It's the racer equivalent of 'the walk of shame.' The long, quiet drive home after not making the show. Jake Shoemaker drove nearly two hours without saying a word. Our white Chevy van rolled north through the night. Even with the AC on max, you could feel the heat of frustration radiating off him. His stare could have melted steel.
We left Pennsylvania Friday after working all week. Drove through night to get to the track in Georgia. Jake started off looking racy but got lost chasing settings and didn't make the main. Soul-crushing for a guy who's been on the podium. All while hemorrhaging his own money, too.
A moment of levity (ha!) in a hard drive home. Jake Shoemaker on the 'drive of shame'. [Mike Lawless]Finally, he spoke. "Dude, I gotta get an Indian. This Kawasaki ain't cutting it anymore. No Indian, no chance." The writing was on the wall. The days were numbered for a built Kawasaki junkyard motor in a flat tracker frame. A guy like Jake could build his own race bike and be competitive for $10-15k. The new Indian FTR750 was available to the public for $50k. The cost of racing just jumped, if you wanted to win. Everyone knows it takes money and expertise to run a Harley Davidson XR750. Indian had upped the game. Their bikes didn't break, and flat-out worked.
"I need a sponsor with deep pockets or like fifty grand plus for an FTR750. Come on, Mike; you gotta know somebody or something." The only thing I could do was write about it. I sketched out "Flat Track and the Single Dad" in my head that night. The article hit well with the community, and someone with an Indian FTR750 reached out to Jake....
Sometimes a story brings results; after publication of 'Racing and the Single Dad', Jake Shoemaker got the Indian he needed. [Mike Lawless]Those were exciting times. Signs of rebirth in the American Flat Track (AFT) series. Indian was back in flat track racing. We hoped they'd be competitive. We heard Jared Mees was testing the bikes on Mondays after the Nationals. (no testing is allowed prior to events at that track) First time I saw the Indian at Santa Rosa in 2016 I thought 'what a handsome machine'.
Santa Rosa was supposed to be a shake-down run for the new FT750. Retired champ Joe Kopp was riding, it ran up front all day and didn't break. We would have laughed if you predicted this was the last win for a factory XR750.
Indian invited journalists to try the FTR that Monday. The bike looked like it just rolled off the showroom floor. It didn't have that custom/home-built feeling of most flat track racers. Fit & finish was as good as any brand-new production motorcycle.
'Closeys only count in horseshoes'...Mike Lawless after hooking up and launching toward the camera truck...[Indian]I was the first journalist out. The other journos hung back, the tragedy of two racers killed there days before fresh in their minds. "Follow the camera truck for two laps in second gear for the action shots. The driver will wave you past, then let her rip." Mile race tracks are serious business. The quote 'speed doesn't kill, but it complicates mistakes' rang in my head. I vogued for the cameramen for two laps, then the driver waved me by. I rolled open the throttle, upshifting to third. The FTR snapped sideways and hooked up, catapulting me forward. For a split second, I thought I would torpedo the camera truck. So did the cameramen, from their startled looks. I flicked the bike left, rocketing by for the action shot. I was carrying so many RPMs it was safer to upshift to fourth and let her eat. The rear suspension squatted as we lunged at the horizon. She felt like a power boat cutting through the waves. The acceleration was ethereal. We rolled into turn three with great feel. She tightened up her line effortlessly. This motorcycle makes a good rider look great. I got off the bike, feeling I'd got away with something. Didn't mind the cameramen teasing me, either.
Mike Lawless on a press tryout for the new Indian FTR750; first ride on a rocketship. [Indian]Now it's 2025, and AFT has banned 'race' engines, so it's the end of an era, and the end of Indian FTR750, now in the pantheon of great racing motorcycles. Indian invested millions into flat track racing, both in development of the FTR, and paying racers' contingency money. After the news broke, I spoke with Gary Gray, Vice President of Racing and Service for Indian motorcycles. Gary was diplomatic, and 'disappointed' with the decision to ban race engines for 2025. He's more than a corporate talking head, Gary actually rides and races motorcycles. (Yes, I do find it odd that some industry people don't ride.) Gary confessed to having 15 motorcycles in his garage. Claiming he's not the fastest rider, but has set a land speed record on an Indian, and vintage raced an Indian jockey shifter at Mid-Ohio. He worked on design with Polaris' original brand, Victory, including their Pike's Peak & Isle of Man compeititons. He spoke of his dream job of designing the FTR750. They studied the strengths and weaknesses of the competition. Their early goals were to finish on the podium in the first several races. Perhaps fight for a championship in 3 to 5 seasons. Well, they won the first official race they entered, the season opener at Daytona, finishing 1-2, and won every race that season but the TT events. Gary said he was shocked they won Daytona, and it's one of his favorite memories. Indian has won the championship every year since. Total domination. But was that really a shock? They had the budget, the best two tuners, and three of the hottest racers on their bikes. Soon, it wasn't the races they won that stood out, but the races they did not win. Briar Bauman gave his Kawasaki a win at Lima. Jeff Carver gave the XR750s a final win in Texas as a privateer. And Henry Wiles owns the Peoria TT. Those were the exceptions. To beat the Indians, it took immense talent, a huge heart, big balls, and the right bike for that track. Soon, every rider wanted an FTR, but the factory guys had a leg up on them. You had to run factory livery if you wanted the lucrative Indian contingency money. The tracks looked like a dominating army of Indians, which they were. So AFT tried to level the field to keep the show going fairly, but still, the Indians kept winning. The new rules allow only production engines for 2025.
