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Flat Track Racing Mega Thread - INCLUDES SPOILERS!

Legendary tuner, team owner and racer Babe DeMay passed away earlier this week. RIP.

His most recent success was the fledgling Yamaha MT-07 effort with Dominic Colindres. DC66 won a heat in the top class in his rookie year on the Yamaha Twin and I believe he had a 4th place finish in an Expert Twins National in Delaware that season with the team skating by on a shoestring budget.

https://americanmotorcyclist.com/ama-motorcycle-hall-of-famer-babe-demay-passes/
 
Godspeed Babe :rip

He touched a lot of lives with his work for Harley.

88 is a good run.
 
Dusting off the FT thread with some news.

The Sacramento Mile will be a double header running the full program for all classes on both Friday and Saturday nights, May 7-8, 2021. Good news that we can expect mild temperatures but I'm a bit concerned because the first weekend in May historically can be a crazy weekend weather in Northern California. No matter, I'm just super buzzed about having the back-to-back Mile races.

In other news, Dunlop has been running a tire test this week with several AFT regulars at Volusia Speedway in Florida. The test provides a sneak peak at some rider line-up changes for 2021. With Harley Davidson pulling back from direct support, the Vance & Hines SuperTwins team appears to just be Dalton Gauthier next year. Former V&H HD racer Jarod Vanderkooi will race an FTR750 with support from Roof Systems of Dallas.

While Mees, Halbert, Robinson, and Briar Bauman are all testing with their same teams from last year, Bronson Bauman is notably absent. JD Beach is testing the Estenson Yamaha which should benefit from a rule change allowing production based engines in SuperTwins to run wheel speed sensors; another way of saying they may be able to use some form of traction control.
 
Traction control in FT??

I don't think I am a fan. :dunno

Good news on Sac! :thumbup
 
I'm not too happy about complicated electronic aids but I'm willing to wait and see how it develops. The Yamahas are at the back of the pack everywhere but the TTs and the good TT results are all due to the rider. I just know Beach would be up front on an Indian so it really sucks to see him struggling to finish 15th on the Yamaha.
 
budman said:
Traction control in FT??

I don't think I am a fan. :dunno

Good news on Sac! :thumbup
Click to expand...

Scott Parker had a version of TC years ago on his mile bikes. Bill Werner just pushing the rules to the limit.

Edit: I saw Marquez run TC on the short track in Barcelona, one of the best races I have seen. He had a lever on the bars and could change on the fly. Now taking one hand off to move the lever was something to see.
 
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AFT finally releases a 2021 schedule. I'm guessing the Sacramento Mile doubleheader is being moved from May to the TBA September dates. New SuperTT at Atlanta. DuQuoin returns - &#@* Yeah!. And the Peoria TT is back this year.

2021 Progressive American Flat Track Schedule:

1. March 12: Volusia Half-Mile I - Volusia Speedway, Barberville, FL

2. March 13: Volusia Half-Mile II - Volusia Speedway, Barberville, FL

3. May 1: Atlanta Super TT - Atlanta Motor Speedway, Hampton, GA

4. May 22: Texas Half-Mile - Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX

5. May 29: Chicago Half-Mile - Dirt Oval Route 66, Joliet, IL

6. June 18: OKC Mile I - Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK

7. June 19: OKC Mile II - Remington Park, Oklahoma City, OK

8. June 26: Lima Half-Mile - Allen County Fairgrounds, Lima, OH

9. July 17: DuQuoin Mile - DuQuoin Fairgrounds, DuQuoin, IL

10. July 24: Port Royal Half-Mile - Port Royal Speedway, Port Royal, PA

11. August 14: New York Short Track - Weedsport Speedway, Weedsport, NY

12. August 21: Peoria TT - Peoria Motorcycle Club, Peoria, IL

13. September 4: Springfield Mile I - Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL

14. September 5: Springfield Mile II - Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, IL

15. September TBD: TBA Doubleheader I, California

16. September TBD: TBA Doubleheader II, California

17. October 8: Charlotte Half-Mile - Charlotte Motor Speedway, Concord, NC
 
The 2021 AFT kicks off this coming Friday and Saturday (Mar. 12-13) with a double header at the Volusia Half Mile.

