AMA/MId-Ohio Vintage Days countdown

Absolutely awesome Mid-Ohio as always....you get the heat, humidity, torrential downpours and such, but it is all erased with some good chatter with all the great vintage community folks that you only get to see some of them a few times a year......didn't get a chance to see everyone I wanted to, but the event is so big with so much going on it is inevitable....

My family and my two girls have literally grown up around vintage days and look forward to it every year...good friends, great memories and lots of fun.

The only bummer of the weekend was getting a flat in the Harescramble Friday. It was hot as Hades but the course was pretty sweet...tight and twisty. The Mud-o-cross on Saturday looked miserable, better today for PVMX....but it is still just a grass field. Still wish for those couple of years a legit track was there for MX.

I hope everyone had as much fun as we did..........cya next year for some more VMD rain, mud and for sure....... good times
 
Had a great time even though I was not racing....went down Thursday evening a had my first 3 day long weekend away at the races in 13 months!

Was great to see everyone, everyone on the track but the weekend flew by way too fast.

Maico Mark
 
Man, where to start? I hate to write a book but there’s so much good stuff here that I’ll forget it all if I don’t share it.

Used a vacation day Thursday to fret and study over the tiniest of details to get 3 days of racing out of 3 bikes and my truck to get me 50 miles up and 50 back each day.

Friday morning:
Our pop-up canopy offered little resistance to being pretzel twisted by the gusty winds.

Quickly and gladly began seeing all of the usual suspects at a vintage race, many non PitRacer members or regulars, and many that are. Then also began meeting new people whom we’ve seen there in previous years but never got to meet. We parked up in the gravel pit area as usual.

We spectated the Vintage Hare Scramble race which went off well.
For our Evo/PV class race it always seems like a lot of bikes on the line and as a group, but sadly we only had 10 in our 40+ B/C class. If memory serves me correctly 2012 saw 14 in the 40+, and 2011 saw 17. So we were down a bit. We were told there were wood sections cut out and was shorter than usual, but could have fooled me seemed just as long, and just as many obstacles. They also let us run one lap of the MX track which was a big help as I got a slow start off the line but made up for it in pass’s on the track. Lord knows there wasn’t much passing room on the trail in the woods.

Got a big thrill being lined up beside VLK943 at the start, watching him tear away with a good start to my slow one, and then later getting passed by him in the woods. Huh?.... that’s what I said. Later confirmed he was in a pile up, that I went around on the MX track. I was proud to be passed by him, beings he is such a good competitive racer, that is until he blew through the next tight woods turn-corner directly in front of me. “So-Long Jeff”……….. and up the hill I went. :)

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It’s a bit unreal to expect great results in the hare scramble race with the first lap and a half being held up, bottle necked tire to tire and very few places to make clean safe pass’s if you are carrying momentum and up to speed. But it sure is a hell of a lot of fun and would hate to miss it.

Almost immediately after our race ended the waves of monsoons rolled in and kept us battened down under cover for quite a time.

Was able to get a little time to hook up with Mosher to take adoption of a very salvageable and fine YZ400 project/future big bore racer. “Welcome to Freas’s garage, Home for misfit toys”. :) I whispered to it quietly as we loaded into my Ford. Thanks again Kurt for holding the bike for me and a good deal.

We also got to meet “Siege” from Siegecraftnw.com. I’ve been on his site many times in the past reading on their vintage scene in the NWest and their Hammer & Tongs series. Very interesting and cool guy, and is a true patriot for vintage racing. Some of his artwork is being displayed right now at the AMA museum in Pickerington.

Nancy and I finally managed 2 hours up in the swap meet area before we had to make way for Heath. I had work I had to get done on the MX250 to be ready for Saturday.

Saturday:
Uhgggg! The damn rain.
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Lets just say it took a lot for me to finally decide that I would go out for practice and to race. Was signed for 2 class’s, only raced 1, and that was enough. Was not easy on Poor Tom.
I started off having a stupid 1st turn fall down crash. Then played catch up, and finished 2nd overall. (There weren’t many of us). Most rewarding was being cheered by friends at the finish line coming off the track. I cannot tell you enough, how much we all appreciated the applause. "We Survived"!

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My first and only race was 40+B/C, and I skipped 30+. I ended up with a 2nd overall, so I got podium recognition. But then the real surprise came when they announced that I also won the series championship for Vintage Senior 40+ B………. HUH? Are you sure I asked emphatically. I only raced two events in the series I stressed. They said the finish’s were good enough to get the overall.
Pretty cool!

By the time award ceremony completed it was getting late, Heath bound we went again to prep for Sunday.

Sunday:
What an awesome day! I was only pre-registered for one class, but felt so cheated only getting to run one moto on Saturday, I went ahead and registered for 30+B/C again. Yahoo… this year we had seven in the class, verses only like 3 or 4 for the last couple of years. But I was let down that Pit261 was skipping the class today. Last two years has seen us take it 1st and 2nd.

Hat’s off and Cheers to the Log Road Crew for working us up a track from a soggy bottom mess. They whipped it into shape, and made us proud to be motocrossers!

What did you guys think of the track?.......................Myself, I loved it, from beginning to end!

Here's a couple pic's from practice
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Highlights were, I was witness to the seldom seen sight of the always smooth, fast and clean racing Pit261 crashed in a corner and laying on his back side under his bike. In both 30+ and 40+ class’s we had some really good racing going on. Everybody came off the gate hard and fast, stayed upright and hung together for the entire whole first lap. And after continued in small clusters as the race progressed. Now that is VET CLASS RACING at it’s best! Playing the video back last night, I could hardly keep still and was on the edge of my seat the whole time. Nancy even remarked about it, that it was the best racing we have seen at AMA Vintage Days.