East Rutherford, NJ - October 6, 2018 - American Flat Track At Meadowlands Racing and Entertainment. Indian out front, as usual. [Steve Koletar]Back when they rebranded AFT, They knew they needed TV coverage to grow the sport and attract sponsors. They hoped history would repeat itself with another Harley/Indian war. Unfortunately, the new Harley was not competitive, regardless of talent and money. COVID stuck just as they were to launch the Premier class on live TV with NBC. The timing could not have been worse. But the action on track has always been incredible. The new Indian era was a great one. Who will fill the void now that Indian is gone?
Whatever happened to Jake Shoemaker? Well, it wasn't for lack of talent or trying. The dice didn't roll his way, and Jake faded away from flat track. Started his own business and became successful, married a pretty girl and had children. It feels good to see the same winning racer drive carried into the rest of his life.
Jared Mees takes Indian's first flat track victory in decades at Daytona. [Steve Koletar]What does Ten-Time AFT Champion Jared Mees think?
"Reflecting on my time with the Indian FTR750 brings back so many incredible memories. I was there for its very first start and had the honor of making the inaugural lap on the bike. The 2017 Daytona race, where we won on the FTR750's debut, stands out as one of the most memorable moments. The uncertainty surrounding how it would perform made that victory even sweeter. That year, winning 10 races and clinching the championship a few races early solidified my belief that the FTR750 was going to be the ultimate flat track race bike. It’s hard to put into words how much I’ll miss racing it. The support from Indian Motorcycle, not just for me but for flat track racing as a whole, has been nothing short of remarkable. There was a time when I could walk into any Indian dealership and be recognized, which speaks volumes about the brand’s impact. Cheers to Indian for creating a legendary bike and making a mark in the sport. You know you're a bad ass - being restricted multiple times wasn't enough, so they excluded you. It’s a true testament to the brand’s greatness."
Davis Fisher takes his father on a victory lap at Charlotte NC. [Steve Koletar]And from Race Winner/Indian Privateer Davis Fisher:
"I’ve been lucky enough to ride the Indian FTR750 for the past 6 years. I saved up and bought my own Indian in the beginning of 2018. I jumped on it for the first time at the Calistoga Half Mile and I was fastest first practice. Indian motorcycles built the greatest flat track bike. The first time I started up my FTR750 Indian and rode it around the block I was amazed with the smooth power delivery over my Kawasaki EX650. It was like a sewing machine and didn’t miss a beat. Throughout the years in the American Flat Track series it has been handicapped several times but it still is a competitive bike. I grabbed my first premier win at the Charlotte Half-Mile in 2021. I’m glad I got to be apart of the Indian FTR750 era."
Sammy Halbert doing his best on his Harley-Davidson at Mechanicsburg PA in 2018, at the Williams Grove Half Mile [Scott Hunter/American Flat Track]And from factory Harley Davidson (on the XG750), privateer on Harley Davidson XR750 & Indian FTR750 race winner Sammy Halbert:
"It sucked trying to beat the Indians. I like the XR750 better."
Shawn Baer with his wife Bailey and his father. [Steve Koletar]And from Privateer Shawn Baer:
"When the FTR 750 Indian entered into the world of Flat Track Racing it was viewed as a 'dream horse' that brought in a new era. It was the machine that ran out the majority of racers that had weekday jobs, paying for and building their own equipment. Knowing how good the FTR was right out of the gate, I knew at that moment this form of racing was headed down a narrow path. For one it pretty much doubled the cost of the bike needed to line up for competition."
Traffic was heavy as I merged onto the road in front of the dealership.
Rolling on the throttle aggressively to blend into traffic,
the ZERO spun up the back tire hard,
snapping me opposite lock sideways in a lurid slide.
The kind of moment when atheists see Jesus.
Cold tires on a wet day caught me off guard.
I could lie to you, saying my flat track experience saved me.
But in reality, it was the excellent balance and neutral handling of the Zero.
A lesser machine would have put me down hard.
It’s always the memorable bikes that put the fear of God in me.
The FXE has a lightweight dualsport vibe, and weighs only 309lbs. [Raymond C Schwab IV]
I was left gobsmacked by the ZERO FXE
Didn't expect such fun in a silent, efficient package.
No honking intake or bellowing exhaust.
Just effortless thrust as the throttle is rolled open.
No banging gears, just seamless acceleration.
The rushing sound of the wind is your companion.
She whispers in your ear while center punching with a wall of torque.
(If you’re a numbers person: curb weight 309 lbs./78 ft-lbs. of torque per ZERO)
I used to say 'they'll pry my four-stoke from my cold dead hands'.
But after some saddle time with the FXE,
I felt like shouting: 'I've seen the future, and it's fun!'
The controls are as simple as can be, with no clutch lever and digital instrument panel. [Raymond C Schwab IV]
The FXE has the lightweight feel of a dual-sport.
Wide handlebars give that urban gorilla vibe.
Direct drive makes local stuff fluid & graceful.
Swinging effortlessly from stop light to stop light.
To sum up the riding experience in a word? Elegant.
Traditionalists may scoff at the lack of a clutch lever, though.
The bike carries its weight well.
Changes direction like a Rotax framer. (high marks)
There is no vibration-even at full throttle.
No warm-up time is needed either.
Just push the button and ride away,
even on the coldest mornings.
A perfect urban runabout that doesn't make enemies...except 'loud pipes' bikers. [Raymond C Schwab IV]
I'm silently trolling for photo spots late at night in a corporate office complex.
Just singing along with The Doors.
(I'm a spy in the house of love. I know the dreams that you're dreaming of)
I'd be safe from security if I could toggle off the lights.
Being silent is my friend and ally here.
Love riding in the crisp winter air.
The rides are fewer, so I savor every mile like it's my last.
Coming upon another bike that night really opened my eyes.
The big twin had open exhaust, running way fat.
