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Flat Track Has Jumps! Who Knew?

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16 minutes ago, Ptkatoomer said:

Must be a crowd-drawing thing?

I mean, it is called FLAT track.

Maybe FLAT meaning no camber on the turns.

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TT has jumps.  And righthand turns.  Flat track is a lefthand oval.

 

Edited by dirt dame
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TT is similar to flat track, but like Mimi said it has differences.  I’ve never been to one.  Would be cool, On Any Sunday vibes.

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6 minutes ago, tntmo said:

TT is similar to flat track, but like Mimi said it has differences.  I’ve never been to one.  Would be cool, On Any Sunday vibes.

 


1995 vibes! The track looks sweet here

Harley Davidsons, the ‘Prince of Peoria’ Chris Carr, Scott Parker and a young pit reporter Ralph Sheheen!

 

@KTMrad & @J5ive how about those Harleys

@tntmo @Pokey151 @Wintyfresh @dirt dame & @robertaccio check out ol Ralph at the end! I didn’t know he has been in motorsports for so long.

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Back in 60s, TT was all the rage, before motocross took off in the USA.  A lot of my friends in the early 70s were still riding TT events, along with quickly expanding MX events.  Everybody who rode TT seemed to have a handlebar mounted compression release.  It was popular belief that this helped slow the bike down...so everybody would go hurtling towards the first turn and pull their compression releases open at the end of the straight, resulting in all the bikes farting simultaneously as they set up for the corner.  When motocross became prevalent, people learned that compression releases were mostly just a fad (and that they often sucked in dirt, rendering them nonoperational),  and learned how to use their brakes and clutches more efficiently.  TT lost it's popularity, especially at the local amature level after MX racing became established in America.

Edited by dirt dame
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6 minutes ago, dirt dame said:

Back in 60s, TT was all the rage, before motocross took off in the USA.  A lot of my friends in the early 70s were still riding TT events, along with quickly expanding MX events.  Everybody who rode TT seemed to have a handlebar mounted compression release.  It was popular belief that this helped slow the bike down...so everybody would go hurtling towards the first turn and pull their compression releases open at the end of the straight, resulting in all the bikes farting simultaneously as they set up for the corner.  When motocross became prevalent, people learned that compression releases were mostly just a fad (and that they often sucked in dirt, rendering them nonoperational),  and learned how to use their brakes and clutches more efficiently.  TT lost it's popularity, especially at the local amature level after MX racing became established in America.

Great history thanks for sharing! What was the typical TT track like? Similar to that Peoria track above or even more turns & jumps?

What bikes were people racing?

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31 minutes ago, Goofy Footer said:

Great history thanks for sharing! What was the typical TT track like? Similar to that Peoria track above or even more turns & jumps?

What bikes were people racing?

I didn't see too many tracks, but those that I saw were typically lower speed tracks with more turns.I know that they raced TT at Dehesa, and I think South Bay, back in the day...or night.  South Bay had racing at night under the klieg lights. The bikes that were popular at the time were Bultaco Sherpa S and Astro models,  Ossa ST/DMR short track bikes,  Hodakas and all the new DT,RT,AT,HT etc.enduro line up from Yamaha and the Green Streak 238 and Centurion 100 models from Kawasaki.  It was a time when two strokes were coming into their own for dirt riding.  Typically anything that could slide well.

Edited by dirt dame
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Guys --I am going to Peoria . If any one else is going message me and we will try to meet up. I am taking my camper . See you their . I went when I got out high school years ago. I saw a verry young Scotty Parker and Springsten in the pits .  

Edited by kkug
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who knew? I did..... been a race fan of everything since probably 10 years old.....that would be 1971 or so. I had subscriptions to all the magazines back in the day, and later had Cycle News delivered as well. Like DD said oval racing and the sub system of TT was the preeminent AMA moto "offroad" racing type in the US for many many years. Racing always evolves and breeds offshoots. All our top tier early (1970s-80s into the 90s) MotoGP guys were bred from Flat track and this TT portion of the series ( AMA Grand National series). VR46 has a brilliant course on his ranch in Italia , no jumps but a full road race type course but on "dirt".

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Note all the top AMA Flat track guys are on Wood-Rotax single flat track machines wearing full MX gear for this event.

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First date I took my wife on was 50 years ago, was at a TT race at South Bay Speedway.   48 years married today!

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My stepdad raced in the 60s maybe 50s on a 650 BSA or Triumph, not sure, I do remember him saying he went over the fence in the back stretch and him and a buddy made the bike into a gyrocopter. Crashed it too.

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I went - the last time I was their was about 46-47 years ago. The place is the same, only the bikes have changed. Smaller crowd - not so many Harley Riders. Like all racing for me better to watch it on TV so you know who is who. But the noise and roost is good. 

 

 

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Pics of that Indian are not helping me want to not make a carbon tank...

 

Flat track bikes are so cool.

 

Thanks for sharing the photos.

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