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History Any 1970's Motorcycle Flattrack fans out there??

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by thunderplex, Sep 28, 2008.

  1. thunderplex
    Joined: Nov 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,182

    thunderplex
    Member

    I wasa contributing editor for Cycle News East from 1972 thru 1978 and covered Flattrack Racing in and around Ohio. I've posted 100's of my color photos on my website. 99% of the pictures posted were not published because they were taken in color for my own use. Cycle News only published B&W pics.

    ..hope some of you old timers remember some of the riders and bikes. The '70's were they hey-day for flattrack racing!!!
     
    Last edited: May 1, 2016
  2. zman
    Joined: Apr 2, 2001
    Posts: 16,731

    zman
    Member
    from Garner, NC

  3. Yes, please bring your info over to the Jockey Journal!
     
  4. Frosty2
    Joined: Aug 5, 2007
    Posts: 47

    Frosty2
    Member
    from Hambone,IN

    Nice pictures you have.Your interest in motorcycles would be appreciated on the JJ board.Come on over,Frosty
     

  5. thunderplex
    Joined: Nov 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,182

    thunderplex
    Member

    ...I wasn't aware of the Jockey Journal. I there as soon as I'm able to post.
     
  6. Frank & Sara
    Joined: Mar 21, 2008
    Posts: 53

    Frank & Sara
    Member

    Thanks for the web site!
    I spent the last hour there!

    I still have tons of old Cycle News packed way from the 70s and 80s. Most are CN west.
    Makes me want to dig em out ......but the wife would most likely have a fit!

    I remember the old days when Terry Poovey would come to Austin to try his hand at Motocross.
    It was hilarious. Poovey was great......but Motocross wasn't his thing.

    He did have a HUGE cheering section when AMA flat track and TT came to the Astrodome.
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2008
  7. thunderplex
    Joined: Nov 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,182

    thunderplex
    Member

    Glad you've enjoyed the pics. I remember Terry Poovey, he raced many of the Ohio local tracks.

    ...I haven't updated my website in about four years. I still have 100's of pics that have never been published. I guess I need to get off of my ass and update it.
     
  8. My brother was real good friends with Dave Aldana. We used to go watch at Ascot...
     
  9. donzzilla
    Joined: Oct 15, 2006
    Posts: 142

    donzzilla
    Member

    Joe;
    Cool stuff indeed. You need to post some of your old stock car stuff on here, then go over to the Jockey Journal with the flat track stuff.

    Don Miller www.metroracing.com
     
  10. Cool Stuff. In the 80's I raced the 1/2 mile at Corona, CA once. 250 Bultaco Astro.
    I had been a Pro MX racer in the 70's and got hurt, thought I'd try this to say I'd done it. Got a Third in the Expert Main and never did it again. Wayne Rainey was there testing a 500 Kawasaki and passed me like I was parked!
    Currently own a Trackmaster framed Triumph Bonneville that has seen plenty of action.
     
  11. Ranunculous
    Joined: Nov 30, 2007
    Posts: 2,465

    Ranunculous
    Member

    Yep,the Jockey Journal,a fine forum for traditional motorsickles and the like....
     
  12. when i came home from Nam I started bike racing:(
    it was a little rough falling down could never do it gracefully, finally quit when I could walk no more:eek:
    was a lot of fun :D except for the pain, then went to stock cars for 18 years
     
  13. gkgeiger
    Joined: Nov 28, 2007
    Posts: 767

    gkgeiger
    Member

    I went to all the Ohio races in the mid to late 60's. A friend of mine was number 38F Ohio expert. I was sort of a crew chief for him.
     
  14. Dynaflash_8
    Joined: Sep 24, 2008
    Posts: 3,038

    Dynaflash_8
    Member
    from Auburn WA

    We own Kenny Roberts XS 750 race bike.
     
  15. timmy t
    Joined: Mar 16, 2008
    Posts: 207

    timmy t
    Member

    Growing up just miles from STURGIS I saw flattrack every year. It was always a father son day to watch the 1/2 mile finals, Back then the limey bikes did pretty good but the XR750 harleys ruled the track. Ive always wanted to find an old trackmaster frame and put one of my dads 750 truimph motors to use.
     
  16. Rootie Kazoootie
    Joined: Nov 27, 2006
    Posts: 8,134

    Rootie Kazoootie
    Member
    from Colorado

    Grew up in Pierre in the 60s, going out to the Sturgis flattrack was always a good time. Kinda inspired me to build this one.
     

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  17. Six Ball
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 5,777

    Six Ball
    Member
    from Nevada

    I've got one of Aldana's old BSA/Trackmasters! Well most of it.:(
     
  18. My brothers dirt track inspired steet bike.


    CBB
     

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  19. 39cent
    Joined: Apr 4, 2006
    Posts: 1,569

    39cent
    Member
    from socal

    I used to run amateur TT at Perris in the 60,s/70.s, remember the 'Flyin Flea' Sammy Tanner at Agajanians Ascot?
     