You could smell the unburnt fuel in the air.
The rider was blipping the throttle,
Making his presence felt and pissing people off.
I didn't want to be part of that scene,
so I turned right to give him the Irish goodbye.
Looks small because it is small. Zero survives because they've remained focused on what they do best, and slowly built a following. [Raymond C Schwab IV]
Know someone who wants to learn to ride?
Especially if they've never driven a manual transmission car.
The complications of a manual choke, the fuel tap, and the clutch.
All that is out the window with an electric bike.
It's direct drive, so there’s no whiskey throttle moments learning to use a clutch.
Is there anything as lonely as a single-cylinder motorcycle on a blustery winter's day?
Bolt upright and tossed around by the wind
I felt alone, but not forsaken.
Am I the only one out here?
I struggle on the highway, trying not to pull too many revs.
It's a miserable run.
After an eternity, I start the countdown to my exit.
And the relief of rolling off the highway.
Where the essential machine does best: the back roads and interesting places. Who wants to ride on the Interstate? [Michael Lawless]I bang her hard over, sailing down the exit ramp.
No need for braking, the single cuts like a scalpel.
The blustery wind no longer an issue in town,
Just braaping thru gears from light to light.
The mellow aftermarket slip-on makes mechanical music.
For me, skinny lightweight singles are pure motorcycle.
There is no fat.
It's not an ego extension or some twisted fantasy.
It's all that's really needed.
The essential machine.
Not that it pulls like a train, but it will get you to the station quicker. [Michael Lawless]The KLX is no highway hero.
It shines brightly in urban environments,
Is a genteel friend down country lanes,
And an absolute party on dirt roads and trails.
I like the slender two-gallon fuel tank.
Large tanks make awkward, top-heavy motorcycles.
I'll trade agility over range any day, especially in my corner of the world.
The handling is what you would expect of a dirt bike on the road.
Super light, ultra-narrow, and tall. The slightest input makes changes.
Quite different from sport bikes and heavy street bikes.
Where we at? Urbex is a thing made easier on a light, agile motorcycle. [Michael Lawless]I'm not used to being the center of attention.
Riding across town, little kids shout 'pull a wheelie!'
Gassing up, a loud Hemi Charger rolls by, "Dawg! THAT JAWN’S LIT!!'
Dressed in black, rolling into the Porsche dealership.
The young office hottie said, 'You look like a bad guy from a James Bond movie."
Must note the curb appeal of the KLX is massive.
Strong curb appeal: kids dig it. [Michael Lawless]Another advantage to being skinny & light?
You can take it with you.
The KLX is easily squeezed into a minivan, pickup, or bike carrier.
Why ride two hours of crappy highway when you can just offload at the base of some tasty mountain roads?
The KLX250 was my gateway to flat-track racing too. (see our article)
Simply remove the lights and front brake lever, swap tires, and put on number plates.
Everyone knows Kawasaki builds bulletproof bikes.
You're race ready. No need for safety wiring.
It’s a very inexpensive way to race.
The KLX is similar to but more docile than a 450.
Experience taught me that Hooligan class or modified street bikes are just too heavy.
Flat track racing is about putting the power down.
Lightweight singles are the real deal.
Truly race on Sunday, ride to work on Monday.
I highly recommend flat-track racing.
A great way to learn about motorcycle dynamics while getting your competitive urges out.
Why sit in the stands if you can be out there on the track?
"No need for braking, the single cuts like a scalpel." [Michael LawlessI would love to try the 2023 version of the KLX.
Not only more engine displacement (300cc) but, gasp, fuel injection.
We endlessly scroll the internet trolling for our next motorcycle.
Does the 'disease of more' impel the search for something better?
There are much worse addictions.
Low mileage, late make, high tech, and cheap. But it's a 250. What to do? [Mike Lawless]I stumbled on a bike nobody wanted.
The price was beyond right for a newer street legal motorcycle with a title.
The ad had been running for weeks with no takers.
The Suzuki GW 250 is an odd little duck.
Not much info for the American market.
Small Japanese machines bear the stigma of gutless beginner bikes.
The road tests said the GW was underpowered.
Could barely keep up in freeway traffic.
Bad reviews are the kiss of death.
I know Suzuki has many versions of their 250 street bikes.
Both singles and twins.
For the record, the GW250 is a water-cooled, fuel injected parallel twin.
I drove out to the country for a look.
The condition was typical of a bike in a barn.
The seller was gracious enough to allow a road test before buying.
Where lightweight canyon carvers belong: on the bendy bits. [Mike Lawless]My first thought was 'how petite', compared to most street bikes.
The riding position; classic UJM.
The instrument cluster just about perfect:
Analog tach with digi speedo, clock, fuel gauge & gear indicator.
All you need and then some.
The engine was a pleasant surprise.
The reviews shouted: counter balanced, long stoke, two-valver.
To me it was a twin that felt more like a four.
Very smooth revving out to a pleasant crescendo at 11,000 RPM.
Suspension and brakes were fine, considering.
Handling is good, even if the front lacked feel when pushed.
Which might say more about me being a ham-fisted rider.
While the GW250 will never be a freeway flyer,
It was a pleasant roadster on narrow lanes.
Don't let the mean bunny get you down - he's not getting any lady rabbit despite spending $35k on a special special Italian stallion. [Mike Lawless]The price was so cheap I gave the man my money.
I took her home, removed the stock mirrors and a few logos, put on a pair of my favorite grips.
Plus the usual stuff; changing the oil, service the chain, set the tire pressure.
My eighteen-year-old daughter liked the Japanese Anime styling.
Exploring the backroads leads to unexpected pleasures/treasures. [Mike Lawless]For weeks I cruised the back roads and commuted.
