July 2011

The Inside Line July 2011, Issue Number 5

Quadwealth/SCRC Whips Them All in 6-Hour Endurance! Ty Howard, Derek Wagnon, Darrell Ricks Tear Up Sprints! C M RA • P O

B o x 10 117 7 • F o r t

W o r t h , Te x a s

7 6 18 5

• 8 17 - 5 7 0 - 9 7 7 9

Central Motorcycle Roadracing Association PO Box 101177 Fort Worth, TX 76185-1177 Office Phone: (817) 570-9779 FAX: (888) 334-0166 www.cmraracing.com

2011 CMRA Officers and Staff BOARD OF DIRECTORS John Orchard, President - [email protected] Ronnie Hay, Vice President - [email protected] Norm McDonald, Treasurer - [email protected] Christopher Corder - [email protected] Ty Howard - [email protected] Steve McNamara - [email protected] Bill Syfan - [email protected] STAFF Nancy Selleck, Administrator and CMRA Secretary - [email protected] Walter Walker, Director of Competition - [email protected] Barry Nichols, Chief Corner Working Marshal - [email protected] Roxana Nichols, Awards Official - [email protected] Kim Walker, Electronic Scoring - [email protected] Fred Chapman, Track Chaplain - [email protected] Steve McNamara, Riders School Instructor - [email protected] Linz Leard, Chief Technical Inspector / Newsletter Editor - [email protected] Barry Nichols (foto41.com/Barry Nichols), CMRA Photographer - [email protected]

On the Cover: Derek Wagnon on the Quadwealth/SCRC KTM RC8 endurance bike. Photo by NineSevenImages/Linz Leard

2 0 1 1 EVENT SCHEDULE February 18 - 20

Friday: CMRA Racer Practice / CMRA License School

Mercedes-Benz of Sugarland Road Course Angleton, Texas

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 2-HR Mini Endurance / 5-HR Big Bike Endurance

April 1 - 3

Friday: LSTD Track Day / CMRA License School

Texas World Speedway College Station, Texas

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 8-HR Big Bike Endurance

April 29 - May 1


Eagles Canyon Raceway Decatur, Texas

Saturday: Mini Sprints / 8-HR Mini Endurance

May 20 - 22

Friday: CMRA Racer Practice / License School

Hallett Motor Racing Circuit Hallett, Oklahoma

Saturday: 2-HR Mini Endurance / 5-HR Big Bike Endurance

June 10 - 12


MotorSport Ranch Cresson, Texas (CCW Direction)

Sunday: Big Bike Sprints

July 8 - 10

Friday: CMRA Racer Practice / License School

Hallett Motor Racing Circuit Hallett, Oklahoma

Saturday: 3-HR Mini Endurance / 4-HR Big Bike Endurance

August 5 - 7



Saturday: Mini Sprints / 6-HR Mini Endurance

August 26 - 28


MotorSport Ranch Cresson, Texas (CW Direction)


September 23 - 25



Saturday: Mini Sprints / 6 HR Big Bike Endurance

October 21 - 23


Texas World Speedway College Station, Texas






Saturday: Mini Sprints / 6-HR Big Bike Endurance






JOIN THE CMRA TODAY! 2011 Fee Schedule

Advertise Your Business in

COMPETITION LICENSE • $145 – Annual; $105 after July 10th; $55 after August 28th • $25 – One-Weekend (one time per year) • $25 – Junior Motard A full membership is the required membership level to race CMRA events. Includes all of the perks of an Associate Membership, plus riding privileges - race number, awards, prize money, etc. Applications are available at race events or request one via email at [email protected]. You can also download one at http://cmraracing.com/forms.html.

Contact Nancy Selleck at [email protected]

The Inside Line Advertising Rates: Ÿ Business Card Ad - $25 per issue, $200 per year

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP • $70 – Annual; $40 after July 10th Associate membership allows volunteer participation as a race official along with a host of benefits, subscription to The Inside Line, the CMRA's official newsletter, access to members-only Message Board on the CMRA website, voting rights and racer discounts at participating local motorcycle shops and with participating vendors. CMRA LICENSE SCHOOL • $75.00 • No charge for Junior Motard School SPRINTS • First Entry - $75.00 • Second Entry - $55.00 • Each Additional Entry - $35.00 • Superstock E - $50.00 (no matter how many other entries) MINI SPRINTS • First Entry - $40.00 • Each Additional Entry - $30.00

Ÿ Quarter Page - $40 per issue, $350 per year Ÿ Half Page - $60 per issue, $500 per year Ÿ Full Page - $150 per issue, $1250 per year Ÿ Insert (Full Page) - $100 per issue, $750 per year

Advertise Your Business on the CMRA Website!

JUNIOR MOTARD • Entry - $10.00 (No Post-Entry Fee and No Transponder Required) ENDURANCE • Big Bike - $45.00 per hour • Minis - $35.00 per hour OPEN PRACTICE • Saturday - $35.00 • Friday - Hallett Motor Racing Circuit (HMRC)- $125.00 full-day; $70.00 after lunch. • Friday - Mercedes-Benz of Sugar Land Road Course (MSRH) - $140.00 fullday; $80.00 after lunch. (fees are per racer for sprint; per bike for endurance teams) TRANSPONDER • Purchase - $420 • Rental - $50.00/weekend ($420 deposit). 50% of rental fees can be applied toward purchase. Rental receipts required. MISC. ENTRY FEE INFO • Expert Sprint Class Champions – $35.00 off one entry for each championship • Big Bike Endurance Class Champions – $90.00 off one entry for each championship • Mini Endurance Class Champions - $30.00 off one entry for each championship • Post-Entry Fee (At-Track Entries) $10.00 per entry form

Contact Nancy Selleck at [email protected]

CMRA Website Advertising Rates: Banner Ad w/ Link - $150/ month, $1250 per year Banner Ad w/ Link plus 1/4 Page Newsletter Ad (Package) - $300 per year

Highlights of CMRA By-Law Updates The CMRA by-laws were recently updated to more accurately reflect the way the CMRA works in today’s climate. A few administrative updates were made along with a few strategic updates focused on long term stability.