Hat's off and Congrats John Kreps on his Championship Series wins.

"TOUGH NUT" award for the day in my book goes to MXKid who raced 3 class’s, 6 motos on a very hot day. In the last race of the day, Mike, who is staring at his 50th Birthday this week, held on to the lead for over 2 laps, on an older twin shock Maico no less, with a very aggressive 17 year old hot on his rear tire the whole way. The hard charging youthful lad finally overtook Mike in a corner, but Mike kept him in sight and secured 2nd place finish. Great Job Wheeler!

Awesome Day and Weekend!

I'll try to keep editing this through the day as I remember more.

Oh, and before forget, Nancy gets all credit for pic's. She also video taped all of my MX races. She got up at 5:30 a.m. all three days, was a real trooper and didn't complain once all weekend. Tough to beat a good motocross wife!
 
Great report NQ! Besides the weather and old bike problems, I managed to tweak my lower back last Thursday so I spent most of the weekend racing my recliner.

Want to try racing vintage bikes in the decade class at a GP this year? A day with good weather would make that a good time...
 
Want to try racing vintage bikes in the decade class at a GP this year? A day with good weather would make that a good time...

I have no clue if this is accurate or not, but the OMA website lists two vintage classes for the GP races, as well as the decade class.

http://omxa.net/racing/gp-classesschedule/
7. Open Vintage 125 – Open (PRE 1975)
8. Open Post Vintage 125 – Open (1975-1983)
9. NEW – DECADE CLASS, BIKE MUST BE 10 YEARS OLD TO RACE THIS CLASS.​
 
I have no clue if this is accurate or not, but the OMA website lists two vintage classes for the GP races, as well as the decade class.

http://omxa.net/racing/gp-classesschedule/
7. Open Vintage 125 – Open (PRE 1975)
8. Open Post Vintage 125 – Open (1975-1983)
9. NEW – DECADE CLASS, BIKE MUST BE 10 YEARS OLD TO RACE THIS CLASS.​

Yes, there are GP vintage, post vintage and decade classes. But NQ and I are locked in a tight points race in the Action Sports series decade class and if we rode our vintage bikes in the decade, we wouldn't give up our valuable positions! lol! I rode several decade class races on my vintage bike last year and other than having transmission problems at one race, I always had a good time.
 
Yea KO, I think that would be a great idea. Me switching up and riding the 1974 in a GP race would add an interesting twist to the season. Good thinking!

Would even be cool if we could attrack one or two more vintage particapants. I keep hearing a lot of comments from riders that love Action Sports events, if they were only closer to them geographically.
 
The GP races look interesting and I see there's one at Malvern. How's it work? Are they 50 minute Motos? Are they raced on the regular tracks or is it a longer layout?


Kevin
 
Surly someone wants to sell out rather than clean up? Anyone want to move a metal tank big block RM?
 
Surly someone wants to sell out rather than clean up? Anyone want to move a metal tank big block RM?

My 82 YZ250 is going. Plenty of work to do on it before it's ready for sale, but I need to make room for my next EVO/PV racer. After racing it this weekend, I'm gonna miss that motor!
 
NQ1965 what bike are you going to next?? I see where you got a 400... what are you going to race on sunday??
 
I've committed on the purchase of an 84 YZ250.
I also have an 82 CR250 project bike that I'm really itching to get started on, as well as an 84 CR250 that's close to being finished for non-current.

The 400 will be in staging for a bit before I can put time and loving into it. My MX250 has taken up the last few winters, but now that it's done and being raced, things should move along on the others.

I assume that is your boy in the Sunday Practice picture that I posted? I watched him ride a couple times. He's a good rider.
 
Ok quick re-cap of Mid-Ohio....TONS of fun, great friends, food and lots to see and do. Huge thanks to Hotel Babet
for the generous accomodations Saturday night for me and Holly. Also thanks to AHRMA 361 for the fuel in the pitbike. We were far away from camp and I ran out right in front of Mike. Thanks man!
Congrats to all the podium finishers and Championship winners!

Two things I would like to see changed for next year: 1) Whoever is designing the MX track, please please please
open it up a little more. Way too many tight corners. Just when I'd start to get going here comes another tight corner.
There is plenty of room there, the track doesn't need to be so stinking tight! 2) McGuire and I brought down 8 bikes to sell. People would come up and say how nice they looked and that they were priced right but nobody was biting! I would love to sell a couple of bikes next year! lol
 
mid ohio vmd was not to bad for me, decided after having clutch problems on the 125 for most of the season that I would sit out all the fun in the mud on Saturday, but still wrapped up my championship regardless in the vintage series so that was a plus. Sunday started out bad for me in practice, just was not feeling the flow, but when the time came for first moto I got my s**t together and pounded out the laps and went 1-1 in 125 evo2. track was rutty and a little rough so I was pretty thrilled to say the least! I agree that they need to get more creative with the track next year, less tight turns for sure! Plus I would like to see more jumps but I know you older fellas wont always agree with me on that one lol, and I think they need to have a open pro class that is atleast a 20 min moto, I think it would make things fun and interesting. All in all another year is past and ill see you guys again next year! Gonna put the vintage bike away for year, might take it out one more time to one of the local tracks just to give some giggles and chatter
 
Glad you guys have revisited this.
Just like last year, as soon as VMD was over I returned to working OT and weekends and all the racing quickly became a distant memory.

Been almost 3 weeks ago already. Had a blast and counting down the days again already!
 
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