I come down pit road for practice, and who is directly ahead of me but Jay Springsteen on his Harley XR750TT! That orange #9 staring me in the face….I took a deep breathe, pulled up along side (exhaust side) and just listened to that beautiful machine!!!…..Jay looks over and gives me a nod….Jay Springsteen gives me a nod while our bikes are warming up on Daytona pit road…..IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?
Racing and Daytona…..2 words that just go together….kind of like cold and beer, Bikinis and Babes…..they were just meant to be!!
I’ve been going to Daytona for decades. I always rode my FXR (or the Honda Magna in the early days), camped, and went to the races…all the races I could afford! I always hit the usual party spots, but my heart, and people with similar interests, always wound up at one race track or another.
A couple years ago, I started thinking about what it would take to get out there and race. I started working corners as a safety worker with some friends (Thanks Stan Dilcher and David Brock!)…got my AMA Pro Marshall cert. I had reached a point with street riding where even if I started riding in a group, shortly, I was usually by myself at 90 or so, or 6 turns ahead of everyone.
After a few races with WERA on the old Honda 350’s (a southeastern region #1 plate, mid-central region #1 plate)….I started thinking about my dreams of racing at Daytona International Speedway, and faster bikes. Near the end of the 2006 season, I took a loan outta my 401K and bought a Kawasaki EX500….Inching my way to racing at Daytona.
2007 was the year. I was licensed, un-sponsored, under-funded, over budget, and a rookie at Daytona….doesn’t get any better…CUZ I WAS GOIN RACIN AT DAYTONA INT’L SPEEDWAY!!
I bought a trailer so I could haul my Kawasaki race bike, my Teammate Keith’s Honda 350 race bike, and my good old FXR….oh yeah, and a tent, plus 2 sleeping bags….first class baby!!
Keith and I would be racing in the annual American Historic Racing Motorcycle Assoc (AHRMA) event during bike week. Keith was riding in “Novice Historic Production-Lightweight” on his Honda350, and I was entered in “Battle of Twins, formula 3 (BOT F3)”. Our buddy Stan Keyes was also running 2 Norton’s in BEARS and Sportsman 750.
Battle of Twins is a class for newer bikes. Buells, Ducatis, Triumph Thruxtons, Suzuki SV650’s….Fast bikes y’all.
Then the riders….some of the world’s best run these races, and some were in my class or practice groups….gulp!! Here’s a few:
Jay Springsteen on his XR750TT road race bike. AWSOME machine and AWESOME guy! Think about this……Jay was severely injured in a flat track wreck last year. Literally, he got run over. Broke multiple ribs, and broke his back…yes, broken back. He was in a body cast for several months….8 months later, and here he is, WINNING again!…and happy! Let’s just say he ain’t no spring chicken either, his recovery was miraculous. Jay also ran and won the endurance race on Sunday.
I was a minnow in a pool of sharks….just call me baitfish.
Other guys running that I knew or names I recognized were John Regan (running same class as Keith), Buff Harsh, running the Todd Henning Racing Honda 350, Brad Phillips running his BMW, Also Carl Anderson running his 2 stroke.
Met a Wildman pitted next to us named Dan Elder, from Colorado. After racing both days, he was going to be part of the “entertainment” down at Gilleys Pub 44……Have you ever been to a motorcycle demolition derby?…oh yeah, and they were going to light him on fire….all kinds in Daytona buddy!
Here’s our cast of characters:
Stan Keyes, Owner of Cyco Cycles and Racing, in Jacksonville Fl. He has kind of adopted us (old and oily)….he’s like our racing “grandpa”….He’ll like that one!
Stan’s been at this for awhile. The announcer over the PA system at Daytona referred to him as “A Cagey Veteran” several times…..when I grow up, I wanna be like Stan!
AHRMA had an unusual set-up shall we say. We had to get our bike Tech Inspected on Sunday, out at Volusia county Fairgrounds near DeLand. So we truck em on out there and get in line. I get up to the station and there is this little kid there. Heck he gets right to business…..forms, what class, going right at it! I was impressed with the young lad! He was 10 yrs old or so…..I saw him several times throughout the week….Alex. His dad is a pre 1940 hand shift racer.
So Keith and I both make it thru tech, and head to the track to occupy the pits. We arrive and get in line (again) outside turn #1. There is still a race going on. It is a nationally sanctioned endurance bike race. Stan Keyes son, Derek Keyes, is running a factory EX650 Ninja. They did well during Biketoberfest (same race), but did not have a good day today…..blew up in short order….get em next time!! So Stan is already inside the track, and saving us a pit.
We are outside the track…..for like 4 hrs! I see all these old flatheads and Indians in front of us. I love these old bikes, so I get out and start asking questions…it occurs to me that all these guys have an accent….
Turns out these guys shipped 20 race ready, pre-1940, Class C Hand shift race bikes over from Australia to race with AHRMA at Daytona!!
I spoke with Tony Blain, #954, from Sydney. “We shipped 20 bikes, spare Indian motor, spare HD motor, trannies, plus other spares….and 28 people from Sydney and Melbourne.” He continued..”It took us 18 months to prep for this. Our container arrived in Savannah, Ga. We rented 2 big U-Hauls and several Mini-vans….here we are!!” They said customs inspections went great, and the dock workers in Savannah were a big help.
Tony runs a shop over there called Redfern Motor Parts. Sounds like they race these bikes hard over there…..Phillip Island, Winton, Broadford, Eastern Creek, Wakefield Park, and several others.
And run them they did…..
So, back to my crew. Monday morning bright and early we are at the track getting the bikes ready to run. First practice session is 8am, and that’s Keith’s group…..he comes back “wide-eyed”, with a shit-eatin grin!!…..Daytona baby!!
