Rickman Montesa Road Racer

I am vacationing in Portland, Oregon so Sacramento was too far away and I missed another SCFTA Perris,Cal round. I did get my Sickle Sport fix at the Oregon Motorcycle Road Racing Assoc meet at the beautiful Portland International Raceway which is right in Portland proper. I purchased a Rickman Montesa brand new, way back in '73 from Competition Motors on Barbur Blvd, Portland Oregon and still have it. They are pretty as can be and that's why I got sucked in, Nickel and fire red, irresistible. The bikes were pretty much crap but it didn't stop me from hauling it all over the West when I moved around. I raced it fairly unsuccessfully in District 37 TTs ( Ascot, Perris and Saddleback)for a few years and had a lot of fun but mainly due to the events not the bike. I always thought of going vintage road racing with it but could not muster the enthusiasm for fear of being bitterly disappointed with the dog, one more time. I got out to PIR and standing out from slew of mundane Jap Sport Bikes was Jared Kenyon on a Rickman Montesa MX 250 Road Racer . Nickel and Fire Red and hauling the freight and having fun!

SCFTA Perris Short Track Round 7 Saturday Night Under the Lights

2015 Triumph Thruxton Bonneville

Castle Rock Speed Week

Mees Mauls'em in Elma

Jared Mees put in one hell of a ride to win the Grays Harbor Half Mile in the tiny town of Elma Washington. On a very tricky,very banked clay bowl, Mees ran down and beat the very best in Grand National Racing. Washington Star, Sam Halbert looked like the guy who could take this whole deal. Fast Qualifier and Dash winner,Sammy took to the challenging track like an infant to its mom's tittay. In the main he grabbed that sucker and wrestled it for eight laps, leading with ease. Then the pack caught him and swallowed him whole. Kawi mounted Bryan Smith shot by him and into the lead for eleven laps while all hell broke loose behind him. Out of the scrum came Mees with a fist full of throttle and a very determined attitude. He had been battling tooth and nail to get here and he wasn't about to let it go. Fantastic effort and a really skilled ride to take his second GNC win this season. Jared really enjoyed the victory, I'm sure because it was so hard fought but, also because it catapulted him into the points lead. Six races down and eight to go. What an incredible season so far this year.

Elma 1/2 Mile Rained Out ,Might be run Sunday

The North West is famous for it's absolutely diabolical rainy weather and it struck again today ,canceling the AMA National Elma 1/2 Mile. Things were looking fair throughout the morning but a stubborn soaking mist made the racing surface slick and unraceable. The spectators poured into the stands with a dubious feeling about the conditions and after a mammoth wheel packing session, two tough Washingtonians namely the Halbert Bros, Sam and Jethro volunteered to go out and see what it was like. They circulated the banked track and the crowd drank in the sounds of Harley and Kawasaki echoing in the big bowl,trying to get up to speed. Those guys made it look good. Not too long after, Bonsey, Coolbeth, Robinson, Mees and Sam came out on the track and hit it with as much gusto as they dared. Bonsey and Halbert were really exploring the limits and the other guys all had some heart in mouth moments and eased way back. They all pulled off and it was declared over. Bummer! Then it was announced they would try again tomorrow morning with Hot Laps starting at 10:15 am. Lets hope the Rain Gods have decided to party somewhere else.

The Bullet shoots for Elma

This weekend's Elma Grand National Half Mile should be something. A clay,banked, really small Half Mile should prove entertaining, especially if your goosing a big 750 Twin around it. No.1 Brad Baker will be anxious to turn his season around and get a win in his home state in front of his legion of fans. I bet he wishes he had this bike under him but, this is his Championship winning Dodge Bros XR ( at the Final in 2013 Pomona where he won the NO.1 Plate) which Brad swapped for the Factory mount which seems slow and unreliable by comparison. This small track should help Brad make up for H.P. and reliability issues as the bike is not so stressed. Brad can get down to the business of race'em. It wont be easy though with a bunch of tough competitors. Coolbeth, Bonsey who always goes great on new tracks and surprise, Briar Bauman on this bike,the Dodge Bros, Saddleman, Werner Racing Harley XR750 ! Briar is good. He rode an old Suzuki to third at the Pomona 1/2 mile at the Final last year and since then has been on Werner's Kawi with mixed results. Now he will be riding the D-S-W Racing XR at all the West Coast Races. This could be the guys big opportunity. It is going to be some fun. See you in Elma.