AMA GNCC Flat Track - Hagerstown

[Ginger]

Well, my Dad felt so bad that I was missing Laguna Seca that he bought us tickets to the AMA GNCC Flat Track race at Hagerstown last weekend. It was a pretty neat trip, I hadn't seen live flat track since I was about 13, and a great chance to see some amazingly talented riders up close.

For those that aren't aware, flat track was the training and playground of riders like Nicky, Roger, and Tommy Lee Hayden, King Kenny Roberts, Barry Sheene (although they're silly and call it speedway in the UK), Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson, Kel Carruthers and so on. The back it in, no front brake, sliding style has taught many-a-rider incredible bike control skills that have helped them make big moves in mainstream racing. Oh, and it's fucking cool.

The current national champion is Ken Coolbeth. Ken wears the number 1 plate from 2006. Before him Chris Carr wore the single single. He's the only factory rider in GNC, sponsored by Harley directly. Harley's motor, the XR750, is probably the second most legendary motor in all of flat track - eclipsed only by Roberts' man eating TZ750 mill. It's a pretty big favorite because it's the only motor on the market with a right side shifter, it makes great, tractable power, the uneven, lopsided power delivery being great for rear tire grip. Screamin' Eagle, Harley's aftermarket subsidiary (akin to HRC... but not quite the way we think of it), sponsors a few riders, and Harley has a good contingency program going. A few other bikes can be seen on the main grid, the Wiles custom RSV Mille powered TT'er, a liter twin powered Suzuki, and an SXV550 was seen qualifying. A Triumph made the main event... and broke. Really, it would be great to see more factories get back involved in the most original form of motorbike racing we've got in the States, but hey, we'll take what we can get.

Enjoy.

We booked a hotel in Hagerstown so avoid a midnight ride home. Dad recently bought his seventh (eigth?) bike and I just finished my streetfighter. It was a beautiful day and we actually seemd to be in a pretty good sleepspot.



We got settled in and headed to the track around 5pm to see the start of qualifying. And what a place. I don't think I'd really want to bring my girlfriend - the crowd reminded me of a trailer park on steroids. But we were there for racing, not to make [toothless] friends.



They definitely took a cavalier attitude to safety when compared with road racers. Things like the start light were, well, everything else was in the trend.





And this is how you shoot good video down the straight:







And the riders took to the track for qualifying.



There were a couple girls sitting next to us that looked like freshman in college... or maybe just graduated from high school. They went to high school with #41 (and he wasn't half bad).









At one point the Starting Grid flaggers stated to fall asleep.



They looked to former National Champion Joe Kopp for assistance.



And he decided to teach them.



To dance.



And as soon as the riders were lining up for the main event it started to rain. And they left in droves.





(and we had to keep dry)

But the rain didn't last long and the track vehicles were quickly out circulating to dry the surface.



After what seemed like forever the races went off... and the Triumph didn't.



(that's where you get to sit if your bike doesn't go when the green flag does)

Unfortunately, although Carr made the main event after a crash in his heat race, he only finished 7th, just behind the Dancing Kopp. Coolbeth continued to roll his freight train through the '07 season. I got a few pics of the winners circle and a couple of the post race inspection and pits.



Jared Mees' bike rolls to tech.



And gets inspected.






I'd definitely like to get into racing those things... looks like a lot of fun. And if you don't build a framer it's the cheapest motorcycle racing you can do.