When Dirt meets the Road
Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2007 3:58 am
This past weekend, Morgan and I got a nearly once in a lifetime opportunity to meet and greet with our road race breathren.
On Saturday, we met up with some of the road race sidecar teams. We took several of road race passangers and drivers and let them loose on MX rigs in the MX course following the race day.
Four passangers and one driver took their chances on the dirty side.
(I'll name names later, don't want to make mistakes)
I passangered for Wade Boyd on our EML/Honda "loaner" rig. He did very well. Certainly not the typical timid newbie on a sidecar. I had to slow him down several times because of some difficult sections of the MX course. Off camber, strange sort of areas that could definately hurt us if not handled correctly.
I certainly hope we can get Wade and his passanger Christina out and play in the dirt more often in the near furture!
Shortly after a few practice laps, someone pulled together a photo opportunity with the road race sidecars and the motocross sidecars...all together in one place on the road race course.
Yup, they let all us "dirt bags" out on the road race course on our freshly dirtied up MX rigs!
It is absolutely exhilerating to ride TAPPED OUT...no letting up for a few laps around a paved oval. The sacrifice of a brand new knobbie was well worth it!
That wasn't the end of "Dirt meets road"...all of us MX racers got to have a spin as passanger on a road race rig for a couple laps. Fun, fun, fun!
I am trying to find more pictures of the event....but here's one to start with:
This is me riding not the correct way around a left turn on a road race sidecar. I wanted to see how close I could get to the pavement.
Nice view from a few inches!
Well, it seemed right, at the time.
Sunday morning, Morgan and I got the opportunity to go out for practice laps on Dave Henessey's BMW RR sidecar. Thanks, Dave!!!!!!!
There was a place for a passanger in second practice. I rode with Wade Boyd, once again....only on his "turf" this time.
WOW!!!!!!! Really liked that a LOT!!!!!!!!
I think I did halfway ok until the 4th lap when I got all bejungled on a transition. Freaked me out pretty bad missing a hand hold and not being able to find another. Inexperience mixed with enough experience to be scared. Already knowing the basics of sidecars, I know the big picture when passanger doesn't make thier mark on time.
Never quite recovered from that panic and did the last lap at parade speeds.
It's the same, yet very, very different.
I felt very awkward, but I think with some practice, I can work out those kinks.
Everyone in the road race paddock lent a hand to make sure we have leathers and any other gear that we needed and didn't have.
A BIG thanks to ALL!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Wade for a fabulous time!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Christina for lending me your driver for a brief time!!!!!!
This weekend at Sandia Motor Speedway was one that will live on in memories for years to come.
Links for more info:
SubCulture Racing
Sidecar Racers Association-West
peace,
janette
P.S. As I come across more pictures, I'll post them up.
On Saturday, we met up with some of the road race sidecar teams. We took several of road race passangers and drivers and let them loose on MX rigs in the MX course following the race day.
Four passangers and one driver took their chances on the dirty side.
(I'll name names later, don't want to make mistakes)
I passangered for Wade Boyd on our EML/Honda "loaner" rig. He did very well. Certainly not the typical timid newbie on a sidecar. I had to slow him down several times because of some difficult sections of the MX course. Off camber, strange sort of areas that could definately hurt us if not handled correctly.
I certainly hope we can get Wade and his passanger Christina out and play in the dirt more often in the near furture!
Shortly after a few practice laps, someone pulled together a photo opportunity with the road race sidecars and the motocross sidecars...all together in one place on the road race course.
Yup, they let all us "dirt bags" out on the road race course on our freshly dirtied up MX rigs!
It is absolutely exhilerating to ride TAPPED OUT...no letting up for a few laps around a paved oval. The sacrifice of a brand new knobbie was well worth it!
That wasn't the end of "Dirt meets road"...all of us MX racers got to have a spin as passanger on a road race rig for a couple laps. Fun, fun, fun!
I am trying to find more pictures of the event....but here's one to start with:
This is me riding not the correct way around a left turn on a road race sidecar. I wanted to see how close I could get to the pavement.
Nice view from a few inches!
Well, it seemed right, at the time.
Sunday morning, Morgan and I got the opportunity to go out for practice laps on Dave Henessey's BMW RR sidecar. Thanks, Dave!!!!!!!
There was a place for a passanger in second practice. I rode with Wade Boyd, once again....only on his "turf" this time.
WOW!!!!!!! Really liked that a LOT!!!!!!!!
I think I did halfway ok until the 4th lap when I got all bejungled on a transition. Freaked me out pretty bad missing a hand hold and not being able to find another. Inexperience mixed with enough experience to be scared. Already knowing the basics of sidecars, I know the big picture when passanger doesn't make thier mark on time.
Never quite recovered from that panic and did the last lap at parade speeds.
It's the same, yet very, very different.
I felt very awkward, but I think with some practice, I can work out those kinks.
Everyone in the road race paddock lent a hand to make sure we have leathers and any other gear that we needed and didn't have.
A BIG thanks to ALL!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks Wade for a fabulous time!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, Christina for lending me your driver for a brief time!!!!!!
This weekend at Sandia Motor Speedway was one that will live on in memories for years to come.
Links for more info:
SubCulture Racing
Sidecar Racers Association-West
peace,
janette
P.S. As I come across more pictures, I'll post them up.