Flat Track Racing @ Ocala Micro Speedway Dec. 3, 2011

[dongalb]

Southern Dirt Track Association Flat Track @ Ocala Micro Speedway $10.00pp.  Gate opens: 9:00am, Practice 11:00am, Race 1:00pm.

This is their last race of the year and will end with a banquet and awards presentation.  Hot Dogs and Hamburgers provided by SDTA, and anyone from this board coming, we will have plenty of covered dish along with us so don't hesitate to join in.  They hope to have it all done by dark.

We are discussing having an after the party - party and staying the night in the camper.  

[dt]

This one is definitely on my calendar. My son will be tagging along on the KL250 and we’re going to stay over someplace and ride around Ocala for most of Sunday and then work our way back to Tampa in the late afternoon. Some racing, some riding…should make for a great motorcycling weekend!

Let’s see another one of these in the daylight!       >      >      >   

[dongalb]

Great.  And we get to meet your son too.

One more checker would be great, as next season I will probably ride with the "Seniors" (damn sure hate saying that).  There are some good riders among them.  They are racers that grew older, as opposed to an old guy trying to do it again!

[dt]

One more checker would be great, as next season I will probably ride with the "Seniors" (damn sure hate saying that).  There are some good riders among them.  They are racers that grew older, as opposed to an old guy trying to do it again!

Hey, maybe you could build a vintage tracker in the off season and race in that class. 

[dongalb]

Hmm....  Really not minding this deal where Dylan takes care of the bike, and I just have to ride. 

[dt]

Good point. 

[dt]

Bump.

2 weeks out.

[dongalb]

I did help Dylan a bit yesterday on the bike.  Cleaned, tightened the chain, looked it over good.  It is ready for the next ride.  Looking forward to it!

[Kevblaster]

A couple of us are planning to go tomorrow. Never been to a flat track race, but it looks like fun. Will only be there for a portion of the afternoon. Looking forward to it!

[dt]

Excellent!

[dongalb]

Look for the black Tahoe with the "24 Hr Cart Club" signs on the window.  Will be pulling a toy hauler.  See you there!

[dongalb]

Not to scare you away, but you will find these mugs around the aforementioned camper. 

[v65infla]

Good luck to all three of you tomorrow Don!!  And, to the mother's as they watch nervously   

[Kevblaster]

I will also look for the guy holding the checkered flag.

[dongalb]

I will also look for the guy holding the checkered flag.

Good to meet you Kev.  As you know, no flags for me yesterday being unable to even try due to a leg injury.  Maybe next time.  Anyway, my son Dylan finished third in his class, and my grandson, well, in his second heat he got the hole shot and did not know what to do with it!  Finally a faster rider went by him and he was so busy watching the rider pass, he forgot about the turn coming up   Ran into the riders back tire and did a flying W over the bars.  His grandmother, my wife, about had a panic attack!!  Liam hopped up, a track offical started his bike and he came around for the re-start and finished the race. My son and I had our fiingers crossed first he was not hurt, second he would get back in the saddle.  A little sore finger was all he had for the crash! 

Us older guys discussed how long we might have had to lay on the track before even thinking about getting up! Great day all around.  Hope you got home without getting too cold.

[dt]

Photos from the Ocala Flattrack races…


Pre-race meeting.


Check out all the trophies!


Dylan races No. 25.




< Sam, Kevblaster >






Trackside interview of Dylan and Don.





Some Dino Class vintage trackers





^ This old Indian did second in each of the heats and won the main in this class.












Dylan on another lap.


We rolled in an hour late. The races got delayed an hour. Perfect!

Overall, very enjoyable. I look forward to the start of the new season.

We stayed up in Ocala last night so we could get some riding in today. We did 300 miles starting off in the ONF and working our way back to Tampa on backroads. Don, we drove by the Ranch today. I beeped. Did you hear me?

[dongalb]

Glad you guys could make it up for the races and had a good day Sunday too.  I happen not to be home Sunday afternoon.  I usually look to the road when I hear bikes going by, but probably could not even hear the Yamaha or Kawasaki from our house! 

[v65infla]

Thank you for the update Don (How did you hurt your leg?) and the pictures as always Bill!! (More of Mandy next time please.  )  Great job to Dylan and the young'in for being so resilient.  Nice to see your son out on a trip Bill, how did he do??

[dongalb]

November 5th race at Ocala I had my leg jerked sideways going down.  Has not healed yet.  Dr. will decide next week about an MRI to find out if the ligament is torn.  I tried practice, but spent too much time worrying about my knee instead of the race track.  Really hard to do the responsible thing and not race! 

[dt]

Nice to see your son out on a trip Bill, how did he do??

Sam did very well on the first big ride. He rode his own ride to his own level, which I thought was admirable. I could point to a lot of good things. He does real well in the turns; seems to be a natural even on the trailwings. He did have some issues throughout the day with the KL maintaining its idle speed, which I’m looking into, but the bike has a 75 mph top end (more when I put on the 15t sprocket I just got from Motorcycle Superstore) so it was able to mostly keep pace. We made more than a normal number of stops but toward the end…seven hours…I think he was a little tired and seemed to fall back on me quite a bit. It was probably a big chunk of riding for a newb.

I told him after around 5,000 road miles on the KL, depending on how it's going, we’d start looking for something in the 500-600cc range for him.

[dongalb]

Seven hours in a comfortable auto is more than I like.  For a newb on a bike, I think it is outstanding!

[Kevblaster]

I know I am a few days late here, but I would just like to thank everyone again for the wonderful hospitality. Some of the nicest people that I have ever met were at this event. 1st time meeting Don and his family, but they brought me in like I was one of their own!

Also, thanks for posting those quality pictures Bill.

[dt]

Here's another.