Ducati Monster Forum

Just back from a long day at the local horse track, where they ran the AMA Pro Flat Track Yavapai Mile. In the first race he's been on the bike, Joe Kopp rode this to the win in the Pro Twins final:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3493/4569499267_4d6c6b12a1.jpg)

Really exciting finish to a fun race; Kopp led after the first lap and was stretching out a lead through the first half of the race when Sammy Halbert on a Harley reeled him in, passed him, and proceeded to pull away. Kopp was solid in second, then closed WAY fast on the back stretch of the last lap, passed him in the final turn & out dragged Halbert to the line. The consensus in the stands was that the veteran Kopp managed his rear tire better than the youngster and had more dig in the final turn. I looked at Kopp's tire after the race, and there really wasn't much of it left on the left edge...

The pits were really interesting -- two Expert Twins teams on Ducatis, a Rotax-powered BMW (running strong until a broken chain in the final), a KTM, an Aprilia and even a Triumph, along with lots of Harleys.

Race results here http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010021010 (http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/results.cfm?year=2010&eid=2010021010)

Thanks for posting.  Is this the first Dirt Track National that a Ducati has won?  It has to be the the first National Mile a Ducati has won. Congratulations Joe Kopp!  [clap]

It's the first ever National Twins win for Ducati -- not only that, it's the first non-Harley win in a National since the 1998 Joliet Half Mile, and the first win in the mile by anything but a Harley since the 1993 Springfield Mile, won by Ricky Graham on a Honda - which I got from:

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2010/05/02/kopp-wins-prescott-mile (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2010/05/02/kopp-wins-prescott-mile)

A few more of my photos from the day: First, my favorite -- Matt Kellerman & his son at the race. Matt's a fantastic mechanic at the local Moto Guzzi/Royal Enfield/Hyosung dealer and is currently leading the CCS Southwest Lightweight series on his Hyosung GT650R

http://www.roadracerx.com/features/privateer-profile/privateer-profile-matthew-kellerman/ (http://www.roadracerx.com/features/privateer-profile/privateer-profile-matthew-kellerman/)

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/4572832531_9039b43a54.jpg)

The other Ducati in the field, Cody Miles' #33k, which didn't fare as well; the bike seemed to have real trouble hooking up in the corners, and I think it was Miles' first race as an Expert.

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4572836505_c46025e47f.jpg)

The Aprilia

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4573477232_e69167e121.jpg)

Triumph Bonneville

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3396/4572850411_e88dcb8c07.jpg)

KTM

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/4573488490_f75bc0e39b.jpg)

Rotax-powered BMW

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3390/4573491410_194ddf927a.jpg)

One I imagine you'll like, Travman: what appears to be a Triumph street-tracker

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4573473828_e24805dcf4.jpg)

And finally, I saw this bike in the flesh, after admiring photos on the 'net (and left the owner a note in hopes I can get some questions answered, as it's exactly what I'd love to do with my ST2):

(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4062/4572827249_e49faa3318.jpg)

thanks for the report and photos.


mitt

Flat Track racing is, by far the most exciting form of Moto racing there is.  [evil]

+1!!  good stuff!  [thumbsup]

I don't know...the 500gp bikes in Speedway are pretty durn competitive and whatnot!!!   ;)


+2 from me!!

Thanks for the report!

I actually heard about the win on Wind Tunnel (in one of the parts I didn't fast forward thru)

Nice mix of machinery, too [thumbsup]

I like Speedway as well, but Flat Track has more bikes, bigger tracks, and multiple manufacturers.  [thumbsup]

Nice write up on the event, with action pictures, including one of Kopp &  Halbert at the line -- believe me, you don't need to see all my shots of an empty track where a bike had been a tenth of a second before...

http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/news/joe-kopp-and-ducati-win-budweiser-arizona-mile/ (http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/news/joe-kopp-and-ducati-win-budweiser-arizona-mile/)

Couldn't agree more! Especially the mile! I wore a skid shoe on Saturday nights and on Sundays for about fifteen years. That's why I bought a Monster. It reminded me of the dirt-trackers I rode for years. 

I know how hard it is to get you guys riled up, so I figured I would give you a little atmosphere  8)

http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/motorcycle/videos/ (http://thefastanddirty.com/flat-track-racing/motorcycle/videos/)


TF, thanks for the link, I should've been a little more proactive before the race to see if any DMFers would be there.

Anybody going to the Springfield TT and Mile May 29th/30th?

