DTRA Round 1 Report: Rye House

The first DTRA race of 2016 was the biggest ever UK short track race (except for the Dirt Quake two-dayers that we hold with the DTRA). The meeting was split into two, with self-contained morning and afternoon sessions. Juniors, rookies and minibikes ran in the morning. Pros, restricted, vintage and Thunderbikes got on track at 2pm.

Rye House has a new owner and is under-going renovation. The DTRA seemed much happier with the new regime and the track was well prepared and looked after during the meeting. In the past, the previous owner would dump 1000 litres on it halfway through the meeting and totally screw it.
One result of the track being looked after was a very safe meeting. I didn't see the medical staff called once.

There were a ton of new riders in all the classes and some of last year's top restricted riders moved up to the Pro class. The DTRA has introduced a B Final for the Pro class to encourage those without a realistic chance of making the final to enter the dwindling Pro class in the knowledge they'll get three heats and a B Main. The B Main also acts as a last chance qualifier (LCQ) with the top two from the B Main qualifying for the A Main. There was a slight mix-up with the race order of this meeting so the B Main riders went straight from their ten-lap B into the 10-lap A Main without a break. That was a bit of a poisoned chalice, meaning they had to race knackered against the best amateur riders in Europe. The DTRA will sort that for future races.

The race attracted riders from Italy, Germany, France and Belgium, 12-15 foreign riders in total.
Thanks to the DTRA volunteers for all they do for the sport. They were working for ten hours on Sunday, plus travelling time, to make the event run as smooth as an oiled eel. GI

Sean Vukovic entered his very first dirt track race on his Survivor Customs CCM Rotax and won the Thunderbike class ahead of a strong field. Ross 'The King' Herrod was second, Survivor Mike Hill was third.
Want a potential race winner for £3500-£4000? Talk to Mike at Survivor Customs.

Frenchman Frank Chatokhine, #5R, came back to the series after missing much of last season and bossed the ever-growing Vintage class. We featured his Metisse Triumph in Sideburn 17.

17-year-old Ollie Brindley #24, hasn't had an off-season. over winter he has raced both Superprestigios and a bunch of Florida races, plus spent two weeks with AMA Pro Johnny Lewis. He followed the hard-charging current champ, Aidan Collins, for a few laps before finally making a pass stick and then he cleared off. Aidan came in second, Alan Birtwistle (aka Moto Ninja) came a good third. 

Vintage class rookie John Harrison looked like he'd been parachuted in from 1974. He is one of many riders who lost their dirt track virginity at Dirt Quake and now are racing in the DTRA.

Another is Ross Sharp, one of the Bike Shed MC full-time staff. Ross bought a used DTX bike last year, did a few practices, entered the Rookies and won first time out. A very confident rider.

Alessandro Rossi from Deus Milan bought Jason's gorgeous Wood Rotax (that we have a blueprint of for all the Wood Rotax fans out there) and flew in with his family for a weekend of motorcycle fun.

James from Hard Luck Tattoo is another graduate from the University of Dirt Quake. He raced two classes and was smiling like a loon every time I saw him. 

And me? I missed the Eastbourne practice because of bike problems at the Rye House practice the week before, then didn't get the bike working properly until the Friday before this race. It ran like a dream, but I forgot I only wanted to leave that rear tyre on for the pre-season practices and turned up to the first race with a worn Maxxis DT1. Better riders than me could cope with worn rubber, but I need all the help I can get. This photo shows ambition getting the better of talent. Still I made the Thunderbike final, stayed on two wheels all day and had a lot of fun. 

The next race is at the MCN Festival, Peterborough over the weekend of 14-15 May and Colin Edwards is racing with us! G

Photos: Ian Roxburgh

Superprestigio This Saturday

UPDATE
The third of the modern Spanish Superprestigios goes off this Saturday.

This is a shot from today's practice at the Rufea track. Baker, Mees and Marc Marquez. Love seeing the different body positions. So many ways to skin a cat.

