Starting Line at Virgini International Raceway

[davidd]

Starting Line at Virginia International Raceway

I have always liked this shot so I thought I would post it. It is the Class C starting grid at VIR in Danville, Virginia. Tom Kerr in the foreground on his Black Flash. This bike was once owned by Chris Lipscomb and was raced by Tom, but it was then called the "Flomet". The Flash Racer, and then the very fast Alex Mclean on the Stu Rogers Norton. Alex won the race, but I beat him into the first turn.

David

 

[BigEd]

Dear David,
A great photograph.
Mention of Stu Rogers takes me back to the years when my brother John was vintage racing my '26 Sunbeam here in the UK. Stuart was a good rider and his cammy Norton singles were always very quick. Happy days. I bump into Stuart occasionally at shows etc. I think he still does a bit of work on Nortons for people.

"I have always liked this shot so I thought I would post it. It is the Class C starting grid at VIR in Danville, Virginia. Tom Kerr in the foreground on his Black Flash. This bike was once owned by Chris Lipscomb and was raced by Tom, but it was then called the "Flomet". The Flash Racer, and then the very fast Alex Mclean on the Stu Rogers Norton. Alex won the race, but I beat him into the first turn."

 

[davidd]

Eddy,

Stu was the designated rider when the bike was first campaigned over here. I think it became too much of a burden flying back and forth. After a while and Alex stepped in to replace him. There was an article aboult the bike in Classic Racer last year. I believe the bike has been clocked at Daytona at 115. The best my racer did was 105.

David

 

[Big Sid]

I met Stu several years ago when he rode the twin engine liner for Max Lambky . Didn't do too well in this very difficult machine , didn't please Max . Soon left . But no one really had much luck with it as it was constantly under development mechanically allowing for very limited riding time to learn the beasts characteristics . Hartmut has handled those chores recently , very sharp guy .
Stu was a nice fellow , seemed friendly and knowledgeable to me . Sid .

 

[Paul Ennis]

What, no bump starts!!!

 

[davidd]

What, no bump starts!!!

Paul,

We do have what you refer to as "bump starts" for the CB160 class, but I recently learned by overhearing someone explaining to his girlfriend that the proper terminology is that it is called a "Lamaze start" because you have to "push." And all these years I thought it was a "Lemans start".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xct3-XL-UKg

David

 

[vibrac]

A great loss to Vintage racing
When Ben started racing his C15 (He first rode on tarmac at cadwell not on the road) bump starting was the only thing he could practice at home he nearly wore out the drive.
and he got good http://www.oldracer.co.uk/video-gallery.html#prettyPhoto[group1]/0/

20 odd years earlier thats what I did on a back road (people did not mind in those days)

Nothing could beat the theater of silent engines the shuffel of feet the first crackle of life and the roar of the pack
Mind you at the up hill grid at snetterton I needed 14 steps to fire up the Vincent

 

[clevtrev]

I met Stu several years ago when he rode the twin engine liner for Max Lambky . Didn't do too well in this very difficult machine , didn't please Max . Soon left . But no one really had much luck with it as it was constantly under development mechanically allowing for very limited riding time to learn the beasts characteristics . Hartmut has handled those chores recently , very sharp guy .
Stu was a nice fellow , seemed friendly and knowledgeable to me . Sid .

Max replies :-
Sid has more tails then a tuxedo factory. It's astonishing how detailed his assertions of events are, without any first hand knowledge of the events whatsoever..

There's never been a mechanical problem that had anything to do with the handling characteristics of the Black Lightning streamliner. Everyone who has ridden the streamliner with prior experience in streamliner piloting praised it's handling and made statements that they had never ridden one that handled any better. This came from Don Vesco. When the liner was leased to the Vibrac team, Robert Watson wrote an article in MPH quoting Dave Campos praising the liner's handling and the pit crew's attention to detail.

Nothing mechanical caused Stu Rogers to crash the streamliner one mile after the zero, and the lifting the skids. The crash was due to rider error. This was the one and only time Stu ever rode the Vincent streamliner, and it was for a duration of 10 seconds or less. So for Sid to imply that my riders' have been unable over the years to master the art of piloting Black Lightning due to few runs being made is hog wash. Both of the current riders have had more than ample time in the saddle to become quite proficient in the art of piloting a streamliner.

Sid's comment that "no one had much luck with it" is disputable, as the Vincent streamliner known as Black Lightning holds an AMA record and an SCTA record. It is also the second fastest Vincent. Only two Vincents have ever exceeded 200 mph, and Black Lighting is one of them.

To use the past tense word "was" in the context of Black Lightning might be a bit premature, as she will be returning to Bonneville in 2013, God willing.

Max

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[Big Sid]

My how I get jumped on . I'll admit I didn't word the remarks clearly . I meant by the word " mechanically " not to criticize the liners handling or say that it was not anything but a superb device , but that the power unit was being constantly improved to furnish the sought after reliability . The power being pulled out of those motors kept finding weak spots , these needing attention to acheve the desired dependability . No effort was spared year after year in preparation , Max did heroic work in his efforts , no doubt about that , no one ever worked harder at this immense challenge than he did .
To earn a Record the device must repeat the performance within a brief time period , this is often increadably difficult under the pressure , especially with such a complex machine .
I have nothing but the greatest respect for his efforts and what he acheved . The liner is a near miracle in its conception and quality , especially the vehicle itself , a thing of great beauty and brilliance . Sid .

 

[Big Sid]

I'll never forget the first trip to Bonneville with Matthew , just to observe , get the lay of the land so to speak . The liner was running brilliantly , fast as a bullet and sounding marvelous . And looking like a sleek bird in flight . Such admiration I felt for the feat we were watching . I can't fully describe it , the joy it created in my soul . And that my friend for several years , at that time , had created this marvel . Was just too much . For some reason I've never understood we had a falling out . Nothing I ever did to cause it far as I know . But there it was.
Life had to go on , and did . Sid .