Ashtabula, OH

[techfx]

My only experience in racing was going here in the mid 80s to mid 90s to watch my family members race. I even raced (against 2 springers) in my uncle's Max JLO 440 in 1994. Someone videotaped it but, I never got to see it. I know I was there way past the "glory days" but, I enjoyed it none the less. Just curious who else here would have been there around that time racing/ watching?

[whipper-ag]

Back in 1974,during Summer Nationals, the whole field to the left of the track was filled w/ cars. The pit area was to the right of the track.

[hydromike]

Oh man, I can just feel the six wheel slide all the way thru turns one and two. Did you ever need to lift off the throttle? Even just a little?

Those two hairpins look like the great equalizers on the track. I'd pay a lot of money to be able to race there. It's only about 3.5 hours from me.

<sigh>
~m

[techfx]

I don't know who runs it now but I remember hearing about Buddy Fischer alot when I was younger. My cousins still race quads there. It would be cool to see a few machines show up for an exhibition race or something.

[whipper-ag]

Last week I sent Bud Fisher a copy of my DVD's and invited him to visit us all at 6x6 world. I understand he is into the quad raceing probably still at this track.Mabe he'll start a 6 wheel class up for all you guy's back east. If he did that would probably force me into a trip back there. That would be worth the 2000 mile trip to race on that track again. It was the BEST track ever!

[hydromike]

At the risk of sounding like a giant buzz-kill, I'll post my thoughts on this with the caveat that there are very few that are as interested as I am in the prospect of racing.

It's tough to get enough people together to actually race. How many people have a machine that they'd be willing to flog out on a race track? I like to think that I know a few people in the hobby, but I think there are less than 10 people (across the U.S., not just within driving distance of Ashtabula) that would be willing to get out and race their machines. I'd love to be proven wrong. I have two machines that are ready to go at a moment's notice. I'll bring them both so I can lend one to someone else to race. An appropriate skills test (to be determined) must be passed before handing over the keys to either the D/stock or the R

If there are enough people to actually have classes in stock/mod categories, it would be amazing. The thing is, even in the stock category, you'd need at least a dozen machines to get a decent race going. Does anybody out there want to match their fine running 297 up against the McKay? Anyone?

I know that winning isn't the point. It'd sort of be like when the guys in their three million dollar 1950s aluminum bodied Ferraris go out and race. No one is trying to really win, they just want the chance to get out and play, and use the machines for what they were built for.

I'll stop there before I bring myself down even further...
~m

[jpswift1]

I have to agree with Mike. Unfortunately in past attempts, there were only a handful of people that actually wanted to show up and race. There were a couple places that people tried to get some 6x6 racing going and it kind of fizzled out. I wish I was growing up when racing 6x6's was popular with thousands of spectators coming from miles around to watch. If there were so many race machines, I wonder where they all are now? That would be great if we could get something going as a result of this great website. Lets keep the site growing and maybe this time something could come about.

[liflod]

Mike, I'd love to race your machine. Thanks for the offer.


Even a stock class with the 4-strokes would be fun. I have at least one of those. I don't have a racer, but I have access to all the pieces to build one.
If it becomes a serious venture, count me in.

[George]

I'd be willing to race if I could commission someone to put a roll cage on my Chief....Mike?(as in Hydro)

[hydromike]

I think that a 4 stroke class would be fantastic. Imagine what would happen in the hairpin turns when all of the Max IIs and Argos slow down to negotiate the hazards of 20 other riders doing the same thing.... when all of a sudden, here comes all 1500 pounds and 18HP of the S.S. Dolfi diving into the hairpin with wreckless abandon, hell-bent for the winner's circle. I'd pay gooooood money to see that.

~m

[liflod]

If I put some "flat tracks" on the Max, it would be an awful lot of fun sliding through the corners

Brings back memories of my old trike with flat tracks. You could do donuts on black top with them !

[hydromike]

George, the easiest way on your machine is to put a steel belly band on it and start welding 1 1/4" tubing to it until you run out of rod. What do you want it to look like?

I like the swept look that the McKay has with its' rear bars, combined with what the 503 R looks like. Both of these methods let you take advantage of the main body seam, which is one of the strongest points on the body. It's difficult to do a real good job of mounting to the frame (with lots of welding and reinforcement) without taking the frame out of the machine. The D/stock will probably take a greater beating than the 503, simply because it's a tighter main hoop, and because it's welded to the bejesus on the frame. I get stupid behind the sticks, so I tried not to skimp too much.



Now that I look at it, I could have done a bit more. I figure a combination of McKay/D-stock/ and 503R stylings would look primo on your chief. Of course, if you want to take the frame out, it'd be easy to do it that way, too. Check out Jeff's racer, too. That's a very clean
design. He had his frame out when we bent that up. Don't take this the wrong way but it's nicer to build cages for shorter people because the outcome looks a lot sleeker when you combine a low cage with a nice low bucket seat. I designed the D/stock cage pretty high (in my opinion) and I still bonk my head all the time. It's tough to fold this 6 foot plus frame into a little compartment. I think JoeH has at least an inch on me, and he has to do a similar thing getting into his.

For steel belly bands, I use 1 1/4" mild steel angle (1/8" thick) and get 1 1/4" tubing (or welded seam pipe, which is lots cheaper, but works fine for cages).

As I've blabbered in other posts, building cages is tons and tons of fun, but time consuming. I often drink about an entire pot of coffee before I make the first bend. Bending nice hoops without creases is tough with a cheapo bender.

~m

[George]

Hey Mike,

I have a Thunder Chief frame just sitting around. I'd be perfectly happy dropping it off with you. Heck, it can't be more than 3 hours drive from where the frame is to you. You could keep it as long as you need. Name your price.

[whipper-ag]

Hey Mike
I'll drive 2000 miles to Drive your car like a Rental. You guys should seriously see if you could get even just an exhibition race. You would have more fun than you can even imagine. Help us Obi-wan Bud Fischer. You're our only hope.

[jpswift1]

Mike bends cages very well. Here is mine before it was dropped back into the body. I am very excited to see what my racer will do, especially since it weighs under 400lbs since its a first generation machine with a Baker Hill tranny. Also, as Mike mentioned it is nice to have a low center of gravity. I stand at 5'10" and the cage was able to be built pretty low fortunately. The first generation machines are a good bit narrower than the 71+ Attex machines and Im happy to have the center of gravity as low as I can because I dont know how stable this thing will be as you're approaching 50mph in this little plastic bathtub.

And now I have a super nice lower body without all that black spray paint and cracks for my racer from Don K.

Thanks Mike and Don!