”

“I’m going to see what I can figure out for wheels, and that’ll play a big factor in how long I can keep racing.

I love this sport more than anything, and at the end of the day, it’s a small grassroots sport that really relies on the privateer.” — Joy Burgess

The Prodigy

12-year-old Riley Hacker races flat track for the first time…and wins!

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really didn’t want my daughter to race motorcycles,” former pro flat track racer Mike Hacker — who won four Grand Nationals and an 883 championship — told American Motorcyclist. “But when she got out on a dirt oval, it became obvious she had flat trackin’ in her blood.”

“My dad raced his whole life,” Riley told us, “and I was always at the track. I felt a love and passion for flat track, and I wanted to be like my dad.”

Riley raced for the very first time at a hometown race — put on by her dad and former pro flat tracker John Nickens — in Virginia, and she won her first main event.

“I love racing,” she said. “My favorite memory is winning my first Main and my dad riding on the back of my bike holding the checkered flag.”

She plans to keep racing, and her message to other girls is this: “Follow your dreams!

It doesn’t matter if people say it’s a boy’s sport, because girls can do anything boys can.”

Nicely put, Riley! — Joy Burgess

“

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The Freelancer AFT Singles phenom Morgen Mischler “goes Rotax” vs. national-class rivals at the famed Dairyland Classic — and wins for the first time on the bike

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ot everyone’s aware, but many pro flat trackers race more than just AFT Nationals. They also ride local and regional events for extra practice and extra cash — both of which are in short supply to most racers.

Beaver Dam, Wisconsin’s Morgen Mischler is one such pro. Morgen, who’s currently fifth in the 2021 AFT Singles championship, jumped on his cousin Dan’s Rotax-powered framer back on June 11 at the Sheboygan Fairgrounds oval and proceeded to win the AMA-sanctioned 2021 Dairyland Classic, one of the most prestigious dirt track events in the country (and his third win there), and did it with a severe case of strep throat.

“I was feeling lousy,” Morgen told American Motorcyclist, “but Dan’s framer is so

“I was thinking, ‘Chill, Max! Don’t take me out!’ The bike and I were grooving, and once I got past Henry [Wiles] I figured I’d be good, and I was.”

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cool, and the Jerry Wilhelmy Rotax motor so strong, that I just had to do it. The lineup that night looked like an AFT National, with guys like [Henry] Wiles and [Trevor] Brunner, Bronson [Bauman], [Max] Whale, Jesse [Janisch] and Cole [Zabala] entered.”

“I got a decent start in the Main,” he added, “and kept seeing Max’s orange fender in my peripheral vision. I was thinking, ‘Chill, Max! Don’t take me out!’ The bike and I were grooving, and once I got past Henry [Wiles] I figured I’d be good, and I was. At the flag I thought, ‘What sore throat?!’” [Laughs] “Our crowd loves great racing,” said promoter Bert Sumner, “but they love to see a local guy win the premier class most of all!”

— Mitch Boehm

The Twins

Six-year-old twins Ella and Jayden follow in Dad’s footsteps

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fter hitting a fence at 80 mph, former pro flat tracker John Nickens walked away from racing. But you can’t really get flat track out of your blood, so he and friend Mike Hacker (another former pro racer) decided they’d put on a race in Virginia.

“Pennsylvania produces all these fast riders, and there aren’t any riders coming out of Virginia,” John told

American Motorcyclist, “so our goal was to get kids off video games and on motorcycles.”

John’s six-year-old twins — Ella and Jayden — both raced at the event. Ella just took her training wheels off to race flat track, and her brother Jayden raced in the same class and won.

What do they love about flat track?

“I love going fast, sliding sideways, and traveling to meet new friends,” Jayden said. “I like riding with my daddy and brother, and I like getting trophies,” Ella chimed in.

We agree, John…fewer video games and more time on two wheels!

— Joy Burgess

Left Out

A behind-the-scenes look at flat track racing, live!

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ith hundreds of amateur and pro flat track events across the country, even the hardest-core flat track fans can’t hope to make them all. But there’s something new and happening in flat track…a group called Left Out that’s giving fans an inside — and live — look at what’s happening on the track and in the pits,

with race promoters across the country giving the guys involved a green light and a full access pass for an upclose-and-personal look at the grassroots sport.

Left Out is the brainchild of three guys who know a heckuva lot about flat track: Scottie Deubler, AMA Life Member, flat track historian, former flat tracker and current American Flat Track announcer; Sammy Sabedra, former racer and current mechanic for AFT Production Twins racer Ryan Varnes; and Chris Carter, former Director of Broadcasting at NASCAR International, former Broadcast Consultant and Producer for FansChoice, International Producer for Pro Moto, and producer of Off the Groove and Carr on 2 Wheels (with AMA Hall of Famer Chris Carr) podcasts.

Special thanks to Left Out for significantly contributing to the stories in this issue of American Motorcyclist.

Thanks, guys! — Joy Burgess You can follow Left Out on Instagram @leftoutllc and on Facebook @LeftOutLLC.

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Photos courtesy Dave Hoenig, Jodi Johnson, Scott Hunter and AMA archives

DIANE COX TAMMY KIRK

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TURN

LEFT

LAD

STEPHANIE LANE SHAYNA TEXTER BAUMAN

SANDRIANA SHIPMAN

A short history of the female struggle to race professionally, and the very speedy women who continue to carry the torch

By Joy Burgess

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his isn’t news, but women have laid down some serious tire tracks in the top tiers of professional motorcycle racing during the last several decades. Whether in dirt track, road racing, motocross, drag racing or land speed competition, badasses such as Shayna Texter Bauman, Shelina Moreda, Angelle Sampey, Ashley Fiolek, Erin Sills, Nichole Mees, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Sue Fish and many others have deep sixed the notion that women can’t compete for national class wins.

But it wasn’t always this way…

“Women have had to fight,” Red Bull/KTM factory rider and AFT competitor Shayna Texter Bauman told American Motorcyclist for this story, “and it’s awesome to see how far women in sports have come.” And it’s

ADIES CHARLOTTE KAINZ NICHOLE MEES

MOLLY TERRY

MICHELLE DISALVO

MORGAN MONROE September 2021

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racing is a violent world.” And that hasn’t changed.

Only five women have ever held National numbers in the sport (although a handful of others have earned their Pro license). Diane Cox led the way in flat track, becoming the first woman to compete as an AMA Expert, earn a spot in an AMA Grand National program, and advance to a Trophy Dash at an AMA Grand National. Through her racing career she had no fear as she took on the best flat trackers in the nation, competing against AMA Grand National Champion and Motorcycle Hall of Famer Gene Romero in a televised “Battle of the Sexes” event in ’77, then against defending AMA Grand National Champion and AMA Hall of Famer Jay Springsteen in ’78.

For Cox, being the first Expert — while it seems like a big deal in the history of flat track — wasn’t a major accomplishment. “It was fun,”

she told American Motorcyclist in 2019, “just something I did.”

TAMMY KIRK While women were making strides in the fight and right to race, Tammy Kirk was a little girl hanging out in her dad’s Bultaco shop. “I started racing when I was 9,” Tammy told American Motorcyclist, “and they’d always say, ‘We don’t have a class for the girls.’

My daddy would shame them into letting me race with the boys. I’d outrun them, and then they’d be really ticked off,” she laughed.

After motocross she started flat tracking. “I liked to go fast,” she said.

She broke her back in ’77, but came back to win the Novice championship in 1980. She continued working her way up, going Junior in ’81, Expert in ’82, and became the first woman to earn Grand National points in Knoxville, Tenn., eventually becoming the first woman to earn a National number in ’84.

TAMMY KIRK

truly been a fight.

Consider this: In late 1969, 18-yearold Debbi Selden applied for an AMA Pro Racing license and was denied.

This resulted in a court case, which Debbi won, and she was eventually issued a license. That same year, while women were still denied entry to the pits, Kitty Budris tuned the BSA carrying AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Don Castro to the Amateur final win at the Sante Fe Short Track National.

Or this: When Kerry Kleid showed up at an AMA Pro motocross national at Unadilla in 1971, she was denied the ability to race despite having an AMA Professional racing license. No one realized she was a woman until she came to the track. After receiving a recommendation from AMA Congressman Don Pink, Kleid received her Pro license.

This “[made] her one of the first women in the United States to be accepted into professional racing by a major motor sports sanctioning body,” said AM Magazine in a 1971 article titled “Women in the Pits and On the Track.”

Kerry was featured on the cover of that issue, and shortly after its release the AMA Competition Congress voted to allow qualified women to compete in all forms of AMA racing.