-

Office address

-

Use of electronic communication as an official means

-

Board of Directors candidate requirements

-

Board of Directors term length

-

Formalized transition process for seating new Board members

-

Formal review process of Administrative staff and Director of Competition

CMRA Director of Competition Employment Status Change At the last Board of Director’s meeting, the Board reviewed the contract employment status of Walter Walker, Director of Competition, and at the recommendation of the CMRA’s CPA, Celia J. Thompson, the Board of Directors by 2/3rd vote agreed to change the position of Director of Competition from a contract role, to an employee of the CMRA to maintain appropriate compliance with federal and state employment laws. The pay rate remains the same, but this status change puts the CMRA in closer compliance with labor laws.

Ÿ CMRA Racers Show Their Stuff at AMA Barber Motorsports Park Round Several CMRA regulars made the trek to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama on the weekend of June 18-19 to compete in the AMA Nationals. In the AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport races, Ricky Parker scored a stellar 6th place finish in Saturday’s Race One and backed it up with an excellent 7th place finish in Sunday’s Race Two on his private Yamaha YZF-R6. Dustin Dominguez, piloting his Latus Motors Racing Triumph Daytona 675R suffered an unfortunate mechanical early in Saturday’s race and retired to a disappointing 29th place, but the native Oklahoman turned things around in Sunday’s race and netted a fantastic 6th place result. Connor Blevins, participating in his first ever AMA event, finished a very respectable 13th place on his Kawasaki ZX-6R on Saturday and backed that up with a strong good 16th place result in Sunday’s contest.

In the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike class, the CMRA was well-represented in Saturday’s Race One when Danny Eslick collected his first win of the season. Eslick topped a podium that looked not only like a CMRA reunion, but also had a strong Oklahoma connection, because joining Eslick on the podium was Dane Westby who finished the race in second place, and Cory West, who rounded out the rostrum in third place. Eslick and Westby hail from Oklahoma, and West, who lives in Arkansas these days, was born and raised in Oklahoma. Occasional CMRA racer Matt Hall finished a disappointing 28th place after suffering a crash in Saturday’s race. In Sunday’s Race Two, Danny Eslick was back on the podium again with a second place finish, but Cory West and Dane Westby didn’t fare as well this time out with the pair scoring 20th and 21st place finishes respectively after each of the racers crashed (in separate incidents) while contending for a place on the box.

In the AMA Pro National Guard Superbike races, CMRA open class fast guy Danny Kelsey made his AMA debut a solid one by carding a respectable 18th place in Saturday’s Race One - a race that started in the dry but finished in the wet. Kelsey bettered that result in Sunday’s Race Two in the dry, however, and brought his Honda CBR1000RR home in 13th place.

Congratulations are in order to all the CMRA racers who competed at the AMA’s Barber Motorsports Park event!

ŸFrom The “Hard Men of Racing” Files Comes This...

CMRA alumni and CMRA Hall of Famer, Colin Edwards, crashed on June 3 in MotoGP free practice at Catalunya, Spain, breaking his collar bone in multiple places, and forcing the Texan to miss the first MotoGP race of his career. Edwards had surgery the next day where doctors installed a titanium plate and 13 screws to piece his collar bone back together. On June 12, Edwards returned to MotoGP action at the historic Silverstone Circuit in England and captured a stunning third place finish – his first podium of the season - in the wet. Two weeks after the injury I caught up with Edwards and asked him about his injury, surgery and subsequent podium at Silverstone. Of it Edwards said, “It hurt like hell right after I crashed, but pretty much when I woke up after surgery I felt great and I knew I could ride. Two of the three doctors who checked me out before Silverstone gave me the green light (to race), but the third was a little hesitant. But it’s just some broken bones, you know?”

CMRA Board of Directors Nominations - A Message From Nancy Selleck, CMRA Administrator

Nominations for the 2012-2013 CMRA Board of Directors are now open. The terms of Christopher Corder, Ronnie Hay, Ty Howard and John Orchard will expire, so this year there are four (4) open seats and we need your help to fill these. The criteria to serve on the Board of Directors is very simple; all you need is to be an Associate or Full Member, in good standing, for at least the preceding two (2) consecutive years (730 days) and have the desire to help guide the club moving forward. No special skills or credentials required… just your time and attention!

Here are some of the obligations of a CMRA Board Member:

- Attendance of Meetings: Meetings are scheduled on an "as needed" basis and are usually held at the CMRA office in Fort Worth or occasionally another location central to the BoD Members. Members should expect 4-6 meetings per year.

- Event Attendance: It is preferred that members attend as many race events as possible. This will provide both an opportunity to solicit feedback from the membership and provide the background information required to make decisions that guide the club.

- Message Board: Due to the geographic footprint of the CMRA, time sensitive items will commonly be handled via the Board of Directors page on the Message Board. You are requested to keep current with these items.

- Communications with the Administrative Staff and Race-Day Crew: At times the day-to-day operations of the club require correspondence with the staff and other Board Members.

- Be available for the membership: Field questions, carry requests to the Board for review and so on.