Full Schedule HERE: https://www.americanflattrack.com/events

NBC SN will continue to offer tape delayed coverage. Live streaming is available on the NBC Sports Gold Track pass for $1.99 a month (this month includes coverage of the Daytona 200).


Mission Foods (tortilas, wraps, chips and more) has jumped as a major sponsor of the AFT SuperTwins class while also signing Jared Mees to 3-year sponsorship deal. Mission Foods will also sponsor a $5,000 Dash for Cash at all AFT events. SuperTwins looks to be another showdown between Briar Bauman and Jared Mees. The two multi-time champs will be challenged by a new Roof Systems team fielding Brandon Robinson and Jarod Vanderkooi along the return of Sammy Halbert on the Coolbeth/Nila Indian. Recent podium finishers Brandon Price, Davis Fisher, Robert Pearson, and Bronson Bauman (also with top class win) will all be threats. New AFT rules allow production-based engines in SuperTwins to run limited rider aids which the Estenson Yamaha team has been developing over the winter to get JD Beach the competitive bike he deserves.


AFT Production Twins is deeper than ever. While HD has dropped direct support for a SuperTwins effort they are funding some private entries through dealers. Vance & Hines offers contingency in the Production Twins class which has attracted some teams to field XG750s agains the Factory Royal Enfield and some well supported Yamaha and private Kawasaki teams. Past Singles champs Dalton Gauthier and Dan Bromley will both compete in Production Twins this season.


AFT Singles is absolutely stacked with race winners. 2020 race winner Australian Max Whale joins Shayna Texter on the KTM factory team. Rookie sensation Brandon Kitchen gets a Husqvarna ride. American Honda is supporting three riders (Henry Wiles, Cole Zabala, and newcomer Trevor Bruner). Joe Kopp's son Cody Kopp, will contest the entire AFT season and is picked by many experts as a potential race winner. All will have their eyes firmly set on defending champion, 17 year-old phenom Dallas Daniels.





edit: Cole Zabala replaced Mikey Rush on the Honda AFT Singles effort. Not sure where multi-time winner Rush is racing this season.
 
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The excellent Sideburn magazine blog has a post today about the new era of traction control, or electronic rider aids, in national-level flat track racing. AFT rules this year allow bikes with production-based engines to use wheel sensors and ride-by-wire throttles in the SuperTwins class. The Yamaha FT07 and the Harley Davidson XG750R meet these requirements where the dominant Indian FTR750 does not.

Read about blog post here: https://www.sideburnmagazine.com/post/aft-s-traction-control-era-begins
 
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Just found out my new TV, 75" LG has a build-in web browser. Set up NBC GOLD for tomorrow. Ready for 1/2 mile Friday, Daytona 200 Saturday morning followed by another 1/2 mile. Going to be a good weekend.
 
Map8 said:
The excellent Sideburn magazine blog has a post today about the new era of traction control, or electronic rider aids, in national-level flat track racing. AFT rules this year allow bikes with production-based engines to use wheel sensors and ride-by-wire throttles in the SuperTwins class. The Yamaha FT07 and the Harley Davidson XG750R meet these requirements where the dominant Indian FTR750 does not.

Read about blog post here: https://www.sideburnmagazine.com/post/aft-s-traction-control-era-begins
Click to expand...

Well worth the read. 1/2 mile may be interesting tomorrow.
 
bikeama said:
Just found out my new TV, 75" LG has a build-in web browser. Set up NBC GOLD for tomorrow. Ready for 1/2 mile Friday, Daytona 200 Saturday morning followed by another 1/2 mile. Going to be a good weekend.
Click to expand...

:thumbup
 
Does NBC Gold allow to watch anytime??
 
Got the gold... ready to rock!! :banana
 
I noticed last season, the races were available on-demand about an hour after the end of the main events. Made it easier to watch some of the east coast races the same night rather than having to camp out at my computer in the later afternoon.

RACE DAY is finally here! I'm pumped.
 
The production twins was a great finish.
 
Lots of good racing in the Semis. Production Main was wild while. Held my breath through much the Singles Main. SuperTwins Main may not have been a thriller but I'm thrilled with the result. Looking forward to tomorrow night.
 
Damn damn damn.

Got to watch some. Paused it for my kids wedding rehearsal. Did not pause for long and when I got back to it out of luck. :(
 
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