You can watch it live on fanschoice.tv but only if you're in the US. The Spanish organisers must have done a TV deal for Europe. 

Wishing the DTRA Brits all the luck in the world: Ollie Brindley (who made the grand final last December, and also the grand final of the Superprestigio of the America last month), Alan Birtwistle and five-time UK champ, Aidan Collins who is interviewed in Sideburn 23. G

2015 DTRA Champions

It's nearly the end of another great year of British flat track. Sideburn was a proud supporter of the DTRA.

The DTRA has its Johnny Lewis Presentation night coming up on October 10, King's Lynn. There might be room for spectators to come and watch the Johnny Lewis Q and A. Leave a comment or email us if you want to come. £5 entry.

Here are the end of season results and photos of the class champions (Photos: Ian Roxburgh/ DTRA)

Pro Class

1^st Place: Aidan Collins #90

2^nd Place: Oliver Brindley

3^rd Place: Alan Birtwistle

4^th Place: Adam Allott

5^th Place: Tom Neave

Thunderbike Class

1^st Place: George Pickering #38

2^nd Place: Geoff Cain

3^rd Place: Tom Clemans

4^th Place: Guy Sutherland

5^th Place: Ross Herrod

Restricted Class

1^st Place: Ross Herrod #52R

2^nd Place: Scott Faulkner

3^rd Place: Gary Birtwistle

4^th Place: Leah Tokelove

5^th Place: Christophe Decombard

Vintage Class

1^st Place: Guy Sutherland

2^nd Place: Anthony Brown

3^rd Place: Hubert Bastie

4^th Place: Paul Harrison

5^th Place: Milo Hiscox

Rookie Class

1^st Place: Sean Kelly #33R

2^nd Place: Andrew Smith

3^rd Place: Phillip Gerrard

4^th Place: Michael Herman

5^th Place: Peter Jordon

MiniBike Class

1^st Place: Leah Tokelove #37R

2^nd Place: Adam Lovesey

3^rd Place: Alfie Collett

4^th Place: Adam Waller

5^th Place: Martin Huning

Youth Senior Class

1^st Place: Toby Hales #20

2^nd Place: Skye Adams

3^rd Place: Jordon Miller

4^th Place: Connor Jackson

5^th Place: Ben Neave

Youth Inter Class

1^st Place: Joe Burden

2^nd Place: George Hopper

3^rd Place: Kier Armstrong

4^th Place: Storm Stacy

5^th Place: Jack Bell

Youth Junior Class

1^st Place – Leon Collier

F2 speedway testing

F2 speedway is the brainchild of former racer Pete Seaton. The aim is to offer an affordable way to get into a sport that has become prohibitively expensive for many. The bikes use 450cc four-stroke motocross engines running petrol. Understandable, approachable, affordable bikes. Among the riders here in testing is three-time UK short track champion Aidan Collins (Honda kevlars), who's put in hundreds of laps on these bikes. Read his views, those of Pete Seaton and about F2 speedway in Sideburn #16. MP

Watch Superprestigio LIVE

The Superprestigio goes off tomorrow evening in Barcelona, Spain. It's arguably the most hotly anticipated dirt track race of the 21st century, and Fanschoice TV, the same great service that has brought live casts and YouTube recordings of every GNC race this year,  is offering a live feed.

If that wasn't enough, our old mate Chris Carr is guest commentator.

The official press release (aimed at Americans, hence the Eastern Time - just google it to work out what time that is where you are) says:

The Superprestigio is set to begin at 12:00 noon ET (9:00 a.m. PT) on Saturday, Dec. 13 and all of the action will be broadcast live on www.FansChoice.tv, the official home for live streaming of all AMA Pro Flat Track events.