After that groundbreaking decision, women dove into motorcycle racing, blazing a trail in the ’70s for the women who’d come after them. Still, not a lot tried dirt track racing, especially in the Grand National series. Ripping around ovals at well over 100 mph, often bar-to-bar, is exceedingly dangerous, and as Bruce Brown says in On Any Sunday, “Professional motorcycle

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MICHELLE DISALVO Michelle Disalvo got her first bike for her ninth birthday. “I rode it every

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day,” she said, “and it broke about every three days. My dad said if I wanted to ride I had to work on it, too, so from then on I fixed my own bikes.”

Her dad, who raced flat track in the ’60s, took her to a race when she was 10, and that’s when she knew she wanted to race. “I knew, just from watching in the grandstands, I could beat everyone in the mini class,” she said with a laugh.

Just a couple years later she got the chance to meet Tammy Kirk. “I met Tammy at the San Jose Mile in the pits after the race,” Michelle told American Motorcyclist. “I was probably 13, and Tammy had a pink XR750. Someone introduced her to me and told her I was a flat tracker.”

“It didn’t seem like a big deal at the

MICHELLE

While Tammy talks about how tough it was wrangling her HarleyDavidson XR750 while weighing only 120 pounds, for her, the hardest part of contending at the national level was being poor.

“We didn’t have a lot of money,” she says. “My dad was my mechanic and we struggled keeping the bike running; it wouldn’t last the whole 25 laps. You had the heat race, semi, LCQ and by then the bike was worn out.

It was hard getting parts for Harleys from one race to another, and honestly, that was the reason I quit. I got tired of making races and not being able to finish.”

“I retired in ’89 – at Springfield – and moved on to car racing,” Still, motorcycles have always been her first love, and she’s continued to watch the women who came after her.

“I remember meeting Michelle Disalvo at San Jose,” she said, “and I raced with Shayna [Texter Bauman]’s daddy Randy, and I remember when she was a kid.

I’ve loved watching it all on TV…Shayna has done so well, and Nichole [Mees] did great, too. But I didn’t go back to the track myself for years. I knew if I did I’d want to do it again. I stayed away until they started having races at Dixie Speedway.”

“I still have the motorcycle I raced at Springfield,” she told us. “My XR750…I could probably race it tomorrow, and before my dad died, he wanted to hear it one more time.”

These days, Tammy owns a Honda dealership. “I love it,” she said. “I help the mechanics and work in parts and help work the front. It’s like a hobby, not a job. I just love motorcycles… always have!”

time,” she continued, “but to do what she did on the XR750, she was probably one of the best. I found out later when I briefly rode an XR750 how intense that class is.”

Michelle turned Expert in 1992, the fourth woman to compete at the AMA Expert level, then in 1999 she became the second woman to carry an AMA National Number, keeping National No. 97 from 1999 through 2002.

After earning her number Michelle headed to Daytona International Speedway to race, and she knew immediately she wanted to join the circuit. “The moment I was on the gas and banging bars at the Speedway I knew I intended to race the entire circuit, or get as far as I could,” she said.

Michelle went on to be the first woman to take a podium in the Grand National Series, and in 2000 became the first woman to win an AMA national title, taking the 883 Performance title in the AMA Hotshoe series at Zanesville, Ohio.

Throughout her entire racing career, she’s continued working on bikes,

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STEPHANIE

just as she did as a kid. “I have built everything I rode through the years,” Michelle said, “and I broke a lot of stuff before I learned how to keep it together. I tried to do it on my own, which only gets you to a certain point.

But I think that makes me better at what I do as a mechanic today.”

Today, Michelle wrenches for reigning SuperTwins champ Briar Bauman as the lead tech on the Indian Factory Team. After getting him to his first championship back in 2019, she sat the 2020 season out, but is back on the team for 2021.

“I’m really excited to be back on the Indian team,” she told us. “Dave [Zanotti] asked me if I wanted back on board, and the next thing I knew I was packing up and driving to Wisconsin.”

“All I can say is it feels right, and I’m proud to back Briar [Bauman] and help him chase another [AFT SuperTwins] championship.”

STEPHANIE LANE Stephanie Welch Lane, known in the flat track world as “Stevie” Welch, got a PW50 when she turned 4. “I don’t remember much about learning to ride,” she told American Motorcyclist, “but I do remember running down the road in front of our country home, learning the ‘tuck’ for the half miles.”

“We went racing almost every weekend with my Dad,” she continued.

“At that time my Dad was president of a local race track called Aztalan in Wisconsin, and we spent countless hours there.”

Both Stephanie and her Dad had the mindset that she wasn’t just a female in a male sport. “I was a racer,” she said, “just like the rest. I remember at a young age, at Aztalan’s yearly picnic, they wanted to have a Powder Puff class for the females to race and have fun. I wouldn’t ride in it because I never thought of myself like that; I

was just another racer.”

Stephanie’s goal was always to get that National number. “I think the first time I put it on paper I was around 9 or 10, and I knew that I wanted to earn my license and get that National number.”

When she made her first Pro Race at Joliet, Ill., on her 16th birthday, she just happened to pit next to Michelle Disalvo. “From then on Michelle was a great person to ask questions. We spent some time traveling with her that first year and she helped me learn the ropes.”

With that National number as her goal — which she achieved in 2001 — racing became her only focus. “I’d work out eight to nine hours a day, and I was also in college…For as long as I September 2021

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can remember, every step we took in my racing career was to get to the national level.”

In 1997, Stephanie crashed at the Indy Mile, which left her with injuries that required multiple surgeries.

“My left shoulder and back were so injured,” she said, “that in the end we just couldn’t fix it anymore. I’ll never forget my last race in my hometown of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. In lap four of practice I went into turn one and hit a hole mid-corner. It yanked the bars nearly out of my hands, but I saved it.

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The bike died coming out of turn two, so I pulled into the infield and pushed my bike back, only to realize my shoulder had come out of joint again.

My Dad met me, took the bike, and after my dad put my shoulder back in, I said, ‘I’m done.’”

Stephanie completely walked away. When she finally went back to Springfield after having her daughter, seeing the sport she loved was amazing…but she realized she’d made the right decision.

“I know that I have done an amazing thing by getting my National

number,” she said. “My name got put down in history for that, but to me I was just another racer achieving a life-long dream.”

NICHOLE MEES Of the five women who’ve held National numbers, only three have scored AMA Grand National Points — including Nichole Mees. And no other woman has done what she did racing twins in the premier class against the best flat trackers in the world.

Nichole made 32 Main events, finished 20th overall in her final season, and once

“Nichole’s just a badass, determined and dedicated.

She rode hard; she’d shine at tough tracks. And she was always someone you had to deal with if she was out there racing.”

AFT Announcer Scottie Deubler

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SANDRIANA

some of my motors when I was an amateur, and I won races and championships on them.”

Nichole continues to be involved in flat track, with her and husband — Factory Indian SuperTwins racer Jared Mees — promoting the annual AFT National at Lima, Ohio.

Is there a sliver of a chance she might get out there and race again?

“I will be the Grand Marshal at the Sacramento Mile and plan to take a few laps on the Indian,” she told us.

“At this time, I don’t have plans to race competitively, but if the right opportunity presented itself…well, you never know!”

SHAYNA TEXTER BAUMAN Shayna Texter Bauman, who’s five feet tall and 100 pounds, is the fifth

SHIPMAN

beat the fastest guys in the land in a Dash for Cash sprint at the Springfield Mile. And all aboard the ferocious Harley-Davidson XR750, the nastiest, gnarliest racebike in the land for over four decades.

“Nichole’s just a badass,” said AFT announcer Scottie Deubler, “Determined and dedicated. She rode hard; she’d shine at tough tracks. And she was always someone you had to deal with if she was out there racing.”

According to Nichole, who started riding a PW50 at age 3, it was never about being good for a woman. “I just wanted to be the best,” she said, “not just the best of the women.”

As a teenager, she won championships in both ice racing and flat track, and in 2003 she was the AMA Female Rider of the Year in a stacked field of females from motocross, ATV and other types of racing.

In 2004 Nichole competed as an AMA Expert, then in 2007 she finished 17th at the Grand National at Joliet, Ill., becoming the second woman in history to earn Grand National Points. Later, in 2008 she became the fourth woman to have an AMA National number.

She still remembers making that first Main Event at Joliet, beating out flat track legend and 2000 Grand National Champion Joe Kopp. “Joe was in my semi,” she remembered, “and I knew I had tough competition there, but I got the holeshot and led the entire way.”

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer and seven-time Grand National Champion Chris Carr still remembers the night she beat him. “To this day,” Chris said, “Nichole’s had the best finish ever for a female — seventh place at Knoxville, Iowa in 2011. I finished right behind her in eighth place that night…

Nichole did herself proud in a very male-dominated sport.”

“I’ve gotten to talk to and watch Michelle Disalvo,” Nichole told American Motorcyclist. “She’s amazing on the track and a great mechanic. I’ve also gotten the chance to meet Stevie Welch [Lane]. Her dad actually built

— and so far the last — woman to earn a flat track National number. She won her first National race in 2011, beating now-husband Briar Bauman after battling him all race long to become the first woman to ever win an AMA National Championship event.