Enjoying the back roads.
You must carry your momentum,
This bike will never go down a gear and disappear. Ever.
But the motor has good character.
It sounds like a motorcycle should, even with a stock exhaust.
The GW250 is quite a refined little package.
I dubbed the little roadster "Lusso".
Pulls like a train...well actually not. But that's ok, you're still riding. [Mike Lawless]I love modern, giant gas stations on a motorcycle.
Clean bathrooms, lots of pumps & fresh coffee.
A young man rolled up on his Ducati as I refueled.
I nodded in his direction.
He took off his helmet and asked "Is that your piece of shit? Like are you just learning to ride or something?"
I laughed, mentioned the Ducatis I've owned, and that I was service manager at a Ducati dealership.
Said Ducati makes nice art work, but his sportbike is miserable as a road bike.
The riding position is a pain in the neck, the heat from your 1098's engine will melt your legs on a summer day.
Plus, we all know what they're like to get serviced.
He fired back 'Well I meet babes".
Shaking my head I replied 'If you want to meet women, buy a Vespa".
There is not much respect for small motorcycles.
The adage of the bigger the engine, the bigger the man is tiresome.
A brand doesn't define the man.
Are we not all riders?
I paid cash for my little bike, and will carry on riding it.
We're at a flat track race run in conjunction with a state fair.
It's blazing hot and I'm sweltering in full race leathers, helmet on, ready to go.
Standing beside me in staging is my daughter Olive.
She's happily eating chicken fingers from the concession stand.
Olive and Mike at the track. [Michael Lawless]For me, just making a race is a win.
We would never have these adventures if her mom hadn't left me.
Yeah, part of me died, but that's no excuse not to live.
In my younger days, I blew an offer to road race because I was too busy partying.
I used to kick myself about that, but maybe this was God's way of giving me another chance.
I knew if I fell back into my drinking ways, none of this would be happening.
Regrets from my earlier decisions propelled me forward.
Chasing my dirt track dreams pulled me out of the hurt I was in.
Being out on the road and sliding around on dirt made life worth living again.
Mike Lawless on the Buell he flat tracked for a time. Read all about it here. [Michael Lawless]I feel awkward when normal folk see me in my racing gear.
Kind of like the guy in the movie Electric Horseman wearing his purple cowboy outfit.
They say it's crazy for a man my age to be flat tracking.
But I'm just like him, trying to unscrew the damage I created.
These racing adventures with my daughter in tow are the best memories I have.
I can look back now, knowing the hurt was worth it.
I wrote down these stories for Olive to remember me by.
Just because the marriage didn't work out doesn't mean it's game over.
I had to accept it,
it was what it was.
Spend time with your children, or somebody else will. [Michael Lawless]Regret is a monster.
I couldn't let it paralyze me.
It could destroy the good that's around the next corner.
I had to realize that my decisions put me here.
That it was me and only me that could pull me out of this too.
I got down to doing what I was doing when I was happy: trying to go fast on motorcycles.
Balance in life is the key for me.
Between work, being a dad, a writer, and yes, a racer.
My first motorcycle brought freedom. I roamed twisty back roads, flicking from corner to corner. Lost and tired one ride, I stumbled into a motorcycle shop I never saw before. Not expecting much this far away from the city.
Mr. Varnes, John Lawless & Ed Fisher with John's Yamaha TZ racer. [Michael Lawless]But in the shadows lurked an honest-to-goodness Yamaha TZ racer. Gobsmacked - how did it get here? I walked over and soaked in the details. A soft voice behind me said, "that's something, huh? "Bikes like that take constant work, you really don't want that. See those FZ's over there? All they need is an oil change every now and then. You can ride'em all day."
He'd changed my focus in a gently paternal way. We talked motorcycle for a bit. I heard one of the guys call him Fast Eddie. To me, he was always Mr. Fisher. His humility inspired me. He never bragged about the things he'd done. That just wasn't how he was geared.
Ed with his son Gary Fisher; both men won at Loudon.
Years passed, and my brother started racing vintage motorcycles. We would leave Friday after work, drive straight thru the night to reach Mid-Ohio by dawn. Things got tricky when John switched from four-stroke Hondas to two-stroke Yamahas. He had no time to test or tweak before getting to the track. We couldn't get the bike to run right. Practice was coming up soon.
Ed Fisher with his daugher Kimberly and his Indian 101 Scout at Daytona.
Seeing our struggle, Mr. Fisher and his friend Jimmy (AKA Mr. Varnes) came over to give us a hand. They never asked for anything. Just happy to see my brother make the show. I was impressed by the way they carried themselves. Humble yet gracious. They inspired me to try and be that way too.
Perhaps if one was to beat 'The King' in a straight fight at the Peoria TT.
Who would not want to be remembered as the man who beat 'The King'?
It's the equivalent of Arthur pulling the sword from the stone.
So far, many have tried but none have done so.
A win there could be every bit as big as clinching a championship.
The Peoria TT is a fearsome place.
The younger generation calls it sketchy.
The type of track that puts a premium on skill and bravery,
separating those who have it from those who don't.
Airborne is not typical flat track stuff! But TT racing is a very different animal, and a little MX training couldn't hurt, no? Henry Wiles airborne and sideways. [American Flat Track]
There is more to flat track than turning left.
TT courses like Peoria have a right-hand turn and a jump.
Unlike the ovals, front brakes are used on TT courses.
This track is built in a valley forming a natural amphitheater.
Perfect for gladiators.
A rider must pull different skills from his bag of tricks to be competitive there.
Cole Zabala's plan was simple.
Train at motocross to build the skills needed for TT.