A nomination form can be found elsewhere in this newsletter. Mailed nominations must be postmarked on or before August 15, 2011. Nominations may also be faxed toll free to 1-888-334-0166. Faxed nominations must be received no later than midnight, August 15, 2011.

After receiving each nomination, the CMRA Administrator (Nancy Selleck) will send a letter to the nominee requesting acceptance of the nomination and agreement to serve on the BoD for the two (2) or three (3) year term if elected (or refusal to accept the nomination). Nominee’s pictures and statements will be included in the newsletter after the MSR race at the end of August. Postage-paid ballots will be mailed to all members at their last known address on October 1, 2011. Ballots must be postmarked on or before October 31, 2011 and only current CMRA members in good standing are eligible to vote. The winners will be notified and then results posted on the CMRA Message Board.

2012 - 2013 CMRA Board of Directors Nomination Form Nomination for 2012-2013 CMRA Board of Directors Nominations for the 2012-2013 Board of Directors are now open. Persons being nominated must be an Associate or Full Member, in good standing, for at least the preceding two (2) consecutive years (730 days).

I nominate _________________________________ as a CMRA Director for a 2 or 3 year term.

Date of nomination___________________________

Nominee has agreed to this nomination YES___ NO____

CMRA member making this nomination_______________________________

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mail nominations to: CMRA, PO Box 101177, Ft Worth, TX 76185-1177 Or fax to: 1-888-334-0166 (no cover sheet necessary)

Mailed nominations must be postmarked on or before August 15, 2011. Nominations may also be faxed toll free to 1-888-334-0166. Faxed nominations must be received no later than midnight, August 15, 2011.

After receiving each nomination, the CMRA Administrator (Nancy Selleck) will send a letter to the nominee requesting acceptance of the nomination and agreement to serve on the Board of Directors for a two (2) or three (3) year term if elected (or refusal to accept the nomination). Nominee’s pictures and statements will be included in the newsletter after the MSR race at the end of August. Postage-paid ballots will be mailed to all members in good standing on October 1, 2011. Ballots must be postmarked on or before October 31, 2011 and only current CMRA members in good standing are eligible to vote. The winners will be notified and then results posted on the CMRA Message Board.

John-O’s Page By John Orchard, President, CMRA Board of Directors

Once again we’re upon the annual Board of Directors nomination period.

This year we have four

seats open with terms expiring for Christopher Corder, Ronnie Hay, Ty Howard and myself. As was outlined in last month’s Inside Line, anyone in good standing with the club who has been a member for two consecutive years, is eligible to run for a seat on the Board. The Board of Directors function is a key element to the success of the CMRA. First and foremost, the Board’s role is to provide oversight and feedback on the overall direction of the club to help ensure the CMRA’s long term success.

A subset of this responsibility is

achieved by being an active member and an effective voice of the membership.

While the BoD is actively

involved in all affairs, the day to day operations and the race weekend operations are the primary responsibility of the CMRA staff; Walter Walker, Nancy Selleck, and the other race weekend workers. This dynamic exists, and ensures that the appropriate checks and balances are in place for the longevity of the CMRA. All effective organizations have defined roles and responsibilities. The greater understanding organizations have of their respective roles, the more effective individual team members are and the more successful the organization. Like most, I’m proud to be a member of the CMRA. I am also honored to have served on the Board of Directors for the past two years, to work with Walter and Nancy, and to have had a hand in ensuring that the CMRA is where it is today, and is in a position to be successful tomorrow. If you are interested in running for the Board of Directors, or you know someone who would make a Board member, I would strongly encourage you to run, or submit a nomination. If you want to know more about the specifics of what’s involved, feel free to reach out to any current (or former) Board member to learn more about the CMRA Board of Directors. John-O

The Inside Line Press Pass: By Steve McNamara,CMRA Board of Directors Photos by Linz Leard Motorcycles have been a passion of mine for many years, but I grew up in a home

Motorcycles, Racing and Family

Nick Doolan (38) sits on his Honda NSR50 at MSR in 2009. His mom Cheryl, and younger brother Tanner, pose with him. Photo: Steve McNamara.

where two-wheeled monsters with loud engines were simply not allowed. My family was unimpressed with motorcycles. I waited until I graduated from high school and enrolled in college on my own dime to finally obtain my first dirt bike. Soon after that, I had the money to fund the desire for my first street bike, a 1984 VT500 Ascot, thus cementing my love for motorcycles and the exhilaration and freedom of riding. I watched Super Bikers, Rainey, Lawson, and Spencer on TV, but remained unaware of the CMRA or Regional Club Racing. In 2001 my “middleaged crazies” arrived early and at 35 I fell into the track-day scene. On the track, riding a sport bike, I truly understood the allure of speed and we started LSTD. Soon after that I tried my hand at sprint racing, big bike endurance, along with a campaigning a motard. Racing motorcycles occupied a huge part of my life, but my personal racing came to an abrupt end just as another’s was beginning. In 2004 I was diagnosed with a degenerative right hip and retired from racing, although I attempted to postpone the replacement surgery for as long as possible. Concurrently, I started dating a woman with two children. One weekend Cheryl and the boys came to watch a track day. At the end of the event, we were eating dinner at the snack bar at TWS and realized that her oldest son Nick, five-years-old at the time, was not at the table. I walked over to my pit area and there he was, sitting on my CRF50 pit bike, wearing my helmet, holding racing gloves and looking like a bobble head. The Honda had a set of bar risers, making him look like a tiny biker on a chopper with ape hangers. It was a striking image that his mother and I will always remember. I looked at Nick and asked, “Do you want to ride it?” A huge smile crossed his face and within five minutes he was riding around the pits on the 50. As my relationship with their mother became more serious, so did the boys’ desire for motorcycles. We eventually married and both boys got dirt bikes. On Nick Doolan (475) on the grid at TWS in October, 2010.