Our teammate Jack Houman wasn’t racing, but showed up to help us out in the pits. Our Norton Club was also set up for a picnic / party on the infield. They set up right after the international horseshoe, turn #4 now. Maggie and Martha do it up right! Kegs of beer, great food, nice bikes, and great people. I went over during lunch and chowed down. Look for the Norton banner next year and come on over.
I’m getting ready for my first practice. They make the call and I start rolling towards pit road. I’m nervous as a preacher in a whore house….all kinds of questions….
Should I really be doing this? Am I worthy? Is my bike up to it? Am I a frikkin Idiot?…I come down pit road, and who is dead ahead of me on his XR750TT but Jay Springsteen!….IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING?
Out onto the track for the first time….taking it easy….cold tires, its brisk this morning. I’m thinking “make the first lap”, but some guys don’t!! downed bike in turn 1…..got a little rambunctious…I’m talking to myself in my helmet…”DON’T GET STUPID”…Ride smart, warm up those tires, learn the track, ….wooed there big guy….breathe…
Jay leaves me like I’m standing still! The big guys have tire warmers!
I make it thru the infield, and start to give it some throttle as we go out onto the backstretch…..just warm up lap….stay cool….down the back straight, now brake for the Chicane, down a gear. Brake, into the hard fast left, down another gear….on the gas, make the right, then left……
And accelerate hard out onto the Hi-Banks of Daytona in turn #3!
Stay low, outta the way……check gauges…..hit 6th…..HOLY SHIT! Come outta turn 4 and head down the front stretch….into the tri-oval, cross the start-finish line…..wow! OK, time to kick it up a notch!
The rest of practice goes OK. I’m learning the track, and getting faster. The bike is running great, but a little warm….Hmmmm…its 65 degs, shouldn’t be running hot…
Running the High Banks wide open is unbelievable! It’s like you’re on a different planet, with other aliens buzzing all around you. It almost feels like someone has grabbed you by the ankle, is holding you up-side down, and saying….”go ahead, take your best shot!”Disorienting to say the least, just not natural, out of place. Unlike anything else I’ve ever experienced….and I’ve been shot off an aircraft carrier!
So its time to start racing. Keith goes out and finishes 4th. Not bad! He had a good run.
I get out to the Grid. I’m in a “2 wave” start race. There are 2 classes in this race, they start one group, watch the bikes into turn #1, then green flag the second group. I’m in the second group.
As we are waiting to grid, The announcer is running down the field over the PA system…..I hadn’t thought about this before, but as I heard my name and number over the Daytona Int’l Speedway PA system, I got goose-bumps.
I was sitting on the grid, my bike kept getting hotter….cloud of steam. I’m not used to water cooled bikes, so I don’t really know what to make of it…..but I know that smell ain’t good!
1st wave is away. I’m cussing BIG TIME as my temp gauge goes into the red. “LETS GO BEFORE I BLOW UP!!!”….didn’t seem like they could hear me…??..
And we are off…I get a TERRIBLE start due to the distraction of my temp….See in the next pic how everyone else is moving, except me!!! That ain’t good!
I finish the race, nursing my bike. 24 bikes started, I finish 19th…..dead last on the track, but I beat the guys who crashed and broke!!!….
I was extremely disappointed…..but it was about to get worse.
Come back to the pits. Pop the cap off the radiator, and there are air bubbles. I talk to Ray, one of Stan Keyes mechanics….He checks it out…
“Your head gasket is about to blow……you are done, Charlie. It ain’t gone yet, but it will be.”…..This hit me like a ton of bricks…..can’t be! I’ve still got a full day of racing left!
I could only imagine how Val Thompson felt qualifying 2nd in her AHDRA event, then not running in the race at all….she could relate to this!! She may have handled it well, but I know she felt like she was punched in the gut!
Ray walked away and let that one sink in, then came over a couple minutes later…”Hey Charlie, what I said is true….but I know what you are gonna do!” I said yes, correct….he said “don’t run practice, just run your race tomorrow, and keep an eye on the gauge….if it gets worse. STOP….or you will blow the motor.”
Stan Keyes ran 2 races, and got a 3rd in BEARS and 5th in Sportsman 750…..Way to go Stan! Here he is sporting the trophy…and a well earned cold one!!
So, I ran on Tue, half hearted…..but I ran……finished 20th. Stan Keyes only ran Monday. The highlight of Tuesday was Keith Bennett!!! He scored a 3rd place trophy, and was dam proud!!…he should have been; I was proud of him!
Keith says” Holy shit! I’ve scored a trophy from Daytona!!”
My teammate came thru, and earned us a Daytona Intl Speedway trophy to drink beer out of for the rest of the week!!
So, we departed the speedway with me sitting on the passenger side window sill hoisting Keith’s trophy and a beer for all to see!!!…..people were hooting and hollering once they saw the trophy…….it was a blast!!
All in all, it was a great experience. It made me realize HOW GOOD these guys really are. I’ll bring my big bike back next year, but I will also be running Honda 350!
Jay entered 4 races and won all 4!! What a come back from his injury! Plus he ran and won the endurance race on Sunday.
His last race Jay won by 8 inches!!…..photo finish! I was standing on the roof or the truck hollering and screaming, watching em run the banks…..that was one FAST Harley!!….and quite a rider.
Other notes, fellow WERA and Honda 350 rider Buff Harsh, from Atlanta, blew a motor first day. Swapped it out same day. On Tuesday, He ran 3 races BACK TO BACK…..and WON all 3!!….on a fresh, untested motor! Now that’s racing!!!
John Regan had an issue in 1st practice and cracked a case….he probably felt worse than me. Get em next year John.
Till next year………that’s the checkers!
Thanks to everyone who helped us out.
Charlie Young
Atlanta, Ga.