Unfortunately, while training he got out of shape on a jump which led to him
coming down sideways crashing heavily.
Lying on the race track, dazed from the impact Cole accessed the damage done.
Pain everywhere, the lack of movement in his right wrist followed by coughing up blood
And the realization a hospital visit was required.
Give my cast a zipper, doc! When your livelihood is at stake, and you gotta race, regular hospitals just don't get it. A little plaster didn't dampen Cole Zabala's spirits. [Taylor Bellegue]
Going to a regular hospital after a motorcycle accident is never fun.
It's bad enough you pitched it away but now you have to explain yourself.
The doctors diagnosed Cole with a broken scaphoid and a bruised lung.
They were not impressed.
They recommend surgery on the wrist with a non-removable cast.
He would need to cease training for ten weeks.
They said a removable cast was out of the question.
Cole spoke of the need to decrease the timelines due to his racing schedule.
The doctors would not flex.
Dreams of Peoria glory faded.
The need for speed! Cole Zabala blasting along the straightaway with nobody in sight. [American Flat Track]
Racers always look for a better way.
Cole went for a second opinion at a sports medicine clinic.
He liked being treated like any other athlete there.
They offered a plan to minimize his downtime to 3 weeks.
Cole did PR only at the Pennsylvania round.
His first race weekend back was New York.
He was able to get a third in one of the qualifiers.
Bike issues prevented better results in the mains.
I talked with Zabala during that New York round.
Cole's smiling face told the story.
Saying the pain was manageable.
We laughed about the hospital visits we riders have.
Commiserating about the 'less than' treatment for guys who crash bikes.
Cole laughed saying "regular hospitals hate us!"
Hey we should do an article!
That line stuck in my head.
Thinking about it while watching practice.
I started pecking away on my iPhone:
Regular hospitals hate us. Have they never suffered for their art? Experience has taught me I'm better off saying I fell out of a tree. They roll their eyes when we drive ourselves to the ER after declining the ambulance ride. I need your help, not your judgment. I know your words come from a good place. The kindness is much appreciated. I can get thru the pain and the bullshit Cause I'm living to line up again.
Peoria was next.
Time to find out if the blood, sweat, and tears were worth it.
But Mother Nature was not cooperating.
It took a whole lot of magic from Caterpillar to get the rain-soaked track together on time.
As the race day wore on the track got rougher.
Their race was the last of the day.
The battle began as the green flag dropped.
The King was on form.
Two of his challengers crashed out in the pursuit of victory.
Two red flags with the pressure of being perfect for the restarts.
Zabala still on the mend fought gallantly. At one point running close second to The King.
Game face on. That's racing - you win and you lose, and sometimes you get hurt. Cole Zabala focussed on the win. [Steve Koletar]
But The King was on a planet of his own.
He left the intensity behind.
Leaving second, third & fourth locked in a frenzied battle.
Pass after breathtaking pass at a ferocious clip.
Cole made a bid for second in the last corner but came up short.
Still a fine third place on his second race since the injury.
Jubilant times on the podium were a fine payback.
I just wonder how he'd do on a twin.
Coie Zebala looking like a centaur on is racing machine. [American Flat Track]
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, To the last syllable of recorded time; And all our yesterdays have lighted fools The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player, That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. - William Shakespeare, 'Macbeth'
He knew by her stripper hug that he was going to have fun tonight Dinner and drinks, her for dessert. She makes the good nights better. All week he struggled to sneak out for a ride but work got the better of him. His buzzing wristwatch signaled it was time. He slipped out of her body hug, Climbed into his riding gear. Grabbed a quick double espresso on his way to the garage. He toggled through his choices. The sun crests the canyons as he wheels out his machine. He coasted down the hill, away from the house before firing her up. The sound of a three-cylinder MV barking to life. The engine makes the music, Turning from growl to wail as she revs. It's the soundtrack for this morning's ride.
The stress of the week melts away as he picks up speed. That job sucks all the joy out of him. But between her and the bike, he was glad to be alive again. Howling down the straightaway, he drifts over to the double yellow, flicks hard right, arching from the double yellow to white and yellow again. Tossing her left, he tags a knee then rockets up the hill through the trees on the narrow two-lane road. Smiling in his helmet high on adrenaline. He follows his asphalt path as it snakes through the forest. The rider is all in, with the Armco keeping him honest. Turning right the road follows the coastline. The smell of the ocean and eucalyptus trees fill his helmet. All good things come to end. He silently glides back into his garage. Electric motorcycles make for happy neighbors. The sounds of the MV are just computer-generated. His onboard system reads his throttle input, pumping in the appropriate engine sound into his helmet speakers. The advanced system even mocks the power delivery and corresponding engine vibrations. His bike is so quiet that the dogs don't even bark. Heavy metal thunder is dead. The future is silent.
I turned 18 years old in 1969, the minimum age to race motorcycles at the professional level in the United States. In those years dirt track racing and roadracing were combined in the same AMA Grand National Championship Series, so to contend at the top level, a rider needed to do both types of racing. I am probably best known for my roadracing—having won the Daytona 200 in 1972—but I did dirt track racing also and learned some things that served me well in all forms of racing.
My family lived then in the San Diego area, but the best place to go dirt track racing was Ascot Park, a half-mile dirt oval located in Gardena, south of downtown Los Angeles. Unlike other tracks where a race might be held once a month, Ascot ran every Friday night from April to October.
The AMA pro licensing system required first year pros to compete in their own Novice class and limited to 250cc machines. Second year pros were called Juniors and still competed in a separate class, but they could ride machines up 750cc, then if your scored enough transfer points, riders were at the top level called Experts and could then race in the National Championship races.