weekend trips to the local dirt bike tracks, we watched the boys riding, thoroughly

enjoying

themselves,

improving their skills and just

Nick Doolan (11) riding for the Mini endurance team, TDK Racing at ECR in April, 2011.

hanging out together as a family. Nick loved his dirt bike but couldn’t wait for his eighth birthday and his first race season on a Junior Motard bike. I prepped a TTR90 and after his first race it was obvious that he loved the thrill of competing. After two years on the TTR, he wanted a “real race bike,” full

bodywork,

and

an

aggressive riding position. I located an NSR50 and prepared it for him to race at the last event of 2008. After riding the NSR50, he didn’t even want to look at his TTR90. I had to force him to ride it at the last event to finish out his season. All winter long he rode his dirt bike, constantly talking about racing his new machine. I’d come home from work and find him in the garage, cleaning his already immaculate bike. During this time in our lives, as we began to grow closer as a family, the two of us spent more time at the track. We worked on his riding, discussing his performance during the truck rides back and forth to the track, on Friday practice days during lunch on the NSR, and on Sunday morning rides home. We talked about school, racing, fishing, and hunting. He was maturing as a growing boy and racer, as I was as a father, both of us learning along the way that these were special times for the two of us. Another unique aspect of racing is the extended family that you make at the track...good folks who do everything possible to beat you on the track and turn right around and loan you parts and help you in the pits. I have met great people who have been a positive influence on Nick, offering tips on riding, racing, or just how to act off of the bike. They are a fraternity of big brothers, wives, mothers, and Nick Doolan (475) gets some important seat time during a track day in March, 2011.

dads, doing what they love most: enjoying the camaraderie and friendships in racing. I’m a fortunate and lucky man to have a great family and friends, both at home and at the track. Racing has taught me many lessons in life and is teaching my son a few as well. The bonds we share in racing, and the time we spend together, have formed memories for a lifetime. In the end, the CMRA is a family and a great place to raise one.

See you at the races, MacMan

CMRA Big Bike Quadwealth/SCRC Endurance Dominate Cresson Series Action 6-Hour Endurance! Story by Peyton Inge

the eyes of several competitors as they rolled down pit-out

Photos by foto41.com/Barry Nichols

during practice. Saturday’s Big Bike endurance race was a true blast to watch. Mercifully red flag free, the six-hour race

June 11, 2011

marked the introduction of a new pit speed monitoring system.

Motorsports Ranch Cresson

Gone were the sharks with laser beams; in their place stood

Cresson, Texas

a radar system that clocked movement up and down pit road. Riders moving in the pit were clearly able to view their speed

Dawn on any given race day holds a special place and the system seemed to be well received. Very few speeding in the heart of most racers. Whether emerging from a tickets were handed out, due in no small part to CMRA official pristine mobile mansion or stumbling back from an Linz Leard’s efforts make a visit to each team’s pits to warn unguarded

racers

beer

keg,

spankings

the cares of

would ensue if

the

one

past

that

were

workweek

c a u g h t

are forgotten

speeding.

and

your

At the

attention

start of the Big

focuses on

B

just

one

Endurance,

–

Pirelli-mounted

For

Derek Wagnon

thing coffee.

some, dawn is

also

a

g o l d e n opportunity

Quadwealth/SCRC (35) dominated the endurance race at MSR from the first drop of the green flag.

i

dropped

k

e

the

hammer on the Quadwealth/S CRC’s

KTM

to over rev your motorcycle and rattle your neighbors’ fillings. RC8 and never looked back. Apparently, the team gave him As the beloved Texas heat index begins to rise, however, express instructions to “run away and hide.” Quadwealth’s attention quickly shifts to what we all showed up for – the strategy was to build as big a lead as possible, which Wagnon need for pure, unadulterated speed and friendly competition. did in short order. After only a handful of laps, Wagnon had a This past race weekend at Cresson was a real eye half-lap lead and would set the race benchmark impossibly opener. The track is a favorite of many of the Dallas folks high with a lap time of 1:15:324. From there, Quadwealth’s and the races marked the halfway point for the season, lead just kept getting bigger. The team was never headed, which likely explains the optimistic determination visible in although they did lose some time when pitting for a tire change

One of the more interesting races occurred in the

Village Idiots (2) rode a smart race, but came home second best.

Formula 2 division, which is sponsored by Fastline Motorcycle School.

Late entry The Dirty Heads

(Michael Humphries, Alexandra Humphries, Alan Phillips, Matt Vastine) laid down some smoking hot laps, running a division-best time of 1:21:147 on their Suzuki SV650. Looking at the depth of the lineup, one could be forgiven for not knowing which of the speed demons actually recorded the time. The Dirty Heads would finish third in Formula 2, however, due to an unfortunate on-track incident in which Alex Humphries attempted to jump a Team ASR (Arthur Fonseca, Michael Hahn, on their second pit stop – a spacer was accidentally left off Chris Davis, Anita Thomas) rider who happened to be taking the front wheel and the wheel had to be removed and installed again. Only a minute hiccup, considering Quadwealth used three full sets of tires during the event; Quadwealth’s closest competitor finished five laps down. Team owner John Hutchinson said, “It was a good day. Everyone rode hard, protected the lead. We had a lot of trouble with that one pit stop, but we got it handled and it wasn’t really a big issue. I can sum up our day in one word – Shabamalam!” Finishing second overall was the notoriously fast Village Idiots (John Orchard, Chris Headley, Brandon Cleland, Blake Cochran). The beloved Idiots ran a rock solid race and posted consistent lap times.