Since that first win she’s racked up 18 more national wins, a feat that makes her the winningest AFT Singles rider in history.

Motorcycle racing is in Texter’s blood.

Her grandfather and father both raced, and there’s a Harley-Davidson dealership in her family, so it’s no surprise she started riding at age three. Her brother Cory started racing flat track in 2003, and halfway through the season she decided she wanted to race, too. Sadly, her father passed away in 2010.

“I watched him battle and never give up,” she says, “and that was a huge inspiration. On the day he died Cory and I said, ‘we’re going racing.’ It would have been an easy time to walk away from the sport, and I was struggling, but I continued to push.”

“While I didn’t follow Tammy Kirk or her racing career as a kid,” Shayna told American Motorcyclist, “once I was into

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MOLLY, CHARLOTTE, MORGAN AND SANDRIANA Although no woman has earned a National number since Shayna

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Texter Bauman – yet – several skilled women have gone Pro in flat track racing in the past decade.

Molly Terry competed in the Pro Singles division in 2013, also competing in the Basic Twins division that year where she finished 11th at the Springfield Mile aboard a Harley-Davidson XR750. She was back in 2014 to compete in both the Pro Singles and Pro Twins divisions, earning a second-place finish in the Pro Twins class, once again at the Springfield Mile.

Later, in 2015, she competed in the GNC2 division, but sadly, injuries cost her and she decided to walk away from the sport.

Charlotte Kainz, from Wisconsin, earned her Pro license in the GNC2 class in 2015, winning her first GNC2

semi at the Black Hills Half-Mile.

Known as a quiet, unassuming, upand-coming racer who had a smile a mile wide, Charlotte started racing at age 5 and had already won a 50cc championship by the time she was 10.

At the end of her first Pro season in 2017, Charlotte got tangled up in a crash aboard her XR750 at the Santa Rosa Mile and tragically passed away from her injuries. It was the same weekend that racer Kyle McGrane also died, and the two losses shook the flat track community. Today, she’s remembered and honored with the Charlotte Kainz Memorial Race that takes place each September in Wisconsin.

Morgan Monroe started racing flat track in 2007 at age 8. “My younger brother Ace started racing before I did,” she told American Motorcyclist, “because I would cry and tell my parents I’d never race. But after I finally raced for the first time, I was hooked

MONROE

my career I met her at a few nationals.

She came and showed up to support me. Super cool!”

“My Dad and Grandpa ran a team out of their Harley-Davidson shop,” she continued, “and I started to take more notice when Dad sponsored Jared Mees, who was dating Nichole [Cheza] Mees. Later, after my Dad passed, a lot of the riders he sponsored started stepping up to help Cory and me. And Nichole was one of the biggest there. She’d do her thing and then help guide me in a lot of ways…I valued that so much.”

“Michelle, obviously, continues to have a big impact on me,” she added, “as she takes care of my husband [factory Indian rider] Briar’s bike. She was a talented rider, but she’s also a fantastic tech. I’d put her against any of the guys, even the established ones. It’s been really cool to see her transition from rider to championship-level crewmember!”

While Shayna’s one of only three women to score Grand National points, and the only one to win an AMA national, when the helmet’s on, she says she’s just 100 percent competitor. “I wanna be treated as a racer first, woman second.

By doing that, I think it shows women and girls, ‘Hey look, I’m competing against the guys and you can, too!’”

Helping the sport grow by mentoring riders and giving back is important to both Shayna and husband Briar. “I wanna see the sport grow,” she said. “There’s gotta be a future for the kids. We’re always working to give back. We want this sport to be around for a long time. If we can help get that next great female or male racer involved, great!”

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and never looked back.”

“My first Pro race was at the Charlotte Half Mile in 2016,” she continued, “running the No. 10j. This was the greatest day of racing and still one of my best memories ever.”

Unfortunately, a severe crash at Oglethorpe Speedway in Savannah, Ga., caused her to walk away from racing.

She broke her right scapula, L1 vertebra, four ribs, a small bone in her left hand, and sustained a traumatic brain injury that caused her to have a hemorrhagic stroke, temporality paralyzing the right side of her body.

Her injuries and the subsequent stroke led to a long recovery, learning how to walk again and working to regain mobility in her right arm and hand. After years of physical, occupational, and speech therapy — and many hours of at-home and alternative therapy — she eventually did get back on a bike.

“As a result of my miraculous recovery and the outpouring of support from my family, friends, and the flat track community,” Morgan said, “I developed a non-profit organization called Morgan’s Place (morgansplace.org).

TERRY Our goal is to provide wraparound services for the entire family after an athlete who has been injured has been discharged from inpatient care. This organization is important to me as a way of giving back.”

Sandriana Shipman raced for the first time at age 7 aboard a PW50, and got the bug. “My dad never asked me if I wanted to race,” she said, “and I never asked him. There just wasn’t a question.”

“I didn’t know who Shayna and Nichole were until I was 14,” Sandriana told American Motorcyclist. “I was already into racing with no female role models. Nichole was riding a twin and doing excellent; seeing her do it at her level was so cool!”

She spent time racing vintage flat track, then got her Pro license in 2017

and competed in the AFT Singles class. She continued racing at the Pro level in 2018, getting her best finish of 15th at the East Rutherford, N.J., Mile.

After numerous injuries, especially a horrific crash at the Texas Half-Mile, Sandriana retired, choosing to walk away before the decision was made for her. But she didn’t leave the sport.

Today, she’s the Team Manager for the First Impressions race team, which includes AFT Singles racers Ryan Wells and Tanner Dean.

FINALLY… “Nearly one in five riders today is female,” said Stephanie Lane, “and while those numbers don’t translate over to the track as much as I’d like, the level female racers are reaching today is far beyond what I think anyone thought would happen.”

It wasn’t always this way. But thanks to these left turning ladies, and other female motorcycle racers, things are looking up.

September 2021

53

C L A S S

OF

’79

ROOKIES TO THE

By Kali Kotoski

S

ometimes, really good things happen totally out of the blue.

And in this particular instance, the azure hue was the blue sky high above a 2009 golf weekend that reunited six members of the professional dirt track rookie class of 1979 — Tommy Duma, Ronnie Jones, Scott Parker, Wayne Rainey, Charlie Rob-

Forged in the Golden Era of flat track, the Rookies of ’79 have helped countless racers in their time of need

Charlie Roberts

TOmmy Duma

Scott Parker

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

erts and John Wincewicz, with Lance Jones and Jackie Mitchell joining later.

As the story goes, AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Parker instigated a little friendly bet on the links, “which he of course won,” remembered Roberts.

But instead of Parker pocketing the winnings, the group got creative and decided to set up a charity to help

RESCUE injured dirt track riders of any age or skill level.

“We saw a great way to give back,” Duma told American Motorcyclist, “because, if you don’t have sponsors or supporters or notoriety and there is

Photos courtesy of Rookies of ’79 and Friends, Tommy Duma, Ronnie Jones and David Hoenig

an accident, nobody is there to help.

We want to help the victims of accidents keep on living and, if they can’t recover enough to ride and race again, help find a new purpose.”

The charity, Rookies of ’79 and Friends, primarily raises funds by selling memorabilia online and at flat

track races donated by past and present legends, and is the official charity of American Flat Track. It also has an ongoing partnership with Tim Estenson’s Estenson Racing, which is the single largest financial supporter of the charJohnny Wincewicz

Wayne Rainey

Ronnie Jones

September 2021

55

ity, according to Roberts.

The organization has helped over 180 riders deal with injuries and raised nearly $2 million since 2009. “Anybody that requests help, receives help,” Roberts, who serves as Executive Director, said. “I realize now that my contribution to the sport was not racing and podiums, but this organization.”

When the literal rookie class of 1979 stepped into the Grand National Championship spotlight in that last year of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, the sport of professional flat track was in a different universe altogether. The sport had flourished during the 1970s, with big sponsors, even bigger stars (Kenny Roberts and Jay Springsteen, to name just two) and lots of attention from the motorcycling (and non-motorcycling) worlds. And there was more of that to come during the 1980s, with Honda challenging Harley-Davidson and guys like Ricky Graham, Bubba Shobert and others

wins I could finance my entire racing program for the season.

You win a championship and you could buy a nice house.”

The six formed a rolling carnival of dream chasers, all smelling like oil and leather, and before the 1979 season even started the group had already built friendships, having raced against each other in Amateur and Novice classes.

“There was just a special comradery of us living out of our vans,” added Jones. “I guess it was because these guys were always the ones to beat and were on my mind 24/7.”

