It all started with an e-mail from my buddy Keith at Sunnymead Cycles that T-Rod and his speedway sidehack crew will be at the Westminster HD for their open house. At the event, we heard there would be other teams at that weeks’ Starting Gate Bike Night.
Billy, Potter and I met Kevin Brown and his team, and Shawn Driggers’ team. Kevin told us about a rig for sale if we were interested in racing. We were amazed that the rig was going for $3500 and was ready to race. Shawn invited us to come out to the track in Victorville and he would bring the rig if we wanted to run it around the track.
Well, we had to go.
And go we did, we rolled up the Cajon Pass into Victorville and met up with Shawn and he introduced me to Joe Jones (3-time champion). Joe, like Driggers have a two-rig team. Joes teammate “Quickie” is a paraplegic and that interested me and Billy. Billy would like to race these hacks and seeing Quickie’s ride and how it was equipped he saw that it could be done. Shawn’s wife rides as monkey or swinger. Shawn’s teammate is his uncle Scott.
Joe offered me to be a monkey for his rig later in the evening so I grabbed at the chance and went to work with Shawn and Joe giving me directions on what I was to do. Drawing an oval in the sand they pointed out that when they hit turn one they cut the gas and I am to put my ass in the dirt and bring my body as far forward as possible. This takes weight off the rear wheel allowing it to drift in the turn and the forward weight plants the front wheel to steer. Coming out of turn two, I am to move my body back and on the rig to put the weight on the rear for max traction. Hitting turn three at about 90mph I gently roll my body forward, plant my ass on the ground and do it all over again. Four laps, fast as lightning, you really don’t have time to think.
Before you knew it the sun set and the lights came on and it was time to race. Final prep by Joe where he asked me to ring a bell on his handlebars, rub a blue sticker then a red sticker on his hack body. A good luck ritual?
We rolled around the track as Joe told me what he wanted me to do and when. Time came, he gave it gas, I got down on my right leg resting on a running board on the right side of the rig. My left leg is to stay up on the rear fender.
My legs are too damn long. It was tough getting down there as the rig was gaining speed. We went around the track one lap and my left leg fell from the fender and was dangling close to the spinning rear wheel. I tapped on Joe’s leg to stop. I got back up and we proceeded again. This time I was down on the running board, my left leg in position and I choked up on the grab bar with my right hand. We headed for turn one and I planted my ass on the ground and kept it there. As we exited turn two I moved back a bit and then I see the front wheel go up as we speed up to turn three!
The wall on turn three came up quick, I heard the engine cut and moved forward. The rig slides sideways through the turn and exiting I hear the engine rev and move back for traction, then speeding down the front straight I see that wall again coming quick! I’m sure I yelled some obscenities in the full-face helmet uncle Scott loaned me. Either that or I was screaming like a little girl. None-the-matter, you couldn’t hear me with that 1000cc motor blasting into the turn. Move up and we drift into turn two and out again.
We went around a couple more laps and damn it all happened so fast I don’t know what I was doing. Joe is an excellent driver and he told me if you get to a point where you can’t move or don’t remember what to do, just keep your ass in the dirt and I will steer it. If I made a wrong move as we approach a turn we could end up in the wall. So I kept my ass in the dirt.
As we rolled toward a stop I remembered what Scott’s monkey told me. “You probably won’t have the energy to get yourself back up on the rig so just roll off on the ground.”
I saw Joe motioning me to get up and I looked at him, waved my hand with a no gesture and rolled off. We were still moving a bit faster than I thought and I rolled on my back and over my head in a backwards somersault. Jumped on my feet on the infield and pointed to Billy and Potter in the stands. HELL YEAH! What a ride!
Catching my breath I met up with Shawn who was watching from the infield. He told me I did good. I dunno about that. For most of the run I was just holding on trying to remember what I was told. I was having a hard time knowing what part of the track we were on. And seeing the front wheel come up about 2 inches off the dirt and the turn wall fast approaching it was a rush!
So here’s the gist. If you are a racer and want to find a sport that is fast-paced, exhilarating and all out good family fun, then Speedway Sidehack is just for you. And they need you. The teams are like family both literally and figuratively. During practice, I’ve witnessed other teams coming over to give pointers on doing better both in position of the monkey to speed equipment, but when it comes to raceday, there are no friends. Theses guys and gals are full of passion and most do this out of their own pockets. Looking for sponsors has been tough this past couple of years and if there is anybody out there who would like to put there name on a sport that is thrilling and family friendly, I would invite you to call on Shawn Driggers, Joe Jones or Kevin Brown. Good people and great ambassadors of the sport.
The season opener is on Saturday May 7th at the Orange County Fairgrounds. For a complete schedule visit www.CostaMesaSpeedway.net or visit Driggers Racing on Facebook.