Shea Fouchek puts the Band of Brothers YZFR6 through its paces. The team would end the day in 4th place in the C Superbike class.

At the end of the day, however, it just wasn’t their weekend. Seven laps farther back was the Lone Star Track a nap in the Rattlesnake after experiencing a front tire issue. Days squad (Mark Niemi, Andy Galindo, Gabe McClendon). A little more power and she might have made it, but alas, the SV650 didn’t have Knight Rider mode. Humphries went for The Dirty Heads (81) recovered from an unsuccessful attempt at jumping downed racers to claim 3rd spot in the F2 class.

a tumble, but was quickly helped back on to the track by the other rider and an eager corner worker. As Team ASR rider and CMRA hottie Anita Thomas said, “We’re just glad everyone is OK!” Faltless Racing (Eric Falt, Robert Bradlaw, Clayton Schutz, Bill Erzal, Ted Phillips) would take the class win, one lap ahead of Team EDS (Scott Eichhorn, Mike Sweeney, Jordan Scott, David Branyon). Mini endurance riders had the weekend off, but are sure to arrive at Hallett in full force, where a full lineup of endurance racing awaits. So bring your endurance Minis and let’s go racing!

CMRA Sprint Series Action

Howard Picks Up Where He Left Off, Wagnon Hauls the Mail, and Ricks Keeps on Rolling!

Story by Peyton Inge Photos by foto41.com/Barry Nichols

June 12, 2011 Motorsports Ranch Cresson Cresson, Texas The CMRA’s Sprint races kicked off with a bang Saturday morning. Junior

Motard

In the division,

Gabrielle Harber put on an impressive display of poise as she edged Trey Walker for the win on her TTR90.

Harber

Ty Howard (1) returned to the front of the pack at MSR on his new KTM RC8. Here Danny Kelsey (34) tries to keep him honest.

grabbed the holeshot, but Trey passed her back on lap 2 as they entered the Rattlesnake. The two youngsters went toe to toe for several laps before Harber finally managed to edge Walker for win. According to Walter Walker, Trey’s TTR90 suffered a stuck piston ring and began losing power during the race. After the race was over, Harber was so happy she wore her medal to sleep that night and the next day while corner working. The RentMyNinja.com E Superstock race proved to be one of the most exciting of the season. Right out of the gate, frontrunner Ryan Max Johnson’s motor blew. According to Johnson, the motor began to lose power and he had to “really work” the brakes to keep the leaders in sight. Gridded on the second row, Alan Phillips recovered from a terrible start and chased down Brandon Altmeyer, passing him for the lead on the brakes into the Rattlesnake in lap 3. Altmeyer would press the issue, hotly contesting Phillips’ position for the final three laps. Altmeyer seemed to have the edge on the brakes and would close to within inches, but Phillips always managed to be just a hair quicker

on the throttle. Phillips would eventually drop a race-best time of 1:27:398 to edge out a 0.064 victory over Altmeyer. Thanks to the CMRA’s impromptu engine teardowns the previous race weekend at Hallett, race fans can rest assured that neither Phillips nor Altmeyer’s Ninja 250s sported superchargers or nitrous oxide. Sunday’s Big Bike Sprints clearly illustrated just how many fast guys call the CMRA home.

In the litre bike

categories, Danny Kelsey had taken a substantial points lead coming into the weekend. With Ty Howard out of the country and Bill Guthrie’s issues in the rain at Eagles Canyon, closely followed by a grenading BMW S1000RR at Hallett, let Kelsey run unchallenged. Many speculated that Howard’s return to the grid, as well as Guthrie’s shiny new motorcycle, could mean just one thing – chaos in the points standings. And chaos it was, but not exactly for the reasons one would expect. Howard would win the A Superbike and Raceworx A Superstock events on his brilliant orange KTM RC8. Kelsey

Derek Wagnon (111), never slow, cranked it up several notches at MSRC on his Suzuki GSX-R600, and everyone noticed.

dropping an unbelievable 1:14:059, over half a second quicker than Howard, to close within

two

seconds

of

victory. Howard managed to hold off the hard charging Wagnon and his official CMRA

track

record

of

1:13:899, set back in 2007, remains intact; however, it was truly amazing to watch a kid with 30(+) fewer horsepower close the gap and challenge the perennial champ for the lead. Darrell

Ricks

would hang on to win the Formula 1 event, which as it turned remained perfect for yet another weekend, winning the out, was a great prep for his AMA race at Barber, where he Lightweight Twins, Formula 2, D Superstock, and D finished 13th on a “hairball” tire setup two weeks later.

Superbike events. One racer remarked that Ricks is virtually

The real story of the weekend, however, was the unbeatable at the moment. Ricks presently leads the overall Derek Wagnon show. Twenty-year-old Wagnon is no Expert championship race, with 678 points. One of the more interesting races of the weekend stranger to winning races, but he did so in fine form at Cresson. Those watching from the sidelines noticed Wagnon had to be the Unlimited Motard/Clubman event. Ryan flying in practice, but didn’t really realize just how fast his Ambrose’s Triumph Bonneville 650 stole the show, as well GSX-R600

was

moving.

as the overall win. Looking at Ambrose’s ride, it’s hard to

Wagnon would win the South Central Racing Service C Superstock, Island Racing Services C Superbike, and B Superstock

races.