For AMA Hall of Famer Wayne Rainey, that 1979 rookie season was the culmination of a childhood dream and the launchpad for a successful racing career, especially in road racing later on. “In 1979,” Rainey said, “we were all just so lucky that we had such a talented class to bring in the next generation of champions.”

Things are different today, for sure, but what’s evergreen in dirt track and

brad baker

helping carry the dirt track torch.

It was a different world for those ’79 rookies, too. “The times were totally different,” AMA Hall of Famer Ronnie Jones told American Motorcyclist. “We were all still kids, and our parents let us get out there with our vans, cross the country and try to make some money over the summer — can’t imagine letting a 16-year-old do that alone today. But after a couple

Charitable donations by fans have gone to Brad Baker, Jared Mees, Bryan Smith, Brandon Robinson, James Rispoli, Brandon Price, Rob Pearson, James Monaco, Oliver Brindley, Jeremy Higgins, Stevie Bonsey, Jeremy Werner, Mikey Rush, Henry Wiles, JR Addison, Sandriana Shipman and many more!

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Left to right: Scott Parker, Charlie Roberts, Wayne Rainey (center), Ronnie Jones and Tommy Duma at the 2009 Indy Mile that brought the gang back together and launched the charity. Below: Executive Director Charlie Roberts and a Bultaco Astro.

all other forms of racing is the everpresent threat of injuries and a general lack of a safety net to help riders deal with the financial burden of them. And that’s where the charity comes in.

2013 Grand National Champ Brad Baker calls the Rookies charity lifechanging. A 2018 crash left Baker paralyzed with a spinal injury. Through the charity’s catastrophic injury fund, Baker has received $100,000 which

alone supports his therapy. After insurance coverage maxed-out, Baker was looking at therapy payments of $1,000 a week.

“The charity has been huge for so many people because otherwise I couldn’t continue my therapy,” Baker told American Motorcyclist. “The problem fans don’t realize is that they see injured racers on TV and in a wheelchair and think ‘Well, they must

be doing okay.’ That is not the case with all the pain people like me face.”

Baker also received from the charity a functional electrical stimulation bicycle that prevents muscle atrophy and the loss of bone density — something insurance wouldn’t have covered.

The charity also answered the call of Oliver Brindley, the British dirt track phenom who crashed during the final race of the 2019 American Flat Track series. He has received spinal cord injury equipment that helps trigger nerve activity to regain some mobility.

“Oliver’s crash resulted in one of the worst brain injuries we’ve ever seen,” Roberts said. “At first, he was never going to survive. Then he was never going to wake up. Then he never was going to be able to move again. But he miraculously did wake up, and we are extremely proud to be able to help him with his therapy. The work is not over though, and we are in the process of rekindling his funds.”

Jeremy Werner, another crash victim who was paralyzed, received a truck outfitted to accommodate his injuries.

The charity has also hired him as the

September 2021

57

Photo by Mary Grothe

Parker and Duma battle back in the day. Parker would become one of the most celebrated champions in history; Duma retired early and became a successful highend jeweler.

first satellite operator to help raise funds and instill confidence that there is a path forward. “This is not a job he will have for the rest of his life,” Roberts said. “But he will be in full control, and my hope — my belief — is that this will help him gain confidence to start a career.”

The charity doesn’t just work to help racers that have suffered tragic injuries, but also to cover any financial burden faced while recuperating, whether that is a van, house or any non-therapy related payments. “The truth is that 90 percent of the riders out there have no safety net or adequate insurance,” said Baker. “The charity isn’t just for riders like me.”

For Jones, the charity is essential in today’s sport because the risk versus reward equation has greatly changed. “Unfortunately, the reward has continued to diminish and there isn’t that pot of gold out there

58

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Rookies of ’79 and Friends Board Member Jackie Mitchell (left) and Charlie Roberts pose with memorabilia sold to raise funds for injured riders.

like there used to be,” he said.

“We are doing good work, but as former racers we always wish we could do more to provide some sort of safety net.”

For Baker, there is no way to limit the danger of the sport, but injury support is where fans and sponsors can have the greatest impact. “We don’t want tragedy to strike, but unfortunately it is always just a matter of time,” he said. “Now, we are working to be ready for it with support from fans.”

Fans. They are key, and Roberts echoes Baker’s point strongly and often. “This is a fan-based charity,” he says. “Fans make it all happen with their dollars and their interest.

Fans are the heroes here! We’re just a conduit for them to help.”

Visit rookies79.com to learn more about the charity and how to help the athletes that make the sport so inspiring.

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MAKE IT YOURS The AMA offers a variety of card types and designs for members. In addition to our standard card, we offer a number of themed cards that identify you as belonging to a specific group or speak to your passion as a motorcyclist.

Call (800) AMA-JOIN (2625646) to request an affinity card at any time, at no additional cost.

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Watch this space for updates about your valuable benefits as an AMA member.

THE ESSENTIALS Lodging

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Save 15% at participating Choice Hotels Properties.

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Motorcycle Shippers AMA members receive $25 off each bike one way or $100 off round trip or $50 each, multiple bikes, same addresses.

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Find patches, pins, T-shirts, hats and more.

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Save on advanced adult oneday general admission.

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Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

COMING EVENTS ALABAMA Road Race: September 17-19. Birmingham. MotoAmerica. motoamerica.com CALIFORNIA Road Ride/Run: September 2-6. Mexicali, Mexico. Southern California Motorcycling Assn (330) 857-8131 sc-ma.com Adventure Ride: September 3-5. Orland. BMW Motorcycle Club of Northern California. (925) 890-8449 Speedway: September 4. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. (530) 878-7223 fastfridays.com Motocross: September 9-10. Rancho Cordova. Dirt Diggers North M.C. Inc. 1( 800) hangtown hangtownmx.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 10. Lodi. Lodi Motorcycle Club.

(209) 368-7182 lodicyclebowl.com Road Ride/Run: September 12. Torrance . Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ Road Ride/Run: September 12. Fairfield. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ Road Race: September 18-19. Buttonwillow. California Roadrace Association. (714) 822-6053 race-cra.com Dual Sport: September 18-19. Buck Meadows. Family Off-Road Adventures. (209) 993-7306 facebook.com/familyoffroad Speedway: September 18. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. (530) 878-7223 fastfridays.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 18. Lodi. Lodi Motorcycle Club. (209) 368-7182 lodicyclebowl.com Motocross: September 25-26. Snelling. 2X Promotions LLC. (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com Speedway: September 25. Auburn. Fast Fridays Speedway. (530) 878-7223 fastfridays.com Enduro: September 25. Lucerne Valley. Hilltoppers MC, Inc. amadistrict37.org Flat Track – TT: September 25. Lodi. Lodi Motorcycle Club. (209) 368-7182 lodicyclebowl.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 26. Lodi. Lodi Motorcycle Club. (209) 368-7182 lodicyclebowl.com Desert Scrambles: September 26. El Centro. Roadrunner Off-Road Racing Club. (619) 787-5502 amad38.com COLORADO Dual Sport: September 11-14. Montrose. Cotah Rally Adventures.

(303) 877-2795 cotahrallyadventures.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 11. Dacono. IMI Motorsports Complex. (303) 833-4949 imimotorsports.com Dual Sport (599cc and below) School: September 12-16. Crested Butte. Sidewinders M/C. (210) 383-9887 colorado600.org Flat Track – Short Track: September 25. Dacono. IMI Motorsports Complex. (303) 833-4949 imimotorsports.com Road Race: September 25-26. Deer Trail. Motorcycle Roadracing Association. mra-racing.org GEORGIA Road Ride/Run: September 11. Suches. Concours Owners Group concours.org Road Ride/Run: September 12. Buford. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ Motocross: September 25. Dalton. LRMX, Inc. (706) 278-2868 lazyrivermx.com Motocross: September 26. Dalton. LRMX, Inc. (706) 278-2868 lazyrivermx.com IOWA Hillclimb: September 12. Anamosa. Midwest Hillclimbers Association. (319) 489-2361 anamosahillclimb.com ILLINOIS Flat Track – Short Track: September 2. Springfield. Steve Nace Racing Promotions. (270) 442-7532 stevenaceracing.com Flat Track – Half-Mile: September 3. Springfield. Steve Nace Racing Promotions. (270) 442-7532 stevenaceracing.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 3. Springfield. Steve Nace Racing Promotions. (270) 442-7532 stevenaceracing.com Hillclimb: September 4. Mattoon. Central IL M/C. (217) 246-7154

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AmericanMotorcyclist.com

Motocross: September 4. Casey. Lincoln Trail Motosports. (217) 932-2041 lincolntrailmotosports.com Hillclimb: September 5. Mattoon. Central Illinois M/C. (217) 2467154 Flat Track – TT: September 5. Mattoon. Central Illinois M/C. (217) 246-7154 Motocross: September 5. Casey. Lincoln Trail Motosports. (217) 932-2041 lincolntrailmotosports.com Grand Prix: September 5. Ottawa. Variety Riders Motorcycle Club Inc. (815) 434-3669 varietyriders.com Flat Track – TT: September 6. Mattoon. Central Illinois M/C. (217) 246-7154 Hillclimb: September 11. Mt Vernon. King City Dirt Riders Inc. (618) 237-9401 Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 12. White City.

