Classic Dirt Track Images.

[JAP 454]

OK , OK it has been a bit quiet here lately , I've been busy, workin on a DR 200 SE , tracking deer with me camera, skinnin goats, carting wood, fencing an all kinds of groovy stuff, so here's a photo I really like, from Briggo's book.



German rider , Manfred Poschenreider, under the paint on a longtrack , JAP mounted , I think.
Foss

[Slider29]

Slides, in regard to THAT corner at Seymour, in post #752 the crest is at the far right and then it drops into the BIG left hander and thats after a pretty long main straight. It was a spectacular sight when the big guns came over the rise flat knacker and threw it sideways. Note the yellow HK Holden panel van in the background, same pic.Its my brothers and he still has it!!!

[Slider29]

Great shot that Foss. Looks like me just before i fell off

[JAP 454]

Yeah, Mark it's a good shot alright , he is on a JAP, I found another shot of him, not quite as good , but from the other side.
I think it looks like me , just before I woke up !!!.
Pete and Colleen will be home , end of this week.
Foss

[Curly3]

You're one of the true believers Foss.
I'm sure we've all had dreams of looking like that.

[Rosco86]

For a few years there at seymour, the Hartwell club mucked about with the start gate. Went from the bottom of the pit chute, half way up and then the full way. Had an interesting day with Russel Bergmeir one day. He had bought a littleTA125 yamaha roadracer and slotted the motor into a hagon frame. I  had just rebuilt a maico 250 hagon that I got Keith Stacker to build. He had only used some alloy engine mounts at the front and rear and the motor actually swung in the frame. If you know maicos well you will know the importance of the pinch bolt under the cases. Anyway dad and I hand filled a durellium cradle for it. (Dad was working at an aviation company. That was also a mistake as they were too rigid and didn't flex.) Russ and i shot out of the start gate in practice and headed down into the first 90 degree right hander. He went to slam on the brakes and realised he didn't have anyand shot straight off the corner. Me having a chuckle then hit the brake. First time I had used the mechanical  disc brake on the rear sprocket. Hit it at the same spot I would normally on my mx bike. wellwe all know how ineffective Maico brakes were, but the disc was evenworse. Followed Russ off into the weeds, diggin the toe into the dirt as you used to do as a 10 year old on a bicycle with no brakes. Have some shots of the maico, ( not a success at all. Sold it and got a Cole Elstar fom Donny stafford. Sold it cos it also never seemed quick enough. Wish I kept it now.) Will get the son to show me how to post pictures.
Great track Seymour, but it was important to wash the bike down as soon as pssible as that granite would set like concrete in the old mud catcher rims!
Rosco 86

[firko]

Chris Kelly was a bloody GUN on the Astro. If i remember correctly he had the 250 and a 360. I wanted one! Going by the green front plate he is on the 250. They were very quick bikes. I'm surprised they weren't a lot more popular in Oz. Chris was/is a top bloke as well and like me, his Dad was his pit crew. He won the 250 title that day at Seymour. Gary Flood won the 125 on a hagon/bultaco.   

I remember racing at some title meeting or other at Nepean back in the mid 70's on my 250 Maico which had some serious porting, a fat Wheelsmith pipe and was on methanol...a bloody quick bike, far too quick for my mid pack C grade ability level. In practice I was cruising around at what I thought was championship winning speed when out of nowhere this red and white blur screamed past me on full lock sideways 20 metres before the speedway bend and through the corner before I had even entered it. As I found out later it was Chris Kelly whom I'd previously never heard of. He went on to win everything on the program on both 250 and 360 Astros, riding them like they were designed to be ridden...flat out and sideways. Shit that kid could ride. Most people who bought Astros tended to ride 'em like chookies when in fact they ned to be ridden like sliders. Chris Kelly had that worked out for sure

[jimg1au]

OLLIE NO 99 he rides the same on the pre75 250 astro

[firko]

OLLIE NO 99 he rides the same on the pre75 250 astro

Absolutely Jim . Ollie has the flat track type riding style by the balls. Old farts like you and me might be in a bit of strife if we attempt to ride our trackers like that Jim .

[Slider29]

 Thats more like it fellas. A bit of feed back and re-live the moment (all those years ago) The old stories are great . Thanks, regards Mark

[jimg1au]

 those are current classic dirt track riders 99 ollie and no 6 our grassy

[Rosco86]

Something different-Cole Elstar, Bendigo Showgrounds 1975/76



Rosco86

[Slider29]

Hey Rosco, Good story about missing the sharp right hander at Seymour. Similar thing happened to me!! It was my first race on my Hagon JAP and the start line was back up near the pits, about 150m from the r/h corner. This race meeting was being shown on the T.V. believe it or not!! Can't remember which station. Anyway i line up beside Andrew Horne who was a top rider and the only thing in my mind was get to the corner 1st.He was on a yz 400 i think. Tape goes and we're off down the hill at full throttle side by side and i was not going to back off until A.H. I'm thinking shit this 500 is grouse and i'm in the lead, hit the skids hard to put it into the corner and NOTHING!! Straight ahead at full steam tankslapping and bouncing across the infield. By the time i had things under control i realised a couple of others had followed me
  And yes i got given heaps by everyone that i knew who had seen it on T.V.   Mark

[firko]

Nepean Vintage Dirt track, 250 class first corner, circa 1990/91
L-R #37 ??-Honda, #5 Chris Ellis Maico, #114 Brian Martin-Bultaco, #31 Edgar Phipps-Honda, #12 Pete (Yamaico) Rowland-Maico, ?? XL slider.

[firko]

318-Mick Cady-Maico, Who is #76?