Not

satisfied with beating fast guys Carlos Lescale and Brandon Cleland, he set his sights on the impossible – tracking down Ty Howard in the Raceworx

A

Superstock

event. Starting from the back row, few gave him a chance, yet Wagnon proceeded to roll through the pack, ultimately

Provisional Novices, Joe Hopper (806), Kyle Johnson (686) and Chris Davis (505) do their best to look like a yellow freight train in B Superstock Novice. Joe Rodriguez (131) would eventually get by the trio.

imagine a more beautiful piece of racing history and the Ridesmart Motorcycle School C Superbike, and Road & Track exhaust note let everyone know that a true beast lurked Suspension Formula 1) events on his GSX-R600. For those a m o n g

who

s h e e p .

know, a 1:17

Hooligans

at Cresson is

R o b e r t

INSANELY

Bradlaw (Hon

fast and is

CRF450),

easily a top-

David Tipton

five

(KTM

time.

a

690),

Expert

d

Most

Randolph Del

impressive

Greco

(Apr

was the fact

SXV

5.5)

that Schultz

would finish

managed to

second, third,

keep

his

rocket

sled

and

n

don’t

forth

overall, a full five seconds

Ryan Andrews (481) used the awesome Pierobon F042 to dominate the Heavyweight Twins class once again.

on

one

or

more wheels

ahead of fifth

over

the

place, occasional racer Jesse Davis. Not to have his thunder course of the weekend. While many around him faltered stolen, Davis updated his Facebook status during the race to under pressure, Schultz kept his head in the game and read “slightly faster than a motard.”

finished strong. Silva, Rune Medhus, and Peyton Inge all ate

Fourteen-year-old Hayden Schultz stole the show in grass at one point or another during the weekend. While the Novice division. Prior to Cresson, those paying attention none were injured, all were forced to ride back-up bikes to to the winning Novice laps times noted that points front runner Jose Silva habitually runs a top eight Expert pace in his races. Schultz, however, has proven to be a match for Silva at tracks North of Houston. Cool under pressure, Schultz manages to come from behind to finish ahead of, well, everyone. Running a weekend-best

time

of

1:17.993, Schultz won four races out of four (Lone Star Track Days B Superstock, Moto Liberty C Superstock,

Craig Thomson (141) leads briefly from Hayden Shultz (259) in the B Superstock Novice race.

salvage what pride and/or points were still available in Shultz’s events. Silva would recover to win two races (A Superbike, B Superbike), but Cresson serves as a harsh reminder that crashing is an unfortunate part of racing. Speaking of crashing, it was not a good weekend to be riding a beautiful Ducati. Three riders went down in a big way in separate incidents; thankfully,

none

were

seriously injured, but it did cause several of the day’s red

Wyatt Sperry (898), Mike Canzoneri (335), Noah Reese (606) and Scott Vivion (384) go at it in the Lightweight Twins race.

flags. Jeff Martin and Rookie Expert Brad Feltes both went down in the Expert division. waking up in the grass with yet another cracked ankle. Speculation abounds the track condition, particularly the exit Unfazed, he would pop some Advil, tape the ankle, and in Ricochet, caused one of the accidents. Ricochet would complete the day’s races. claim at least one other bike over the weekend when

The CMRA now heads back to Hallett Motor Racing

non-crasher Ryan Max Johnson attempted to cross the Circuit, in Hallett, Oklahoma, July 8 – 10. The CMRA will host paving line, which measures two inches wide by three inches a full day of racer practice on Friday. Saturday’s schedule deep in places. Johnson doesn’t remember much, except for includes, Mini sprint races, a 4-Hour Big Bike endurance and a

3-Hour

Mini

endurance sponsored by Shogun Motorsports with a $1250 purse. The

race

weekend

concludes on Sunday with

a

complete

schedule of Big Bike sprint races. For more information about the CMRA,

including

detailed schedules and race

results,

visit:

www.cmraracing.com. Spectators

are

encouraged to bring Brian Carter (618) took the last spot on the podium in the Formula 40 Heavyweight Expert class.

popcorn and enjoy the show.

The ‘Racers Write’ column is intended for racers, or family members of racers, such that they can provide a first person perspective of their racing activities. The ‘Racers Write’ column is open to any racer who wants to submit a thoughtful, wellworded story about their race day activities. The Inside Line encourages racers to submit race day reports, and will, at its discretion, publish any story it deems worthy of print as long as content minimums (more than a few sentences, in story form, somewhat entertaining, etc.) and submission deadlines (not later than seven calendar days after the event) are met. I’ll even include photos of you if I have some, or you can submit your own, just be sure to credit the photographer. You can mention sponsors in your write up, but pure press release formats will not be accepted. You can submit your first-hand perspective at [email protected]. I can’t guarantee that you will get published in The Inside Line if you do submit an article, but I can guarantee that you won’t get published if you don’t submit an article. - Ed.

year. As usual, Jay did not disappoint and had great results in the mini classes. With no mini practice on Friday, Jay was looking for a way to get some seat time prior to the Saturday sprints. Again, his Yamaha TZ125 was down, and with no practice session for Jay to ride the NSF in, his parents rented a Ninja 250 for a half day practice. Only running the track once prior in the counter clockwise direction, young Newton needed to turn some laps, and he did so quite well on the Ninja. Being able to handle the larger, heavier Ninja gave Jay the confidence he needed on his NSF for Saturday. A beautiful, yet hot summer day came about Saturday morning, and Jay mounted his modified NSF100 for warm-up

Racers Write

practice. The rental the day before appeared to be working to his advantage, as he was blistering the track throughout the session. The call to grid for the first race of the day came about. The F4/F6 classes were to be a wave start with Jay being in the second wave. As the F4 wave departs, a bike on the F6 wave jumps the start and wave two has to wait for him to

By James Newton, Photos by Linz Leard

reposition. By this time the F4 bikes are well through turn one and half way through the next straight, but the green flag flies

After a disappointing weekend of racing at the last for Jay’s wave, and he bolted from the line. He used his great round of the 2011 CMRA season held at Hallett Motor start to burn through turn one, and almost immediately he was Racing Circuit, Jay

Newton

was

even

m

o

r

e

determined to take the top spot on the box

again.