Cahokia Creek Dirt Riders. (217) 725-5048 cahokiacreekdirtriders. com Road Ride/Run: September 12. Geneva. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ Trail Ride: September 19. Ottawa. Variety Riders Motorcycle Club Inc. (815) 488-9562 varietyriders.com Grand Prix: September 25. Wedron. Moto Pro Inc. (815) 431-9913 foxvalleyoffroad.com Motocross: September 25. Byron. Motosports Enterprises LTD. (815) 234-2271 motobyron.com Motocross: September 26. Casey. Lincoln Trail Motosports. (217) 932-2041 lincolntrailmotosports.com Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 26. Wedron. Moto Pro Inc. (815) 431-9913 foxvalleyoffroad.com INDIANA Road Ride/Run: September 12. Columbia City. Old Fort Motorcycle Club Inc. (260) 504-6388 Dual Sport: September 18-19. Columbus. Stoney Lonesome M/C. (812) 342-4411 stoneylonesomemc.com Adventure Ride: September 18-19. Columbus. Stoney Lonesome M/C. (812) 342-4411 stoneylonesomemc.com Observed Trials: September 18. Bloomington. Trials Inc. (812) 8211991 trialsinc.org Observed Trials: September 19. Bloomington. Trials Inc. (812) 8211991 trialsinc.org MARYLAND Motocross: September 12. Budds Creek Motocross Park. (301) 475-2000 buddscreek.com Road Ride/Run: September 12. Ellicott. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ MICHIGAN Motocross: September 4-6. Millington. Baja Acres. (989) 871-3356 bajaacres.com Drag Race – Dirt: September 10. Grant. Muskegon Motorcycle Club. (231) 736-6195 muskegonmotorcycleclub.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 11. Deford. Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc. (810) 404-2895 luckythumbmotorcycleclub. com Observed Trials: September 11. Metamora. Michigan Ontario Trials Association. (248) 495-5862 motatrials.com Drag Race – Dirt: September 11. Grant. Muskegon Motorcycle Club.

(231) 736-6195 muskegonmotorcycleclub.com Hillclimb: September 11. Grant. Muskegon Motorcycle Club. (231) 736-6195 muskegonmotorcycleclub.com Motocross: September 12. Cadillac. Cadillac Motorcycle Club, Inc. (231) 878-3486 cadillacmc.com Flat Track – TT: September 12. Deford. Lucky Thumb Motorcycle Club, Inc. (810) 404-2895 luckythumbmotorcycleclub.com Observed Trials: September 12. Metamora. Michigan Ontario Trials Association. (248) 495-5862 motatrials.com Hillclimb: September 12. Grant. Muskegon Motorcycle Club. (231)

#AMAADV

736-6195 muskegonmotorcycleclub. com Observed Trials: September 18.

Flushing. Michigan Ontario Trials Association. (313) 495-6227 motatrials. com Motocross: September 18. Portland.

Portland Trail Riders. (517) 376-1437 portlandtrailriders.com Motocross: September 19. Portland Trail Riders Flat Track – TT: September 25-26. Owosso. Owosso Motorsports Park. (810) 691-5781 owossomotorsportspark.com Observed Trials: September 26. Vassar.

Michigan Ontario Trials Association.

(248) 628-4541 motatrials.com Motocross: September 26. Midland.

Polka Dots M/C. (989) 832-8284 polkadotsmc.net MINNESOTA Road Race: September 3-5. Brainerd.

Central Roadracing Association. (612) 332-4070 cra-mn.com Motocross: September 5. Brookston.

Echo Valley Motopark, LLC. (218) 3918422 echovalleymotocross.com Motocross: September 5. Millville.

Hi-Winders. (507) 753-2779 springcreekmx.com Motocross: September 5. Millville.

Hi-Winders. (507) 753-2779 springcreekmx.com Motocross: September 6. Brookston.

Echo Valley Motopark, LLC. (218) 3918422 echovalleymotocross.com Motocross: September 6. Millville.

Hi-Winders. (507) 753-2779 springcreekmx.com Motocross: September 12. Brook Park.

Berm Benders Raceway. (320) 9802680 bermbendersraceway.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 18. New Ulm. Flying Dutchmen Cycle Club. (507) 354-2306 flyingdutchmenmotorcycleclub.com Road Ride/Run: September 18. Lake St Croix Beach. North Star Riders. (763) 525-7756 flood-run.com Motocross: September 19. Cambridge.

BCMX Adventure Park. (612) 280-8939 bcmxadventurepark.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 19. New Ulm. Flying Dutchmen Cycle Club. 507-354-2306 flyingdutchmenmotorcycleclub.com Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 19. Browerville. MotoCity Raceway & Recreation Inc. (218) 8942826 motocityraceway.com Road Race: September 24-26. Brainerd.

Central Roadracing Association. (612) 332-4070 cra-mn.com Trail Ride: September 25-26. Twin Cities Trail Riders. (612) 965-8618 tctrailriders.org Observed Trials: September 25.

Lake Crystal. Upper Midwest Trials Association. (651) 261-5977 umta.org

SOME OF THE BEST ROUTES MAPPED BY LOCAL EXPERTS. A GREAT CHALLENGE WITH LIKE-MINDED RIDERS. A FULL WEEKEND OF ACTIVITIES, WITH CAMPING, FOOD AND PRIZES. AMERICANMOTORCYCLIST.COM/NATIONAL-ADVENTURE-RIDING SUPPORTING SPONSORS

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

COMING EVENTS Motocross: September 26. Brookston. Echo Valley Motopark, LLC. (218) 391-8422 echovalleymotocross.com Motocross: September 26. Brookston. Echo Valley Motopark, LLC. (218) 391-8422 echovalleymotocross.com Motocross: September 26. Millville. Hi-Winders. (507) 753-2779 springcreekmx.com Motocross: September 26. Millville. Hi-Winders. (507) 753-2779 springcreekmx.com Observed Trials: September 26. Lake Crystal. Upper Midwest Trials Association. (651) 261-5977 umta.org MISSOURI Road Ride/Run: September 12. Cottleville. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ Road Ride/Run: September 18. Steelville. Concours Owners Group. concours.org Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 19. Park Hills.

Missouri Mudders. (636) 639-6373 missourimudders.com Adventure Ride: September 25-26. Bixby. Midwest Trail Riders Association. (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com Dual Sport: September 25-26. Bixby. Midwest Trail Riders Association. (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com MISSISSIPPI Road Ride/Run: September 12. Ridgeland. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ NORTH CAROLINA Adventure Ride: September 11-12. Pineola. Appalachian Trail Riders.

(704) 309-3271 carolinadualsporters.com Road Ride/Run: September 12. Pittsboro. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-for-kids/ Road Ride/Run: September 12. Asheville. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-for-kids/ Motogiro: September 18. Ashville. United States Classic Racing Association. (413) 498-4433 motogiro-usa.com NEW HAMPSHIRE Road Race: September 6. Loudon. United States Classic Racing Association. (413) 498-4433 race-uscra.com NEW JERSEY Motocross: September 4. Englishtown. Raceway Park. (732) 4467800 etownraceway.com Motocross: September 5. Englishtown. Raceway Park. (732) 4467800 etownraceway.com Road Ride/Run: September 19. Bridgewater. Bridgewater Eagle Riders 2137. (908) 451-1303 Motocross: September 19. Millville. Field of Dreams. (856) 7653799 njmpfod.com NEW MEXICO Road Race: September 5. Deming. Arroyo Seco Motorcyclist Association. (575) 494-4794 asmaracing.com NEVADA Road Ride/Run: September 12. Las Vegas. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-for-kids/ NEW YORK Motocross: September 4-5. East Durham. Metropolitan Sports Committee. (845) 554-8717 diamondback-mx.com Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 5. Moravia. Twisted Fence. (607) 423-4621 nyoa.net Trail Ride: September 11-12. Hancock. Bear Creek Sportsmen.

(908) 334-1637 bearcreeksportsmen.com Observed Trials: September 12. Cuba. District 4 Trials Committee.