There is an incredible line-up of riders including:

SUPERPRESTIGIO CLASS
Marc Marquez - 2014 MotoGP WC
Tito Rabat - 2014 Moto2 WC
Alex Marquez - 2014 Moto3 WC
Scott Redding
Bradley Smith
Toni Elias - 2010 Moto2 WC
Troy Bayliss - 2001, 2006, 2008 WSB WC
Kenny Noyes - 2014 CEV SBK champ

OPEN CLASS
Brad Baker (2013 GNC Champ)
Jared Mees (2x GNC champ)
Shayna Texter
Joonas Kylmakorpi (4x long track WC, who is racing a Zaeta painted by Maxwell Paternoster!)
Thomas Chareyre (3x Supermoto WC - surely a dark horse)
Fabrizio Vesprini (2x FIM Euro flat track champ)
Francesco Cecchini (2014 FIM Euro flat track champ)
Ivan Cervantes (4x Enduro WC)
Taddy Blazusiak - (5x Superenduro WC)
Guy Martin

And from the DTRA in the Open Class

Tim Neave (2014 champ), Tom Neave, Aidan Collins (4x UK champ), Ollie Brindley, Alan Birtwistle

(WC = World Champion)

The winners of each class race each other in a grand final.

Below is a photos from the @marcmarquez93 instagram feed of him practicing yesterday at the Canudas track. Many of the top riders were there.

Superprestigio - Soon

The Superprestigio organisers have moved their event from January to December, so, for 2014, there will be two in one calendar year, and it's coming up on Saturday 13 December. That leaves time for you to book a relatively cheap Euro flight out there if you fancy it.

It was a great spectacle last time, in an Olympic arena within the city, and I have a feeling it will be a 15,000-plus sell out this year.

Go to Superprestigio to find out more and order tickets (good website in Spanish, Catalan and English)

SUPERPRESTIGIO CLASS
The class for World Championship road racers.
This year there will be all three current MotoGP champions: Marc and Alex Marquez and Tito Rabat - all local riders so the atmosphere and support should be impressive.
Also from MotoGP are Scott Redding, Bradley Smith and Alvaro Bautista who are all on the provisional entry list. Spanish Superbike champion and Euro Flat Track Festival organiser, Kenny Noyes is in and Troy Bayliss is confirmed too.
No Rossi or Hayden though.

OPEN CLASS
For dirt track specialists and other disciplines, plus those who qualified through the DTRA championship and Kenny Noyes European Dirt Track Festival.
From America, Brad Baker is back and joined by 2014 number 1, Jared Mees.
UK riders include multiple DTRA champ Aidan Collins; current DTRA champ Tim Neave and European Dirt Track Festival champ Tom Neave; Alan Birtwistle and Ollie Brindley.
Dirt Quake III chopper class champion Guy Martin is racing too.
 

DTRA by Daniel Beres

There's something about the DTRA that attracts photographers like a campsite toilet block attracts Daddy Long Legs'. It means we're spoilt for coverage which is great.

These photos are from round 1, Leicester, and were taken by pro photographer Daniel Beres.

Above: Tim Greig #10; Pete Boast #54; Paul Baleta #40; Ade Collins #1.

 Les Wood

 Neil Martin #26; Andrew Collison #98

 Nick Ashley

Drogo Michie #27; Frank Chatokhine #5

Paul Baleta

 Lez Stevens

 Frank Chatokhine

Next round is a a week on Sunday, 18 May, Coventry. Spectators get in free. If you'd like to marshal it would be much appreciated. No experience necessary. Get there for 11. 

Racing from 12.

If you haven't entered to race you need to do it TODAY. 

UK Dirt Track Training Day

The long-running Peter Boast Short Track UK school (that I took about nine years ago when I first thought about racing) has moved to Leicester Speedway track. Sideburn reader Graham Braid (middle in the group shot) attended with a bunch of his mates and sent this report.

Easter Sunday is normally a day with the family, bunnies and chocolate eggs, but not this year, because myself and four friends managed to get a pass out for good behaviour and do what we planned and failed to do last year.