Motorsport Ranch

in

Cresson, Texas, played host CMRA

to

the and

their 5th round of

racing

action for the Jay Newton (314) put his head down and charged to the front of his classes at MSR on his Honda NSF100.

gapping the field. He ran a flawless race and rode well into to press hard all the way to the finish. He again took the the F4 class again, despite the wave start. As he took the checkered flag over Roger Albert by almost a 28 second checkered flag, he was 28 seconds ahead of closest margin, and again set another class track record by running competitor, Roger Albert, and also set a class track record a 1:34.740 on the 1.7 mile course. for that direction with a 1:37.424.

Jay ended the weekend back on top in the F6 and

With a brief break for the Jr. Motard race to run, the F5 classes, and has padded his lead in the championship NSF went back on the tire warmers to wait for the F5/F7 call points in both classes. Through five rounds of racing he has to grid. Jay knew he would have a battle on his hands in the been just short of perfect in the mini classes, but you can bet F5 class with Ryan Warren on his RS65, and he prepared he will not rest until the championships are his. As he looks himself mentally for the next race. Unfortunately, Jay pulled forward to Hallett 2, he hopes to be back on the TZ125 for a big wheelie off the line and was well behind after turn one. the Sunday program, and he can’t wait to be back at his This kid simply does not quit though. In the straight after turn favorite track on the NSF. Jay sends a huge thanks to all the one on the second lap, Jay caught Warren and made a nice sponsors that give him so much support: ALCO Automotive, draft pass before the entrance into the “Rattle Snake”, and Apex Manufacturing, Arai Helmets, Bridgestone Tires, was able to make it stick. While Jay had more pull out of the Hercules Sealing Products, Impact Armor, Jay's Trackside turns and slightly better top end speed, Ryan was great on Gear, OnRoad OffRoad Suspension, South Central Race the brakes. Ryan would try to make a pass on the outside Center, The Holeshot, WRW Racing, Motul, VP Race Fuel, going into the “Wagon Wheel” on the last lap, but could not P1 Racing, Yamaha, Next Moto Champion, GoPro Cameras, get the grip he needed and tucked the front, ending his race. Safer Moto Vest and Colin Edwards’ Texas Tornado Boot Newton, not knowing that Warren had gone down, continued Camp. Jay Newton (314) padded his points lead with strong performances in his Mini sprint races.

Who’s Under The Helmet?

IL: You go by DJ. Tell us what DJ stands for. DR: Darrell Junior.

IL: How did you come to get involved in roadracing? DR: I have been around motorcycles all my life. My father was a great drag racer, and I have been going to the drag strip with him as far back as I can remember. I started watching road

Story and photos by Linz Leard racing on TV since I was in high school and I was instantly hooked but there was no place around here where I could go In this issue of The Inside Line, we talk to a proven CMRA racer who is the resident threat in the Lightweight Expert classes. If you want to win races on your Suzuki SV650, you’re going to need to go through Darrell “DJ” Ricks to do it, and it won’t be easy. On the track Ricks is a fierce and intense competitor, but off the track he’s an approachable and affable guy who is often cracking a joke or lending a hand to a fellow racer. Ricks sort of personifies the “everyman” racer, the racer on a budget that puts in extra

to watch, much less find out how to get involved. One day in 2003 a guy came to the shop with a road race bike that needed work. After we did the job and the motor was done, he pointed me in the direction of the track. I took two beat-up and run-down 1996 Kawasaki ZX-6Rs and made one pitiful looking road race bike. I completed the basics to get my license the weekend before a CCS race at No Problem Raceway in Belle Rose, Louisiana. I entered the races the next weekend. I practiced on Friday and crashed, breaking my collar bone and

hours so he can do what he loves to do. In many ways Ricks is a throwback to an earlier era in racing, one where the rider built, maintained, repaired and then rebuilt much of his own race equipment; if it can be repaired or rebuilt rather than replaced, it usually will be. If you hang around Ricks for any length of time, you’ll easily see that he is not only committed to having fun and being as competitive as he can be, but is also deeply passionate about the sport, too, and is unafraid to share his opinion on matters that he feels strongly about. In that respect he’s not unlike many other racers with the drive and determination to climb to the top of the classes they competes in. The Inside Line was curious about what made Darrell Ricks, a native of southern Louisiana (who, curiously, doesn’t care for most seafood, by the way), tick, so we asked Ricks a handful of questions in an effort to get to know Who’s Under the Helmet? Inside Line: What do you do in real life, and where do you do it? Darrell Ricks: I work in New Orleans. I do sign work. We do everything from installing signs on hotel buildings 45 or more stories in the air, to simply installing neon lights around a restaurant. I also help at my parents’ motorcycle shop, Cycle Dynamics in Kenner, Louisiana, where I’ve worked for the past 10 years.