(607) 776-6787 district4trials.org Motocross: September 12. Coeymans Hollow. Metropolitan Sports

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Committee. (914) 388-6524 echovalleynymx.com Road Ride/Run: September 12. Utica. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-for-kids/ Road Ride/Run: September 12. Montgomery. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530. curethekids.org/events/ridefor-kids/ Flat Track – Short Track: September 18. Cuddebackville. Tri-State MC LTD. (845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Flat Track – Short Track: September 18. Cuddebackville. Tri-State MC LTD. (845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Dual Sport: September 18. Newark. Wayne County Motorcycle Club. (315) 359-8615 Motocross: September 19. Middletown. Metropolitan Sports Committee. (845) 342-2573 orangecountyfairspeedway.net Trail Ride: September 19. Eden. Niagara Trials Riders. (716) 9300766 ntrmototrials.weebly.com Flat Track – Short Track: September 19. Cuddebackville. Tri-State MC LTD. (845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Flat Track – Short Track: September 19. Cuddebackville. Tri-State MC LTD. (845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Flat Track – TT: September 24. Schenectady. Echo Valley Riders Club/Steve Flach. (518) 727-0311 Flat Track – TT: September 25. Schenectady. Echo Valley Riders Club/Steve Flach. (518) 727-0311 Road Ride/Run: September 25. Glens Falls. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ Observed Trials: September 26. Alma. District 4 Trials Committee.

(716) 372-4576 district4trials.org Motocross: September 26. Monticello. Metropolitan Sports Committee. (845) 217-3912 thewick338.com Road Rally: September 21-25. Lake George. Americade, Inc. (518) 798-0858 info@americade.com OHIO Motocross: September 4-5. Nashport. Briarcliff Motocross. (740) 763-0935 briarcliffmx.com Observed Trials: September 4. Newark Trials Inc. (740) 467-2910 trialsinc.org Observed Trials: September 5. Newark. Trials Inc. (740) 467-2910 trialsinc.org Hillclimb: September 11-12. Waterford. Pioneer Motorcycle Club Inc. (740) 984-8831 pioneermotorcycleclub.com Road Ride/Run: September 11. Hopedale. American Legion Riders of Hopedale Post 682. (740) 937-9995 Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 11-12. Swanton.

Toledo Trail Riders, Inc. (419) 392-7117 toledotrailriders.org Family Enduro: September 11. Greenville. Treaty City Motorcycle Club Inc. (937) 459-0508 Enduro: September 12. Hamden. Appalachian Dirt Riders, Inc. (740) 384-6379 adrohio.org Motocross: September 25-26. Zanesville. Grear’s Motorsports Park. (740) 819-4440 Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 25-26. Millfield. Racer Productions, Inc. (304) 284-0084 gnccracing.com Road Ride/Run: September 26. Greenville. Treaty City Motorcycle Club Inc. (937) 459-0508 PENNSYLVANIA Motocross: September 4-5. Birdsboro. Middle Atlantic Motocross Association, Inc. (484) 357-0345 Dual Sport: September 11. Millmont. Pennsylvania Trail Riders Association. (570) 850-2383 patrailriders.com Motocross: September 12. Shippensburg. Doublin Gap Motocross, Inc. (717) 249-6036 doublingap.com Flat Track – TT: September 12. Parkesburg. E PA Piston Poppers MC Inc. (484) 336-9160/(484) 880-5580 pistonpoppersmc.com Road Ride/Run: September 12. Philadelphia. Pediatric Brain Tumor

Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids. org/events/ride-for-kids/ Road Ride/Run: September 12. Harmony.

Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ridefor-kids/ Enduro: September 12. Biglerville. South Penn Enduro Riders. (717) 385-6014 Road Ride/Run: September 12. York.

Twin Rose Lady Riders. (717) 471-7026 twinroseladyriders.com Road Ride/Run: September 12. York Twin Rose Lady Riders. (717) 471-7026 twinroseladyriders.com Road Rally: September 17-19. Tamaqua.

Over and Out Productions LLC. (908) 3031582 overandoutmoto.com Flat Track – Half-Mile: September 18.

Pottsville Shippensburg MC. (717) 796-0294 baermotorsports.com Motocross: September 19. Manhiem.

Sleepy Hollow MX Park Inc. (717) 278-8998 sleepyhollowmx.com Enduro: September 19. Brandonville. Valley Forge Trail Riders. (610) 737-5158 vftr.org Flat Track – TT: September 25.

Parkesburg. E PA Piston Poppers MC Inc. (484) 336-9160/(484) 880-5580 pistonpoppersmc.com Motocross: September 25-26. Seward.

Pleasure Valley Raceway. (814) 317-6686 pvrmx.com Road Ride/Run: September 26. Zinc City MC. (610) 837-1927 RHODE ISLAND Observed Trials: September 26. Exeter.

Rhode Island Trials Club. (508) 386-6038 ritrialsclub.com TENNESSEE Dual Sport: September 11-12. Dover. K T Riders. (270) 350-6324 lbl200.com Motocross: September 12. Blountville.

Victory Sports Inc. (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com TEXAS Road Ride/Run: September 12.

Montgomery. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids. org/events/ride-for-kids/ Road Ride/Run: September 12. Fort Worth. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.

(800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ ride-for-kids/ Field Meet: September 18. Coldspring. San Jacinto High Rollers-Livingston Chapter.

(713) 201-9260 lionscamp.com VIRGINIA Road Ride/Run: September 12.

Mechanicsville Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ridefor-kids/ WASHINGTON Adventure Ride: September 16-19.

Plain. Touratech-USA. (206) 323-2349 touratechrally.com WISCONSIN Motocross: September 5. Hillpoint. Sugar Maple MX Park LLC. (608) 425-8643

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

COMING EVENTS sugarmaplemx.com Motocross: September 11-12. Lake Mills. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc. (414) 265-1582 Aztalanmx.com Flat Track – TT: September 11. Burnett. Beaver Cycle Club, Inc. (920) 319-6889 facebook.com/beavercycleclub Observed Trials: September 11. Mauston. Wisconsin Observed Trials Association. (319) 330-8016 wisconsintrials.org Motocross: September 12. Lake Mills. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc. (414) 732-6499 aztalanmx.com Road Ride/Run: September 12. Elkhorn. Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. (800) 253-6530 curethekids.org/events/ride-forkids/ Observed Trials: September 12. Mauston. Wisconsin Observed Trials Association. (319) 330-8016 wisconsintrials.org Flat Track – Short Track: September 18. Lake Mills. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc. (414) 265-1582 aztalanmx.com Hillclimb: September 18. Nekoosa. Rapid Angels Motorcycle Club Inc. (715) 325-8014 Flat Track – Short Track: September 19. Lake Mills. Aztalan Cycle Club Inc. (414) 265-1582 aztalanmx.com Enduro: September 19. Nekoosa. Rapid Angels Motorcycle Club Inc. (715) 325-8014 Adventure Ride: September 25-26. Wabeno. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org Dual Sport: September 25-26. Wabeno. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org WEST VIRGINIA Hare Scrambles/Cross Country: September 11-12. Beckley. Racer Productions, Inc. (304) 284-0084 gnccracing.com Trail Ride: September 11-12. Romney. Road and Trail Motorcycle Club. (301) 865-0779 randt-club.com Motocross: September 18-19. Hedgesville. Middle Atlantic Motocross Association, Inc. (304) 582-8185 tomahawkmx.com WYOMING Road Ride/Run: September 3-5. Devils Tower. Devilstone Run. (307) 349-1451 devilstonerun.com MOTOCROSS: 2021 Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations fim-live.com Sept. 24-26. Italy 2021 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship. mxsportsproracing.com Round 11: Sept. 4. Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway Round 12: Sept. 11. Rancho Cordova, Calif.. Prairie City SVRA National Championship: AMA ATV Motocross National Championship Series. atvmotocross.com Round 10: Sept. 4-5. Nashport, Ohio. Briarcliff MX MAJOR EVENTS: Thor Mini O’s: SX – Nov. 20-23. MX – Nov. 24-27. Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park. unlimitedsportsmx.com FEATURED EVENTS: Baja Brawl: Sept. 4-6.

Millingon, Mich. Baja Acres.

(989) 871-3356 bajaacres.com Yamaha All-Star Pro-Am: Sept. 12. Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park. (717) 249-6036 doublingap.com 45th Annual Kawasaki Race of Champions: Oct. 1-3.

Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park.

(732) 446-7800 etownraceway.com Top Gun Showdown: Oct. 10.

Blountville, Tenn. Muddy Creek Raceway. (423) 323-5497 victorysports.com The Motoplayground Race: Oct. 15-17. Ponca City, Okla. Ponca City

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MX (816) 582-4113 poncamx.com California Classic: Oct. 28-31. Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway. (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com Cash for Class Scholarship Race: Nov. 13-14. Cairo, Ga. GPF. (810) 569-2606 gpfmx.com STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: AMA Georgia State Championship: Sept. 26. Dalton, Ga. Lazy River MX (706) 278-2868 lazyrivermx.com AMA South Carolina State Championship Nov. 14. South of the Border MX. Hamer, S.C. (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com Pro-Am Motocross Baja Brawl: Sept. 4-6. Millingon, Mich. Baja Acres.