Don Emde (135R) leads the way at Ascot in 1969. [Mahony Photos]My father, Floyd Emde, was a past champion of the sport, but at the time was a motorcycle dealer carrying Suzuki, BSA and other brands of motorcycles. For the 1969 season, he built me a pretty exotic race bike for my first season at Ascot. It used a special lightweight racing frame and was powered by twin-cylinder 250cc Suzuki X6 roadracing engine. It was wicked fast and what made it especially “exciting” was two-stroke engines don’t have a natural compression that slows the motor when you roll off the throttle, they just free wheel. Also, in those years brakes were not allowed on our dirt track machines.
I learned real quick how to handle my X6, finding the happy medium between going fast enough to compete for the races wins, and not too fast to end up on the ground…or worse yet in the solid wooden wall on the outside of the turns.
Getting a good start was critical at Ascot. Most of the riders I was competing against also had twin-cylinder two-strokes like me—either Suzukis or Yamahas—and if I got stuck in the pack with them, then I just rode the track wherever I could find an opening to try to pass the other riders.
To have a clear track ahead, however, I could then set my own pace and take control of the race. I knew in my mind what the “Perfect Lap” consisted of and what I needed to do, including how far into the turn to go at full speed, and then how to use my only tool to help turn the corner, the throttle. In flat track racing, a spinning rear wheel under full power serves as a bit of a brake and forces the motorcycle to turn in the direction you get the machine pointed.
Once I understood how to use the rear wheel to turn the motorcycle, I found that instead of riding the track as an oval, the actual line to follow was more of a diamond shape. Just past the start/finish line I could lean the machine over, let off momentarily, then back on and get the rear wheel spinning. This continued about half-way into the turn and the rear wheel would eventually start catching traction and heading out of the turn onto the back straightaway towards the next turn and then do it all over again.
That season I won 11 of the 30 Main Events in the Novice class and came back the next and won more races in the Junior class on a BSA 650. In 1971, I was hired by BSA to join their factory team and was racing the full AMA Grand National Championship schedule. I wasn’t able ride at Ascot as much in the coming years, but the concept I had learned of figuring out the perfect lap on a racecourse stuck with me, even in roadracing at places like Daytona.
[Editor's note: Don Emde was the first child of a Daytona 200 winner to win the race as well. His win on a Yamaha 350 (tuned by Mel Dinesen) had other firsts: it was the smallest-capacity machine to win the race, the first two-stroke to win, and the first win for Yamaha. After a successful racing career as a very young man, Emde worked in marketing at Bell Helmets, then was editor of Motorcycle Dealer News. He later took up writing his own books, including Daytona 200, Finding Cannonball's Trail, and his magnum opus 'The Speed Kings', a history of board track racing, which we reviewed here. Thanks to our Flat Track Editor Michael Lawless for securing this article!]
How he grew up racing motocross, then made the switch to speedway.
Johnny studied martial arts and wrestling in school.
I applaud his decision to chase his dreams.
Plenty of time later to work in cubicles if they don't pan out.
Jake Meyer looking more pro wrestler than motorcycle racer, but that's Speedway... [Stever Koletar]
The second rider I spoke with was Jake Myer.
He looked more weightlifter than motorcycle racer.
He could easily bench press a speedway bike.
How did he get involved?
As a boy, his parents took him to the local speedway races,
and he was taken with the spectacle.
Jake hadn't been to a race in years but spotted an ad for a local race.
He had such a good time he took his wife to a second event.
She asked - why don't you race?
With her blessing, he started competing.
I'm not sure what her motives were.
Max Ruml is the master of the one-handed wheelie on his speedway bike. [Steve Koletar]
One racer stood out among this motley crew.
Max Ruml has an air of professionalism mixed with that west coast vibe.
This showman is ruthlessly fast while pulling off one-handed wheelies.
He recently clinched the 2021 AMA National Championship.
Max hopes to race in Europe next.
Gino Manzanez (another MMA fighter!) broadsliding at extreme angles, which is part of the Spectacle of Speedway. [Steve Koletar]
Our photographer Steve Koletar is a well-traveled race enthusiast.
He covers both automobile and motorcycle racing.
I asked Koletar what's the best show in racing?
Steve said "Speedway is out of this world.
It's a must-see spectacle."
I confessed I'd never been.
He wouldn't take no for an answer,
so we attend the next AMA National together.
The racing is intense.
You can see all the action on these small tracks.
I noted the enthusiastic crowd seemed very 420 friendly.
Speedway is a box that should be checked off by any true racing enthusiast.
Jason Bonsignore and Len McBride with the trophy Len created celebrating Jason's 25 year ownership of Champion Speedway. [Steve Koletar]
Note: We would like to thank Jason Bonsignore.
Jason manages both Champion and Action Park East in New York.
His love for speedway keeps the sport alive on the East Coast.
Speedway has a huge following in Europe but is mainly based in California here in the USA.
This was the first time the AMA Nationals were held outside of California.
Hopefully, it will be an annual part of the schedule.
The racing is very sideways in Speedway, as full broadsliding is the technique for racing. And wheelies. [Steve Koletar]The broadsliding technique used in Speedway was invented in the 1920s, some say by American rider Sprouts Elder, who improved on the original 'leg trailing' technique, in which a rider dragged his foot behind the machine. The sport of Speedway was originally called Dirt Track, and was the most popular motorsport in the world - period- in the mid-1920s. Riders traveled the world on an international, professional circuit following the seasons: the USA, Britain, South America, and Australia.We have plenty of archival stories of Dirt Track racing in its original days: have a look at a few here:
Writer and flat track racer Michael Lawless aboard one of his racers, from his story 'Passing, Pain, and Purpose.' [Michael Lawless]Not racing is hard too.
