*NSFW* Loudon Pics from the '80s

[knarlydog]

Great stuff, love the pic of Johnny B (Real one) on the grid. He was my first Penguin advanced school instructor (was it 86 or 87... age and overexposure to contact cleaner makes the memory foggy these days...). To this day I still use some of the techniques and ideas he taught me that weekend.

Here's a couple of mine, I've actually got piles of stuff from the old course and the conversion to the new. Just gotta scan them..... While I do miss the old Bryer and the great memories, I like having a real bathrooms and electrical power for all I remember the mad scrambles in September/Oct to get there early Friday to and a power outlet for a space heater in the van.

The pic of the Yosh team is James and Russel as Johnny B says, probably 1989. Lynch rode the Yosh 750SS bike at the "new' loudon (NHIS) in 1990, I know cause it was one of my best races there ever and I beat him in the AMA 750SS main. I was dogging him in practice all weekend and was determined to stay with him all race no matter what.

I'll scan some more....

Here's Bubba Shobert, sporting the AMA Grand National #1 BTW, exiting pit out onto the front straight...

[knarlydog]

John Kocinski, running AMA 250GP for KR's Nordica Team, on the hot pit lane talking with a young Jim Allen. I think this is 1988. In the background you can see the exit of notorious turn 8, funny how doesn't look so difficult in this photo and further back you see the entrance to turn 4 which brought you up the hill (the opposite way its run now BTW).

[butcher bergs]

This is fricken awesome!

[knarlydog]

In the old paddock, 1988, BOTT madman and multi time vintage national champion Sir Lawrence Somma (shirtless) chatting up my then gf. Note the guy in yellow on the left, he is the exiled Arie to the Countship of Hungry, Petr Szycheney (definitely winging the spelling on the last name....). Remember its 1988 and the Iron Curtain is still a very real thing...

[knarlydog]

OK, its an awesome day and I should be out riding not here, will post more later....

[Pittenger5]

This is fricken awesome!

Does anyone have a track map of Bryer? I searched google, and saw a bunch that looked like they were not local. Not sure if thats the same one or not.

[zombie]

wow great pics
I was there thru the 90's and up until Mladin started his bullshit , 2 yrs of waiting around on sunday and then being told late afternoon that the superbike race was cancelled.
Epic times camping at Animal hill and all the debauchery that went with it.
Saw some epic races with scott russell and Kocinski and Duhamel and so-on.
What a shame as the atmosphere back in the day with the big crowds was awesome and the 600 racing was some of the best races for excitement.

[KawiSmurf]

Does anyone have a track map of Bryer? I searched google, and saw a bunch that looked like they were not local. Not sure if thats the same one or not.

This is the best one I've found (not very clear, but you might be able to get an idea of the layout):



Also check out this website for more pics from Bryar back in the day: Bryar Motorsports Park Gallery

[13]

I love this thread.

[Johnny B]

The pic of the Yosh team is James and Russel as Johnny B says, probably 1989.

Any pictures in the paddock with huge piles of dirt are from 1989!

Here's Bubba Shobert, sporting the AMA Grand National #1 BTW, exiting pit out onto the front straight...

1988. That was the year we showed up with Gary Stas and handed Kevin Erion his first defeat in the BOTT Modified Production class. We were a late entry, so Gary was gridded 45th. He was up to 6th place at the end of the first lap. He eventually reeled Erion in. After dicing for a while, Kevin looked back to see where Gary was while coming into Turn 6. He missed his braking point and tossed it away, giving Gary an easy win.
Here's a picture of me with the winning bike, taken at a Robinson's Cycle Craft track day two months before the national. RCC would later become Bay Area Cycles. (I think that was the actual livery at the 1988 national) That's where I first met Chuck Giacchetto, who worked for us that year. We went belly up at the end of 1989, and Tom Fournier took over the Ducati franchise for the area.

[Johnny B]

Labor Day Endurance Race, 1987.



#65 is Gordon Barrett, Andy's brother, #77 is John Grush, #50 is Gary Stas. These three were this tight for the first hour, fighting for the lead. When Gary's slower teammate took over the riding duties, we went backwards. But people were very impressed with what a Ducati could do in the right hands!

[teemstah]

Wow, this is bringing back foggy memories! I have a bunch of spectator shots from '83 to '89 I'll have to scan. Those were some of my most memorable hazy daze..........................

[knarlydog]

Any pictures in the paddock with huge piles of dirt are from 1989!

Here's a picture of me with the winning bike, taken at a Robinson's Cycle Craft track day two months before the national. RCC would later become Bay Area Cycles. (I think that was the actual livery at the 1988 national) That's where I first met Chuck Giacchetto, who worked for us that year. We went belly up at the end of 1989, and Tom Fournier took over the Ducati franchise for the area.

I remember that bike well. Here's a nice shot of the Bay Area Cycles Ducati on the Pre-Grid next to your's truly (#243). I'm pretty sure this is from 1988, might be the "warm-up" weekend or Thurs practice before the Classic...