(989) 871-3356 bajaacres.com MSC Championship MX Series: Sept. 5. East Durham, N.Y. Diamondback MX. (845) 554-8717 mscmotocross.com Hangtown Motocross Classic: Sept. 9-10. Rancho Cordova, Calif.

Prairie City OHV Park. 1-800-Hangtown hangtownmx.com Yamaha All-Star Pro-Am: Sept. 12. Shippensburg, Pa. Doublin Gap MX Park. (717) 249-6036 doublingap.com Megacross - The 23 Challenge: Sept. 18. Mendota, Ill. Megacross. (815) 539-9021 megacross.com Henrietta Classic: Sept. 19. Fredericksburg, Pa. Sleepy Hollow MX Park. (717) 278-8998 sleepymx.com AMA District 17 Motocross Series: Sept. 19. Walnut, Ill. Sunset Ridge MX. (815) 379-9534 sunsetridgemx.com Travis Pastrana Pro-Am Challenge: Sept. 25-26. Seward, Pa. Pleasure Valley Raceway. (814) 317-6686 pvrmx.com Fall Classic Rip and Grip: Sept. 25-26. Snelling, Calif.

Oatfield Raceway. (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com AMA Georgia State Championship: Sept. 26. Dalton, Ga. Lazy River MX. (706) 278-2868 lazyrivermx.com 45th Annual Kawasaki Race of Champions: Oct. 1-3. Englishtown, N.J. Raceway Park.

(732) 446-7800 etownraceway.com Big Bucks Pro-Am: Oct. 10. Birdsboro, Pa. Pagoda Motorcycle Club. (610) 582-3717 pagodamc.org Top Gun Showdown: Oct. 10. Blountville, Tenn.

Muddy Creek Raceway. (423) 323-5497 victory-sports.com MSC Championship Series: Oct. 10. Middletown, N.Y. Orange County Fair Motocross. (845) 554-8717 mscmotocross.com The Motoplayground Race: Oct. 15-17. Ponca City, Okla.

Ponca City MX. (816) 582-4113 poncamx.com AMA District 6 Henrietta Classic MX Series Pro-Am: Oct. 17.

Pine Grove, Pa. Dutchmen MX Park. dutchmenmxpark.com California Classic: Oct. 28-31. Pala, Calif. Fox Raceway (559) 500-2276 2xpromotions.com Thor Mini O’s - SX: Nov. 20-23. Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park. unlimitedsportsmx.com Thor Mini O’s - MX: Nov. 24-27 Alachua, Fla. Gatorback Cycle Park. unlimitedsportsmx.com TRACK RACING: FIM Grand Prix World Championship. motogp.com TBD. Austin, Texas. Circuit of The Americas.

(512) 301-6600 circuitoftheamericas.com National Championship: MotoAmerica AMA/FIM North America Road Racing Championship. motoamerica.com Round 8: Sept. 10-12. Millville, N.J. New Jersey Motorsports Park Round 9: Sept. 17-19. Birmingham, Ala. Barber Motorsports Park 2021 American Flat Track. americanflattrack.com Round 13: Sept. 4. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

COMING EVENTS Round 14: Sept. 5. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds Round 15-16: Sept. 11&12. Sacramento, Calif. Cal Expo Fair Round 17: Oct. 8. Charlotte, N.C. Charlotte Motor Speedway 2021 AMA Pro Hillclimb amaprohillclimb.com Round 5: Sept. 18. Jefferson, Pa. White Rose Motorcycle Club Round 6: Sept. 26. Freemansburg, Pa. Bushkill Valley Motorcycle Club Round 7: Oct. 10. Oregonia, Ohio.

Dayton MC Club/Devil’s Staircase National Championship. AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series. americanmotorcyclist.com Round 11: Sept. 2. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds Multi-Purpose Arena (Short Track).

(270) 442-7532 stevenaceracing.com Round 12: Sept. 18. Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track).

(845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Round 13: Sept. 19. Cuddebackville, N.Y. Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track).

(845) 219-1193 tristateclub.net Round 14: Sept. 24. Schenectady, N.Y. Electric City Raceway (Short Track). (518) 727-0311 facebook.com/echo.valleymx Round 15: Sept. 25. Schenectady, N.Y. Electric City Raceway (Short Track). (518) 727-0311 facebook.com/echo.valleymx National Championship.

AMA Land Speed Grand Championship: Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials. bonnevillemst.com Aug. 29-Sept. 2. Wendover, Utah.

Bonneville Salt Flats. (530) 263-7276 FEATURED EVENTS: AMA All-Star National Flat Track Series. stevenaceracing.com Short Track: Sept. 3. Springfield, Ill. Illinois State Fairgrounds OFF-ROAD: FIM International Six Days Enduro. fimlive.com Aug. 30-Sept. 4. Rivanazzano Terme, Italy National Championship: AMA Grand National Cross Country Championship. gnccracing.com Round 10: Sept. 11-12.

Beckley, W.Va. The Mountaineer Round 11: Sept. 25-26. Millfield, Ohio.

Burr Oak Round 12: Oct. 9-10. Newburg, W.Va. Buckwheat 100 Round 13: Oct. 23-24. Crawfordsville, Ind. Ironman National Championship: AMA National Enduro Championship. nationalenduro.com Round 7: Oct. 3. Matthews, Ind. Muddobbers National Enduro.

(765) 998-2236 muddobbermc.org Round 8: Oct. 17. Sand Springs, Okla.

Zink Ranch National Enduro. tulsatrailriders.com Round 9: Nov. 7. Stanton, Ala. Gobbler Getter National Enduro. (205) 340-4298 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com

Rounds 8-9: Nov. 6-7. Stillwater , OK AMA West Hare Scramble Championship. westharescramble.com

National Championship: AMA National Hare and Hound Championship. nationalhareandhound.com

Round 5: Oct. 16-17. Boise, Idaho. OMC Round 6: Nov. 6. Stillwater, Okla.

Round 7: Nov. 7. Stillwater, Okla.

Round 8: Nov 20-21. Wilseyville, Calif.

North Bay MC

Round 6: Sept. 11. Panaca, Nev. Silver State Trail Blazers. google.com/site/silverstatetrailblazers

State Championship: AMA Arizona Off-Road Championship. amraracing.com

Round 7: Sept. 25-26. Lucerne Valley, Calif.

Round 8: Oct. 9-10. Lovelock, Nev. Rimbenders MC. (909) 953-1200 rimbendersmc.com Round 9: Oct. 23-24. Lucerne Valley, Calif.

100’s MC. (760) 573-3191 100smc.org National Championship: AMA National Grand Prix Championship. ngpcseries.com Round 8: Oct. 2-3. Ridgecrest, Calif.

Round 9: Oct. 30-21. Blythe, Calif.

Round 10: Nov. 12-14. Havasu, Ariz.

Round 6: Oct. 9. Kirkland, Ariz.

Prescott Trail Riders. Hare Scramble Round 7: Oct. 23-24. Globe, Ariz.

Rock Stars Motorcycle Club.

Hare Scramble Round 8: Nov. 14. Oracle, Ariz. Xtreme Motorcycle Club. Hare Scramble Round 9: Dec. 12. Peoria, Ariz. Canyon Raceway MX Park in FAST’R Motorcycle Club. Hare Scramble RECREATIONAL:

National Championship. AMA EnduroCross National Championship Series. endurocross.com Round 1: Sept. 18. Tulsa, Okla.

Round 2: Oct. 2. Amarillo, Texas Round 3: Oct. 9. Reno, Nev. Round 4: Oct. 23. Prescott Valley, Ariz.

Round 5: Oct. 29. Denver, Colo.

Round 6: Oct. 30. Denver, Colo.

National Championship: AMA/NATC MotoTrials National Championship. mototrials.com Round 4: Oct. 2-3. Tillamook, Ore. Columbia Observed Trials Association. observedtrials.com FEATURED EVENTS AMA Sprint Cross Country Championship. sprintcrosscountryseries.com

AMA National Adventure Riding Series. americanmotorcyclist.com/nationaladventure-riding Sept. 1-12. Blue Ridge. Pineola, N.C. Appalachian Trail Riders.

(704) 309-3271 carolinadualsporters.com Sept. 18-19. Buffaloe 500. Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club. (812) 342-4411, ext. 4. stoneylonesomemc.com Sept. 25-26. Show Me 500. Bixby, Mo. Midwest Trail Riders Association (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com

Round 7: Oct. 16-17 Round 8: Oct. 30-31 Round 9: Nov. 20-21 AMA Mid East Racing Championship. mideastracing.com Round 10: Sept. 4-5. Union, S.C. Round 11: Sept. 18-19. Woodruff, S.C. Round 12: Oct. 2-3. TBA Round 13: Oct. 15-17. Shelby, N.C. Round 14: Oct. 30-31. Hickory, N.C.

