A beautiful summer morning met the vintage faithful as they rolled into the lovely Mountaineer pit area. The day officially got under way with Faye banging on my door demanding coffee, Karla asking if anyone might be interested in one of the 100K+ Toyhaulers on display (Mathew Payne are you listening?) and Bill Mathews, laying prone on a Tibetan rug, praying over his drooling steed. Brian O showed up with his usual array of impressively clean machines, and the always smiling Bill Eyler lamenting about the “one that got away”. I am assuming that he was referring to some obscure Maico part that slipped from his clutches during an all night Ebay bidding frenzy. I wish that Bill would once again count victory as success on the field of valor, rather than acquiring some trinket from a homeless vagrant claiming to be a Phillipino Warlord. It has gotten so bad in the Maico universe that there is a moron on Craigslist selling an original “Will Smith” 490. ( I did notice that Chris Love placed the opening bid!)
After my rather pleasant good mornings with the modern mini bikers that were circling the track, and threatening to put a broom handle in their wheels if they did not leave the premises, practice got underway. Naturally I was accosted on my walk back to the toilet by folks upset that I had the promoter cut out the whoop section and the 50’ double. I have now come to the conclusion that you cannot please anyone and that the increasing injuries do not add to our turn out. My default position from now on is to err on the side of safety, and an irritated Faye Lawson has accepted the position as the official complaint department!
On behalf of the PVR I want to thank Greg Lacy, the original “Tin Can Man” for relentlessly badgering folks to get involved in the 50/50 drawing. With our awards costs ever increasing, this part of the program is essential to our long term viability. The fact that drawing winner Hastings Foote donated his prize back to the club was a full throttle act of generosity. In fact we need to welcome Hastings as the latest PVR member, and has agreed to wear a lampshade at the next banquet!
I am sure that most agree that the track was awesome and the track changes made for a very positive riding experience. (Except for the ill faited 5 th moto, that turned out be a scoring nightmare!) As usual Karla and her gang ran an exceptional program, and shortly after practice things got underway!
In moto 1 the Sportsman 500 Novice class featured Mike Hickman finishing ahead of Steve Paulk and Neal Hickan. Jerry C had a very trick Puch Twin Carb and was filling in for Harvey Double Jump in the 250 Historic Class. It is generally accepted that JC has some of the most obscure and trick vintage bikes on the planet, but it is extremely rare that someone with such great iron can ride so well. Must be the good Italian genetics!
Race 2 was the potpourri class of the day with a hotly contested GP Thumper Expert Class featuring a grossly underpowered Kawie ridden By George Ackerman getting a second to the speedo wearing Paul Dziwanowski.
Moto 3 had Matt Payne and Mike Harrington swapping wins with MP taking the rubber match and the overall. Scott Sayers piloted the Bill Eyler sponsored Maico 490 ahead of a miss-firing Honda ridden by Ronnie Rollins in the Ultima 500 Experts.
The PV Open Age Intermediates was argueably the best race of the day with the top 4 riders splitting positions between motos. After the dust cleared Yamaha mounted Hunter Conrad carded a 2 and 1 for the overall. First moto winner Fred “Special K” Kunkle wound up second, ahead of a charging Leon Turner and Luke Loy. In the PV +40 Sand baggers, Mike Baker took advantage of a penalty to finish ahead of new PVR member Seth Butler and a frustrated Don Broxson. Don’s Bul was leaking more then the Exxon Valdez, and was caught eyeing jC’ s Maico with lust!
GP 125 Intermediate rider Brian Brillon put 2 moto wins together for the overall ahead of Ed Day. Ed rode the 125 very well, considering that he was getting off of an open bike, and the tiddler was obviously quite a change.
Race 9 featured some great old style vintage racing. Cory Neff bested all comers in the Open Age Novices, while CZ mounted Steve Collins did the same in the +40 Intermediates. In the +50 Experts JerryC kept his Maico together long enough to outlast Brian Oconner who was clearly having bike issues.
All in all another great day for racing vintage bikes. Its hard to believe that we are entering the summer stretch. Our next race, at a new track in Summersville, West Virginia, will be mid-July. Until then get yourself and your bikes healed up, and we’ll see you in Summersville!!! |