Part of me dies at the track when I’m not suiting up,
and the dream floods back watching American Flat Track on TV.
The contradiction was killing me.
Lucky, I ran across Kenny Dahlin.
He runs a flat track racing school called 'EZ Does It',
named for his approach to racing.
We crossed paths on social media,
thumbs up & positive comments.
On the track Kenny looks effortless and in control.
Exactly what I wasn't.
I knew I could learn a few things.
So, I decided to invest in my riding skills.
Kenny Dahlin keeping a close eye on a student. [Kris Keath]
Kenny teaches on the track.
He sent me out first, then joined me:
We rip off a bunch of laps elbow to elbow.
He dropped back to tail me, then cleared off to see what I'd do.
His feedback made me realize
a lifetime of sport riding had made me lazy.
On the road, to corner quicker I'd enter fast and lean harder.
This doesn’t work on the dirt.
Charging into a corner,
I’d lose front grip then pick her up to regain traction.
By then I'm running wide, struggling to change direction,
and grabbing throttle to make up for mistakes.
Out of shape and into the next corner too fast.
Over the limit is thrilling
but actually slow.
Just a hot mess on the edge of crashing.
Getting real feedback on riding or racing is invaluable, especially from a pro who knows. [Kris Keath]
What does it take to be a motorcycle racer? Some outside our circle might say 'balls'. But to a racer, risk is a calculated decision, not blind aggression. Outsiders have no idea what self-control and self-discipline it demands, from eating right to working out. Time spent wrenching while others go drinking. It takes more than dreams. It takes hard work and plenty of it. And for most, years of struggling. And when you make the main event, you're way back on the third row.
How it feels: all bunched up in turn 1, looking for a magic line. [Steve Koletar]I asked Morgen Mischler for his thoughts the morning after his big win in New York:
"Ever since I was a little kid, people would tell me I had balls of steel (lol). The first thing I’m thinking sitting on the third row is I’ve got 8 people ahead of me. I need to position myself on the line so I can get the traction I need to close that gap to the leaders. Starting is a big key in this sport, especially if the racing funnels down in the corner to a single file (which I loathe). The next thing is making sure the guys ahead of me are good starters and aren’t going to be roadblocks in the first corner, but also to hit a line I’ve found on the warm-up lap to give myself a chance to move forward."
Tell me about passing - are you stalking them or killing everything in your path?
"Passing on the highline. For me, it’s threading a needle others don’t think about threading. Trusting my bike placement won’t be in the marbles and having enough mid-corner speed to make the pass and keep it under control without running my clutch lever into their exhaust or knee, risking going down. If I’m the only one on the high line, it’s more about how fast I can run that line and find what else may be faster. Up there it’s more about finding your marks and hitting them while trying to find spots to improve and not lose time in the process of experimenting with the line. If someone else is on the mainline like Volusia, then it’s more like stalking and trying to find where you can squeak by. It takes a lot more commitment to thread the needle and come down to the mainline ahead of whoever was ahead of you."
At times out front means all alone, but not usually... [Steve Koletar]What does it feel like to ride on the limit?
"My Lima video kinda shows my bike on the limit. It’s a badass, the bike becomes an effective extension of your body, so much of it is bike feel. When you have the gearing right it makes everything a lot easier because you fall into a rhythm. My bike is built very well by Vance and Hines. I can't thank them enough for their support. I don’t like ripping my fast bike on the limiter unless it’s at a national, gotta take it easy on that thing cause these pockets are pretty shallow compared to some teams. Not a huge fan of rebuilding things, so I try not to beat up my equipment outside of nationals. Really fortunate Vance and Hines builds all my KTMs. My main bike is a stout. I'm working on getting a backup machine just as powerful too."
What it's like running high? (the high line AKA 'high, wide & handsome')
"The highline is the slower way around, but it carries your momentum instead of having to slow down as much for the corner. There are so many different approaches to riding the lines that form. Some tracks you can’t get off of the main groove where all the rubber forms or you’re going backward in a hurry. A lot of it is people ride defensive and guard the inside. Last year Indy mile and this year Volusia II for example you couldn’t get off the mainline, but people wanted to protect the bottom so they wouldn’t charge into the corner as fast. I had to leave it on longer and flirt with the top of the groove next to the marbles to get enough momentum to pass them and immediately close the door to get on the mainline to make the pass. It’s a tough needle to thread because just above where the rubber has formed on the track is marbles of dirt that will carry you up the track"
It feels good to win! Morgen Mischel enjoys the rush, and the adulation, after a win in NY. [Steve Koletar]Tell me about the euphoric feeling of victory?
"It’s a large amount of being pleased with yourself and knowing you just whooped some ass. Along with the relief of getting first after the stress of it. But euphoric is an accurate description."
Tell me about race day?
"An overview of the day was that we switched shocks to something I thought would work, chased the setup with it and qualified 20th. We switched back to the shock from the other day and made some adjustments before the semi to see if it would help. Mark and I had the provisional card ready just in case I didn’t get into the top 8 😂 but went from the 3rd row to 5th in the semi. Nailed a start and picked my way through on the first lap and put my head down. If you look at the gap, I picked up .1+ almost every lap. I didn’t check to see the gap until there were 2 laps to go and get a better view of it in the last corner on the last lap."
Tell me about your plans for the future?
"I’m not totally sure what the future may hold for me. I’m so invested in my program, I’m just trying to piece the right support together to actually make my program remotely comparable to the factory teams. I’m sure if we’d compare budgets, it’d be laughable. I’d also want to take everyone that’s supported me this far along because they deserve it just as much as I do. I’m fortunate to have the support I do because I never thought I’d get this far. Also, I would like to give extra special thanks to Randy Triplet, Bill Mischler, and Mark Muth."