Sept. 25-26. Big Woods 200. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 3502030 widualsportriders.org

Kenda NY X-Country Championship. nyoa.net

Oct. 15-17. Pine Barrens 500. Cookstown, N.J. Pine Barrens Adventures LLC. (732) 995-4343 pinebarrensadventures.com

Round 11: Sept. 5. Moravia, N.Y. Twisted Fence REGIONAL SERIES AMA East Hare Scramble Championship. amaeastharescrambles.com Round 7: Sept. 19. Westfield, Mass.

Knox Trail Riders Association Inc. knoxtrailriders.com

Oct. 2-3. Perry Mountain Tower Run. Stanton, Ala.Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club. (334) 327-5086 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com Oct. 2-3. Shenandoah 500. Natural Chimneys, Va. Washington Area Trail Riders. (703) 596-2675 watr.us

Oct. 23-24. Cross-Florida Adventure.

Bartow, Fla. Dixie Dual Sport.

(727) 919-8299 dixiedualsport.com Nov. 26-27. L.A. - Barstow to Vegas.

Palmdale, Calif. District 37 Dual Sport.

(626) 446-7386 labarstowvegas.com

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COMING EVENTS HALL OF FAME EVENTS AND EXHIBITS AMA MOTORCYCLE HALL OF FAME

americanmotorcyclist.com/hall-of-fame The AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame is on the AMA campus in Pickerington, Ohio, and is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. Closed: Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Main Hall: Now featuring the 2019 Hall of Fame inductees, the main floor celebrates the heroes of the track, road, trails and halls of government who have elevated the sport, business and lifestyle of motorcycling to new heights.

Founder’s Hall: Honoring the Hall of Fame’s generous contributors.

The Birth of a Hurricane: How Hall of Famer Craig Vetter reimagined BSA for an American market.

Sam Swope: Motorcycles that represent the generous, charitable giving of motorcyclist and philanthropist Sam Swope.

Lords of the Board Track: Board-track racing was one of the earliest formal motorcycleracing disciplines. It featured man and machine speeding around a simple wooden track while huge crowds cheered them on.

Learn why this form of racing dropped from sight almost as quickly as it emerged. Learn about the racers who dared to compete in this exhilarating sport and watch a video of actual racing from 1921.

It’s about the journey and the destination

MotorcycleMuseum.org 13515 Yarmouth Drive, Pickerington, OH 43147 Facebook.com/AMAHallofFame • #AMAHoF

Be sure to check the event website or call the organizer for the latest information, including postponements or cancellations.

AMA Grand Tours. americanmotorcyclist.com/grandtours

Beta AMA National Dual-Sport Series. americanmotorcyclist.com/ national-dual-sport

AMA National Gypsy Tour. americanmotorcyclist.com/gypsytour

Sept. 11-12. LBL 200. Dover, Tenn. KT Riders. (270) 350-6324 lbl200.com

Laconia Motorcycle Week.

June 12-20. Laconia, N.H.

Sept. 18-19. Yosemite Dual Sport Adventure. Buck Meadows, Calif.

Family Off-Road Adventures. (209) 9937306 familyoffroadadventures.com Sept. 18-19. Buffaloe 500. Columbus, Ind. Stoney Lonesome Motorcycle Club. (812) 342-4411, ext. 4 stoneylonesomemc.com Sept. 25-26. Show Me 200. Bixby, Mo. Midwest Trail Riders Association (314) 434-5095 ridemtra.com

JULY 23-25, 2021 • MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE • LEXINGTON, OH

AMA Vintage Motorcyle Days July 23-25. Lexington O.H. PRESENTED BY

March 15 - November 15. Texas.

Motorcycle Grand Tour Of Texas.

(210) 777-1434 mcgttx.com January 15 - November 30. California.

California Adventure Series Southern California Motorcycle Association.

(818) 397-5738 sc-ma.com January 15 - November 30.

USA Four Corners Tour.

Southern California Motorcycle Association.

(805) 889-5220 sc-ma.com January 15 - November 30.

USA Best 15 US Roads Challenge.

Southern California Motorcycle Association sc-ma.com

Sept. 25-26. Big Woods 200. Wabeno, Wis. Wisconsin Dual Sport Riders. (920) 350-2030 widualsportriders.org Oct. 2-3. Perry Mountain Tower Run. Stanton, Ala. Perry Mountain Motorcycle Club. (334) 327-5086 perrymountainmotorcycleclub.com Oct. 2-3. Shenandoah 500. Natural Chimneys, Va. Washington Area Trail Riders. (703) 596-2675 Nov. 6-7. Hammer Run. Port Elizabeth, N.J. Tri-County Sportsmen MC. teamhammer.org Nov. 6-7. Howlin’ at the Moon. Prescott Valley, Ariz. Arizona Trail Riders. (602) 692-9382 arizonatrailriders.com AMA Trademarks The following represents active, registered trademarks, trademarks and service marks of American Motorcyclist Association, Inc. (AMA).

Usage of any AMA trademark or registered trademark without our permission is prohibited. Please contact jholter@ama-cycle.org for more information or assistance.

(800) AMA-JOIN® • AMA Dragbike® • AMA Endurocross® AMA Motorhead® • AMA Pro Grand National Championship® AMA Pro Racing® • AMA Race Center™ • AMA Racer® AMA Racing® • AMA Racing Land Speed Grand Championships® AMA Supermoto® • AMA Supercross® • AMA SX Lites® AMA U.S. ISDE Team™ • AMA U.S. Jr. Motocross Team™ AMA U.S. Motocross Team™ • Amateur National Motocross Championships® • American Motorcyclist Association® Arenacross® • ATV Hare Scrambles National Championship Series® • ATV Motocross National Championship Series® Flat Track Grand Championships™ • Grand National Enduro Championship® • Gypsy Tour® Hare & Hound National Championship Series® • Hare Scrambles Championship Series® Hare Scrambles National Championship Series® • Kids Just Want To Ride® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame® • Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum® • Motorcyclist of the Year® • Motostars® • National Adventure Riding Series® • National Dual-Sport Series® National Enduro Championship Series® • Protect Your Right to Ride® • Protecting Your Right to Ride® • Ride Straight® Rights. Riding. Racing.® • Road Race Grand Championships® Vintage Grand Championships® • Vintage Motorcycle Days® Vote Like A Motorcyclist®

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September 2021

69

Photo: Ron Grothe

FLASHBACK

One Very Weird ’70s Start

By Mitch Boehm

W

hile running through some late ’70s dirt track photos I got from my old – and, unfortunately, late – friend Mary Grothe, I stumbled across this one from her husband Ron, who often shot alongside her despite doing a lot of actual racing at road racing venues.

It’s obviously the start of a Grand National Championship race, though at presstime we weren’t able to positively identify the venue. But what’s really weird is the way the bikes are arrayed, and we can’t tell if it’s a restart or simply the individual-row start of a heat, semi or Main.

Grand National historian and AFT announcer Scottie Deubler took a look and said the venue looked like Louisville ’79, as did Bert Sumner. “I believe this is a Louisville 1979 heat race,” Sumner told Deubler. “Eight of the 11 visible made the main. A 12th rider may be out in front of 32, as a rooster tail is visible next to Jackie

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Mitchell’s (32) front wheel.”

Bob Herrick thought it was the start of the Main of the 5/27/79 Laurel, Md., Half-Mile.

Wherever it is, the bikes and riders look as if they all started in a line, from track edge to track edge. I shot the image over to Kenny Roberts just before we went to press, and he said it looked like it might be a restart of some sort, but when I asked Deubler about that, he said restarts back then were staggered nose-to-tail, as they are today. And this for sure ain’t a nose-to-tail restart.

The lineup here is a veritable who’s who of late-’70s dirt track racing royalty: Left to right is Jay Springsteen (1), the late Ted Boody (12), Corky Keener (62), Scotty Parker (40x), Randy Goss (13), Steve Eklund (11), Bill Shaefer (96), Tommy Duma (26), Jackie Mitchell (32), Marty Bushman (81, in black helmet) and Steve Morehead (42,

partially hidden).

Herrick says that Springer won the Main over Garth Brow (not shown) in that Laurel, Md., which moved Springer from 7th to 3rd in points as he looked for his 4th GNC title.

Eklund eventually won the championship in ’79.

It’s also interesting to note that every bike pictured is a Harley-Davidson XR750, which proves the point that the current competitive situation surrounding Indian’s now-dominant FTR750 isn’t without precedent. We have been here before.

What I’m mostly left with as I look at this very cool photo is the buzz of being transported back to 1979 and the Grand National Championship chase. A dozen 90-horsepower dirt track racebikes lined up for a start on an (obviously) slick front straight…how cool is that?

Thanks, guys, for the time-machine trip.

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