    Last edited: Aug 6, 2011
  20. madjack
    Joined: May 27, 2008
    Posts: 201

    madjack
    Member

    Race TT at sturgis and RC back in the '60s with 441s. Now have a Kamamoto SX650 tracker in the collection that I take down every once in a while to run the vets class
     
  21. Conder
    Joined: Jan 16, 2005
    Posts: 982

    Conder

    My Dad Steve Conder and his friend Kenny Cheek were partners in a K Model street racer out of Louisville KY in the late '60s - early '70s. They had the motor built and tuned by an "UNREAL" flat track engine builder named Bobby Ho out of Cincinnatti. Any of those names sound familiar? They still talk about Bobby to this day, and recently found their K Model. It surfaced in the Carl Caspar show last year. The guy had completely re-built it as a show bike, but was never able to start it! My Dad and Kenny had better luck with it. They admitted it "was a bitch to start" but outran everything they raced for a good while. After they sold it, the bike was in a bad fatality accident (speed related), got shoved under a porch afterward and decades later was purchased by the current owner. I've heard about Bobby Ho my whole life, it'd be cool if you knew him!

    Enough about that...YOU OWN ONE OF WENDELL SCOTT'S RACE CARS??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Start a thread about THAT man. There isn't enough info on your site. I'd love to see more pictures and read all the details. C'mon, give it up!
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2008
  22. Of course - that's Sammy Tanner. He is the Arai helmet distributor here in So Cal. used to help us out when I owned my Speedway Motorcycle racing team in the 80's. Real Nice guy.
     
  23. No, flatrack is generally mile of half mile racing done on bikes like the Harley XR750 that have full suspension, big motors, and look somewhat like traditional motorcycles. Races will be 20-50 laps [​IMG]
    Speedway racing is generally held on very short tracks, although occasionally up to half mile. The bikes are alcohol or Methanol burning 500cc singles, no brakes and look like a beach cruiser bicycle with a motor! Races last about a minute!
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Sep 29, 2008
  24. WCD
    Joined: Apr 15, 2008
    Posts: 1,712

    WCD
    Member

    I enjoyed the short track stuff and TT. I used to venture to Coronoa and Ascot in the 70's when they hosted both variants on the same night. Any shots of the Astro Dome races? I recall when Gerald Short showed up on XL350's in Champion frames and swept the short track. I think that was the same year that Aldana donned his skeleton leathers, much to the dismay of the orthodox AMA officials.
     
  25. thunderplex
    Joined: Nov 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,182

    thunderplex
    Member

    ...aren't you talking about Mike "coon-ass" Gerald. Mike Gerald rode a Honda to a short track win at the Astrodome in the mid '70s.
     
  26. WCD
    Joined: Apr 15, 2008
    Posts: 1,712

    WCD
    Member

    Maybe so. I am going off of shear memory alone. I know that the guy was from the state of La. I also recall a few earleir short track events in the very late 60's at the Daytona short track opener wherein some of then speedways biggest names, Ivan Mauger and Barry Briggs, competed on Ossa's. Thier speedway style of riding didnt translate well. I suspect the power delivery of a 2 stroke had some thing to do with it. Plus, it seems that speedway guys took different lines.
     
  27. thunderplex
    Joined: Nov 27, 2007
    Posts: 1,182

    thunderplex
    Member

    ...yeah, Mike Gerald was from Baton Rouge, I believe. And his win at the Astrodome on a Honda single (I still think it was a four-stroke) set the new standard for most National Short Track racing.
     
  28. LIMEY
    Joined: Nov 5, 2002
    Posts: 1,987

    LIMEY
    Member

    As a kid even over here in England i was a fan of flatrack........ just seemed more badass than our speedway, two names i remember were Jay Springsteen & Mert Lawill who rode for HD......... actually it must have been the HD thing because i remember Walter Villa who road raced the Aermacchi Harley's back then too.

    Kev.
     
  29. WCD
    Joined: Apr 15, 2008
    Posts: 1,712

    WCD
    Member

    As the sayiong goes, "The grass is always greener on the other side" and by that I mean I was obsessed with speedway in the early to late seventies. I used to subscribe to the Speedway Stars and News weekly to stay abreast. In visiting England in 1979, I made sure that I took in at least one event, that being a league match at Powder Hall Stadium in Scotland
     
  30. Ron Mayes
    Joined: Mar 24, 2006
    Posts: 708

    Ron Mayes
    Member

    did it years ago on a Ossa DMR .........thought about doing it again and got another DMR a few years ago ..just don't have the time
     

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