A moment in the pits with our writer, Michael Lawless, and Mischler's team. [Steve Koletar]This was great fun putting this together. Morgen gives a good glimpse of what's in his head. It all came together easily. I was so stoked to be at the American Flat Track race in New York. This was the first time back at the track with photographer/wingman Steve Koletar. He's the 'Weegee' of dirt track. Be it sprint cars or flat track bikes. Steve has a gift of capturing those magic moments seen here in this article. We palled around the pits talking to riders and tuners alike. This was the first time I talked at length with Morgen Mischler. I was impressed by how talkative he was for a flat tracker racer, articulate too. Morgen mentioned he was game for The Vintagent. I knew he was serious when I saw Mischler started to followed me on Instagram. We wrote this together without even talking. Just using Instagram. We plan on keeping these lines of commutations open for future updates.
He was all of 20 years old. Yeah, he had a Grand National Championship under his belt, but no passport. When the ink dried, he hopped a jet to Spain. To face a man even the great Valentino Rossi couldn't beat.
Brad Baker's style and skill made him the National Flat Track Champion, but would it serve him against the very best racer in the world, Marc Marquéz? [Brad Baker]In the road racing world, Marquez was the newly crowned MotoGP wonder-boy whose speed seemed effortless and victory inevitable. The Superprestigio race was created to showcase Marquez' ability to dominate on dirt as well as asphalt in front on his countrymen. Two worlds would collide in Spanish arena. For the first time, a MotoGP World Champion would face an American Flat Track Champion on a dirt track. The idea was to jump-start the then-declining sport of flat track and legitimize the sport to the nonbelievers.
Superprestegio was meant to bring the best of different motorcycle racing disciplines together, but no American Flat Track riders were invited initially. American journalist Mark Gardiner heckled the promoters via social media, and soon after, the new American champ, Brad Baker received his invitation and an offer of a bike from the Spanish KTM importer.
Two brilliant and very young racers: Marc Marquéz and Brad Baker. [Brad Baker]Arriving in Spain, Brad was hustled to a press conference, suitcases in hand, and met his competitors. They may have been superstars, but every one was friendly. Brad was surprised by the sea of press and the army of enthusiastic fans. He'd never been put on such a pedestal. Motorcycle racing is huge in Spain, but American flat track racing has a county fair vibe. After the press conference, a fellow racer toured him around Barcelona. From the back of a scooter, Brad saw the old city, its architecture and its nightclubs.
Arriving at the oval dirt track, was where Baker finally felt at home. This was his world. His European competitors were pleasantly surprised and found him a fine ambassador. The Superprestegio format had two categories, dirt racers and road racers. The top 4 from each final advanced to the super final. Baker dominated the dirt while Marquez had his way with road racers.
Up close and personal: a match between the very best in the world. [Brad Baker]They faced each other for the first time in the Super Final. When the gates dropped, Marquez came out swinging, taking the holeshot. But Baker was on him, showing a wheel constantly. A few laps in, Brad ran around Marquez' outside in turn four. but Marquez hit him firmly, bouncing Baker off the outer wall hard enough to bend his exhaust. Baker said 'he was aiming for me'. Marquez was playing for keeps. But this wasn't Bakers' first rodeo. He lived the unwritten rule in flat track: you can bump but you can't knock 'em down. He gathered himself up and set off in pursuit.
Baker lined up for a pass down the front straight, charging hard up the inside. Marquez tried to block him, chopping his throttle and swinging to the left, but his timing was late. He bounced off Baker's side and was slammed unceremoniously onto the track. Sure seemed like flat track justice to me. Baker looked back to see the MotoGP champ lying on the track and thought "Oh F***!" He took it easy for a lap or two to show it wasn't intentional, then picked up the pace and wheelied across the finish line to take his win.
Marquez did not seem too happy at first, but shook it off and congratulated Baker. All was forgiven, and the party began. Baker returned to Spain many times, and now considers it a second home.
For years after, I badgered Baker for an interview about that first Superprestigio race. But every time I lined him up, he'd throttle up and out. Did he not see the significance? In 20 years he'd be giving speeches about the night he beat Marquez. I wasn't going to give up, though I could read between the lines. At that point, Baker was too busy looking forward to talk about the past. For him, life was a blur of travel and racing, punctuated by victories.
Gladiators and friends at the 2013 Superprestigio race: Marc Marquéz and Brad Baker [Brad Baker]My brother John and I were having dinner with Peter Starr, who directed 'Take it to the Limit.' As a kid, I saw the film and it changed me. Suddenly, being a fan was not enough. I sat quietly, soaking up his words, trying not to say anything awkward. But I had a chance to speak of a race that deserves to be remembered. Of a young American who traveled overseas to face the World Champion, on a borrowed motorcycle. I confessed I'd been struggling to lock down an interview. Peter asked "so what's the holdup?" and picked up his phone, right in the middle of dinner. "Tom, ask Baker to make time for Mike Lawless." Peter encouraged me to keep at it. Maybe I'd get my story after all.
A few weeks later, in the pits at Williams Grove, it's after the main and packed with fans. I'm just a fly on the wall, but the sea of people parts and Baker walks over to me, still sweating hard from the race. 'Hey, sorry I've been tied up. I got stuff going on for the next couple of weeks. Message me and we'll talk." I was floored - did that just really happen?
I waited those weeks, then nervously shot him a text. Several minutes later my phone rang. Coffee in hand, I grabbed my notepad, and had that interview. Flat trackers are a humble lot and Brad is no different. He plays the strong silent type well, but warmed up as the words flowed, about his wonderment for that Spanish experience. The interview was worth the wait. Thank you, Brad Baker.