Darrell Ricks and a helper at work on a sign atop the Falstaff Apartments high above the New Orleans cityscape. Photo: Darrell Ricks collection.

cracking my hip from an awesome high-side. My cousin and DR: My goals are to continue bettering myself and helping I loaded the bike up, went home and patched the bike up. I younger riders get on the right path and have a better shot came back on Saturday to qualify (qualified 10th) and raced at their dreams than I did. My initial goal before I ever started road racing was to race in the AMA. I have run a race in the on Sunday where I finished 9th. I went to the hospital on AMA, so in a way I have reached a milestone I have set for Monday, where my injuries were confirmed, and attitudes myself. I believe I will do another one, maybe more, but it will were given by medical staff for not seeking immediate take more planning and budgeting. medical attention (which wouldn’t have mattered anyway). After that action packed weekend, I was hooked! Ricks (3), here shown in action at Hallett in May, is almost unbeatable on a Suzuki SV650 in the CMRA this season.

IL: What was your first motorcycle? Is that your favorite motorcycle? If not, what is? DR: My first bike was a brand new 1978 Suzuki JR50. I still have the bike and it still runs. (laughs) How it has survived me and my brother I have no idea!

IL: Around the CMRA, you’re known to be downright lethal on a Suzuki SV650. What about the bigger displacement bikes? Any plans to go race those bikes and classes? DR: (laughs) Thanks. I love racing anything. Since I am like most other racers I am on a budget. The SVs are the most inexpensive and a competitive way to go. I would like to ride a bigger bike. I have plans to move on to something different possibly next season, but it’s still unclear exactly what that will be.

IL: When you watch MotoGP, and I assume you do, who are you rooting for? DR: I’ve followed Rossi since his 125cc days. I remember watching him losing the front and rear on his 125 and he stayed on the bike, pushed off the ground with his knee,

IL: Who in roadracing do you love to race with - and against - the most and why? DR: I love racing with my endurance teammates. Olay, Frank, and Ronnie are just a great group of guys. In the sprints I

regained traction and continued on without missing a beat. I was in high school at the time and I was blown away. I always cheer for Rossi, but it would be easier to list the guys I want to see lose - Stoner and Pedrosa.

learned a lot and had a very memorable time racing against Dustin Dominguez. Our races have been close but most of all, they have all been clean. There is nothing better than extremely close corners with someone you trust and know isn’t riding out of control. I have a lot of respect for him.

IL: Okay, pick one: A full day of riding on Nicky Hayden’s Ducati GP11 at the Estoril Circuit in Portugal, or a whole weekend pedaling around some brutal Texas back roads with Ben Spies. If you go to Aragon, you’ll be treated like a king, unless you crash the bike, in which case you will be promptly

IL: Standard question alert! Everyone has goals and aspirations in roadracing. Some get into this sport and want to be world champions, others want to be seriously competitive at the club level, and still others just want to have fun. What are your goals in this sport?

driven to the airport and sent home; if you go riding with Ben, you’ll get a pretty hefty workout, a nice sunburn, and probably get at least a couple of flat tires. At the end of the day, though, you can sit around and bench race and Ben will give you some nuggets of advice. Both of these are pretty cool opportunities, but which one do you choose and why?

DR: I would never pass up the opportunity to ride a GP

Ricks makes some adjustments to his bike at MSR in June.

bike. If you choose to ride a bicycle with Ben instead of riding a MotoGP bike, you have got to be a chick or a… So where’s my ticket?

IL: Of the CMRA tracks, which one is your favorite and why? DR: It would be easier to list the one I like the least and that would be ECR. The track is just completely unpredictable. I like TWS as well as Hallett. I like elevation changes and fast corner speeds.

IL: Unfortunately, we all know that money is an object, but

to be motorcycle related, but extra points will be awarded to you

let’s pretend that it’s not for a minute. Which bike or bikes

if it is.

would you race in the CMRA series if you could afford

DR: Laguna Seca. I would like to race there with the AMA during

anything, and why?

the MotoGP round.

DR: I really haven’t thought about that. Maybe a new R1, Ducati 848, or the new Triumph 675? I don’t know. Maybe

IL: Do you have any hidden talents beyond racing motorcycles

all three? (laughs)

that the rest of us would be surprised to learn of? DR: I believe I have a knack for fixing things. I picked up on

IL: If you could spend a day with anyone of your choosing,

welding pretty quickly. I love being able to fix things and make

living or dead, who would it be and why? What would you

them better.

do in that day? DR: I would like to spend the day with Jesus. I imagine I

IL: Okay, random question alert! If you suddenly had to be a

would have tons of questions to ask. I’m sure he will have

hunter/gatherer, do you think you would be successful at it, or

a lot to talk to me about as well. I try to live my life right

do you think you would starve?

and probably may not come across as a religious person,

DR: I’m from Louisiana, have you seen a menu at these

but I do pray and read scriptures regularly.

restaurants? We can live on anything. (laughs)

IL: Name a place on Earth that you haven’t been to but is

IL: Last question, Darrell, I promise. You were, no doubt, given

first on your list of dream vacation spots. It doesn’t have

a lot of advice when you first got into roadracing. What piece of advice would you offer a new guy just starting out in club racing? DR: Stay humble! Don’t fall into that cocky “I’m better than you” role. I lose respect for people whether they have a championship or not if they act like they are better than you because of the bike or class you choose to ride in. As far as I’m concerned a true champion is defined off the track as well as on it. So again my advice for a new rider would be to always stay humble and people will always be around to lend a hand. Sponsors also take notice to what personality you

Ricks (8), on the Team Kamikaze Lone Star endurance bike at MSR in June.

have and what others think of you.

Through The Linz Photos: By NineSevenImages/Linz Leard

Photos: foto41.com/Barry Nichols