[knarlydog]

I scanned a few more, thought you all might like these, Turn 6 going the other way.... Piles of dirt, probably 1989....

[knarlydog]

Can't tell if this is the exit of Turn 2 or the entrance to Turn 4... I'm thinking its Turn 2, but that tire wall reminds me of Turn 4....

[knarlydog]

1990 Loudon Classic, first year for NHIS.... Sadowski on the V&H Yamaha, I think that's Quarterly behind him, it looks like his riding style, but the helmet doesn't ring a bell, he always had the blue flame thing going I thought....

Johnny B - Any thoughts ? What about #59, any recollection ?

Gotta love the color choices that were hot at the end of the 80's....

[Johnny B]

1990 Loudon Classic, first year for NHIS.... Sadowski on the V&H Yamaha, I think that's Quarterly behind him, it looks like his riding style, but the helmet doesn't ring a bell, he always had the blue flame thing going I thought....

Johnny B - Any thoughts ? What about #59, any recollection ?

Gotta love the color choices that were hot at the end of the 80's....

Yes, that's Dale behind Ski. He's riding a Honda sponsored by "The Boys". (One of which was rumored to be Dick Bettencourt.) At about that time, he had a verbal agreement with Rob Muzzy to run some Supersport Kawasakis, but he decided to run the Honda in Superbike instead. There was no Honda factory team at the time and Dale wanted to be in a position to be picked up by Honda. Muzzy never forgave him for breeching his agreement. #59 should be Donald Jacks. He was the only one I ever saw pick up on Dale's early square off style in the turns.
At the 1988 national warmup, our Ducati still had the tri-color paint job like you see in the picture with me. We first ran against Kevin Erion in the Middleweight GP race. Chris D'Alusio won it with Gary and Kevin finishing 2-3. That's when we got the idea that we might actually win the natioinal. I'm not sure if we made it up on time for practice, it was all very last minute. We had to borrow another frame so that Gary and team owner Mark Robinson could ride the same bike that weekend. Swapping frames would technically make it another bike. Gary is still wearing the RCC logo on his leathers. Bay Area Cycles came about when South Shore Kawasaki's Brian Miller became a silent partner, with Ray Shia coming down to get things moving. I'm going to guess that your picture might be from a later LRRS event.

[Johnny B]

BTW, I just got a new digital scanner. I have a shitload of old photos to go through. We just might make this a pemanently stuck to the front page thread!

[Sheppo]

BTW, I just got a new digital scanner. I have a shitload of old photos to go through. We just might make this a pemanently stuck to the front page thread!

I can't wait. Thanks for the blast from the past!

[gsxrjack]

I remember that bike well. Here's a nice shot of the Bay Area Cycles Ducati on the Pre-Grid next to your's truly (#243). I'm pretty sure this is from 1988, might be the "warm-up" weekend or Thurs practice before the Classic...

pretty neat, im the guy in front of you (red/black/white leathers) I knew you mr gillis , we did a lot of racing together in the MW classes

i was the old dude, even back then (almost 40) was friends with TJ, jon stein etc.......raced the 600 hurricane also

#327 ex

Jack

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...egrd1-1988.jpg[/QUOTE]

[butcher bergs]

We just might make this a pemanently stuck to the front page thread!

Got my vote to sticky this thing to the Pit Area. This thread is amazing and garners alot of great information!


I mean, solid wheels? Only in the 80's.

[breakdirt916]

....Sadowski on the V&H Yamaha...

V&H FZR600?

I have a '95 FZR600 that I run track days with today...good to see my bike was king of the road once (except that it was 20 years ago! )

[knarlydog]

pretty neat, im the guy in front of you (red/black/white leathers) I knew you mr gillis , we did a lot of racing together in the MW classes

i was the old dude, even back then (almost 40) was friends with TJ, jon stein etc.......raced the 600 hurricane also

#327 ex

Jack

http://www.nestreetriders.com/forum/...egrd1-1988.jpg

[/QUOTE]

Hey Jack - Great to see some of the old faces in this thread It really brings back memories seeing/hearing the names. Are you still racing or doing track days ? Those Summers at the old track are some of my best memories from my twenties...

[knarlydog]

V&H FZR600?

I have a '95 FZR600 that I run track days with today...good to see my bike was king of the road once (except that it was 20 years ago! )

Sadowski is on the V&H FZR750R OW01 Superbike. He did run an FZR600 in the AMA 600SS class too though. The FZR600 took over form the CBR600 as the bike to have to win after 1990.

[Johnny B]

I mean, solid wheels? Only in the 80's.

I don't know where the hell those things came from, but they got destroyed by a pothole in the South Station Tunnel after the bike was retired from racing. I don't think anybody else had them.
Still working on cleaning up my office a bit before I can hook up the scanner. I'll be back from Homestead on the 8th.