A day at the Short Track UK run training school where you learn the basics of dirt track racing. After two of us competed in last year's Dirt Quake we were inspired to attend the training day, as it was run by the 2009 UK Champion and founding light of the UK Dirt Track racing series, Peter Boast. We attended Leicester Speedway track and found a very relaxed but informative approach was adopted by the instructors, which included the 2013 Pro class champion Aidan Collins. We donned our steel shoe and set out on a small oval on the track aboard converted small capacity CCM dirt track bikes. We learned to put weight on our left leg and let the bike drop and slide under us. It was not long before all of us had managed to put it into practice.

The next exercise was to brake hard into the turn causing the back of the bike to break away, and get used to slowing down and sliding the back of the bike out. As these bikes have no front brake this is your safety measure if you are going too hot into the corner. 

Once we had all got to grips with the fundamentals,we practised race starts, which was done in pairs as drag starts. Great fun and got the adrenalin pumping!

For the final part of the day we were all let loose on the full track to practise what we'd learned, Unfortunately, we'd had quite a bit of rain during the day, so it made the track pretty slippy and tricky, but we still couldn't wait to get out there and have a go. 

It was an extremely enjoyable day,and as we say in Liverpool,it was a boss day! 

Bearing in mind that two of the group had no off-road experience they picked it up very quickly and at £135 for the day, which included hire of the bikes and refreshments, was very reasonable. It is something I would encourage any motorcyclist to try. Not only does it improve your bike skills ,but you might even catch the dirt track bug. We have!

King's Lynn Photos

 Ade Collins - reigning UK short track champ.

Rob and his Ducati Thunderbike, running in the Rookie class.

Tom Whiting is planning to attend all, or most, of this year's DTRA meetings. He will photograph the racers and offer to sell the photos and prints to them.
Check out his website - thefooleryoftom.com

DTRA is Go!

The first race of a new era in UK flat track racing went off at King's Lynn yesterday and it looked fantastic. The new DTRA built on the great work Short Track UK - the founding fathers of British Flat Track - have done for the last seven or eight season's and carried it on.

There are a few changes, more evident to the racers than spectators. One thing that didn't change was Aidan Collins winning the Pro Class (Sideburn 10 cover star Tom Neave was second, long time short track racer Tim Greig a brilliant 3rd).

There was a huge entry, with lots of new racers, especially in Thunderbikes and Rookie classes, though the pro class was a little down on numbers. There were a good few people in the stands, but the UK scene, like the amateurs in the US, is kept going by race entry fees and series sponsors rather than people through the turnstiles. No one at the DTRA is making money - it all goes to track rent, trophies, medical cover and insurance.

There was a lot of enthusiasm at the track yesterday and it was good to see. Thanks to everyone who makes it happen - volunteers, organisers, timers, track and pit marshals, sponsors, racers and their families.

The race report and all the class results are over on the DTRA site now.

Next race DTRA race is Rye House, May 19 (NOT 21 as I originally wrote). G

Ride & Skid It School

Multiple British short track champion, Aidan Collins, and his dad, former world class Speedway rider, Les Collins have launched a new riding school, based at Buxton Speedway track, Derbyshire.
Four hours of fun with prices starting at £70. Sounds a bargain.
Any bookings or enquires can email  contact@rideandskidit.com or call Aidan on 07927 425087. G

Brit Riders rule FIM Flat Track

 1 Collins

54 Boast. Sixth in the final.

93 Woolley. Style.

The first ever FIM International flat track race went off in Czech Republic last week, with Europe's best  racers in attendance. Six riders travelled from GB, all six made the final, with Aidan Collins and Tom Woolley coming first and second.
I'd love to see how Collins would go in the deep end of American short track, given a good bike and a few races to acclimatise. He's the quickest in England and has proven he has the beating of the rest of Europe.
Well done to all involved.
The next round is in Italy, then there are two in the US and one in Hungary. Go to the FIM for more details.
Remember, Collins and the cream of UK short track will be in action at King's Lynn this Saturday. Racing from 1 till 5. £10 on the gate. G
Photos: Tim Coles