Industry Speedway September 2

Another hot day and the usual car fire on the freeway going to the track plus the terrible fires in the local mountains. Then on the way back home the two on-ramps to the 60 freeway were closed and later down the road in Irvine 5 lanes were closed on the 5 freeway.

Monday afternoon was spent replacing the ignition and coil after it quit last Friday at IMS. The bike and been started in Cody's parking lot and in front of the house but this was the first time out with the new setup. The difference in response was quite remarkable but in the first race turn two was slicker than an ice skating rink.

The program had me starting back on the ten yard line but then West our starter placed two of us up on the tapes I got the gate then the red flag came out as those behind me hit the slick crap. That is the only gate I got all night as my brain or my clutch were in slow motion.

Through out the night there were Harley races and a parade plus the appearance of Jet Black to play the National Anthem .

During the night Mr. Microphone Flanders always issues the warning that speedway is a dangerous motor sport and to stay away from the crash wall. Last night an additional warning to stay away from Jet Black's speakers may have been in order.














At the rider's meeting before the races start there was a discussion about backing away from the tapes at the starts and penalizing those that do. Apparently Costa Mesa had become a count to two and drop the clutch roller derby and this behavior is frowned upon here.










































Sidecars have two functions: They drive the fans crazy and they are very effective at removing slime from the track surface and they were called in for an early practice session to dry out the track surface.

For some school is back in session and next week will be the last of the summer series at Industry. IMS is dark this Friday for the Labor Day Holiday but Victorville is running this Saturday night.

Legends Night at Industry

Well it was hot Wednesday night at Industry as the temperature was close to a hundred, maybe 98, when I pulled into the pits and a couple of fires were burning in the nearby mountains.

Last week I shared Gene Stone pop-tent but this week he retreated to under the cover of the roof where there was a lot more shade but he let me use the tent again. Then Steve Murray rolled in with his wife for the Legends Night so I had company.

The track surface is always open before the races for inspection by the riders and the track was dry when I first looked at it. At speedway there are not any practice before the races so a walk around is it. Then the decision was made to water which makes the first who ride a slip and slide event. At Industry the second and third divisions ride first before the National Anthem and this blows of the top layer of wet dirt and usually place several riders on the deck.

My first ride was in Race 5A and the track was a lot drier by then . My grandson was track side and he had never seen me ride Speedway so I won my first race for him. His mother started going to Costa Mesa at an early age when you used to be able to haul your own cooler into the grandstands and wanted to see Sonny Nutter again. I am not sure if that dates her more than myself but since I lie about her age it is okay. She had never seen sidecars before and I offered to get her one but it would not fit in her little VW.

I can't get my son to go to speedway anymore though he does help me load and unload my bike but that is only because my right arm is still mending and I can't lift it or the bike. So maybe I can get the grandson on a bike or maybe his mother on one too, she is no stranger to riding a motorcycle but that is another story.

Billy Gray was there to ride on a two valve and had a match race with Steve Murray. Steve rode a laydown but he has a garage full of older twin cam uprights. My first Jawa was a $900.00 twin cam I got a Cody's and I met Steve at Arrowhead where he was riding one also. There is a restored twin cam sitting on the floor at Cody's that Bobby Cody refurbished that is really sweet.

In my second race they put be on the ten yard line but there was a gap in the middle. The starter didn't know I was supposed to be handicapped back and motioned to be to move forward so I did. That didn't work very long a two riders protested my present on the starting line so I moved back to the eight yard line.

My mistake in the second race was trying to pass Stone on the outside and he finished second and my third moved me into the consi. Sometimes, but not always, the consi become a last chance so I won my remaining race but didn't get to ride the main as I was told it was "only" a consi. This is what I commonly refer to as the "Buck Blair got screwed again" paradigm and in the future you maybe able to purchase a "Buck Got Screwed Again" shirt if we can come up with appropriate graphics.

Speaking of graphics: Check out my Index Ink hat and shirt, I stole the cup.