- Will

he doesn't post in this section of the forum, but does post in CAM and a few other places occasionally..."twolanefun" Gene has been going to the flattrack events for 30+ years and I know he goes to the Springfield event as well as the Barbara Fritchie Classic and many others...usually he'll be riding on 1 of his fleet of V-Twins...

the series comes down to AZ this weekend.  lets hope copp can pull it off on the duc [bacon]

I'll be there! Along with fellow DMF-ers Alan Sean, Dietrich & Hoyden...

I'm jelous.  I saw it at cantiberry in MN on sept 11th.  it was awesome.  I had more fun there than i did at the last ama roadrace I was at.  Some of the guys I race supermoto against qualified for the races.  it puts you in your place as a racer to see guys who regular beat you get destroyed by the national guys.  I hope to see one day the AMA go back to the format in the 70's where to get a #1 plate you have to road race flat track and do hare scrambles.  it would never happen but those guys were the last true #1 plate holders imo [bacon]

Yes...seeing that event at Canterbury was awesome.

SPOILER ALERT (I know it's on the main title, but still...)













A great day at the races, for the October 2010 edition of the Yavapai Mile here the Central Arizona Highlands -- Thanks to the DMF's Alan Sean for grabbing up a block of tickets up in the clubhouse & making the available to us!  The DMF's Dietrich Pfeiffer & Dawn Roberts rode up from Phoenix & had breakfast with AM & me before we headed out to the track.

The weather was splendid and the track seemed to need less tending than the previous  (March 2010) iteration of the race at this venue, though there seemed to be a much tighter racing line (especially in turns 1 & 2) than back in March -- in the Spring races, Joe Kopp made very effective use of an outside line those turns, kicking up a huge roostertail & passing three or four riders at a pop on the outside. This time, any rider who got off the groove and into the loose stuff looked like he (or she -- there were two very competitive female riders, one each in the Singles & Twins) had slammed on the brakes, losing places by the half dozen, and frequently winding up crashing into the hay bales.

Though it looked like most of his family was in the stands with hand-lettered "Smoke 'em, Uncle Joe" or similar T-shirts & signs, Joe Kopp's Ducati was just a shade off the winning pace all day long. We couldn't hear the announcer very well, and they shuffled the schedule a bit, but here's my best guess as to what went down: Kopp missed the cut in initial qualifying, though he dominated the "Last Chance Qualifier" to make the main event on the second row.

In the final, he couldn't reel in the lead group and spent most of the race in no-man's-land, back in seventh, moving up to fifth by the finish line. Up front though was one hell of a great race, with Jake Johnson (H-D), Jared Mees (H-D), Sammy Halbert (H-D) and Kenny Coolbeth (H-D) swapping the lead for most of the race, frequently heading into the turns three-wide. They finished in that order, with Jake Johnson taking the win and the Number #1 plate in the season series. On points, Kopp finished twenty down on Johnson, tied for second with Mees.

I still love turning right -- and watching the pros do it -- but if you haven't seen a pro flat track event, I'd urge you in the strongest terms to mend that gap next season. You'll be hooked too!

Press release on yesterday's race:  http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/news/index.cfm?cid=40086 (http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/news/index.cfm?cid=40086)

TheFastandDirty.com : Yavapai Mile Flat Track Race 05.01.10 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtG8DgaH5gs#normal)

Thanks for the link Kopfjager!

I have seriously neglected my DMF brethren. 

Motorcycle USA and Cycle World tested each of the 6 major brands that competed in the 2010 GNC Flat Track Season.  We will have video from those tests in about a week.  The write ups will be in their respective mags in the coming weeks as well. 

For the record both testers/editors were good guys, but the difference in skill level between the Expert ranks was blinding.  They were lapping 7 seconds slower than race pace (39sec) on a "hot" lap.

Here is an exclusive release for the DMF.  Only those that have attended the AMA Banquet have seen this compilation of the 2010 season:

AMA Pro Flat Track 2010 Awards Banquet Video (http://vimeo.com/15621777)

^^^^ Flat Track rules,, always has, always will be the best. For the great unwashed who have never been. Shame on you. You are missing the greatest racing in America.  [evil]

Arizona Mile II (http://www.vimeo.com/16767081)

 Wanted to follow up, we have been working hard to finish the 2010 schedule.  Here is the final race of the season. You guys are definitely not the last thing on my mind.

I hope to see more of you guys at the races in 2011, big things are happening in this sport.

^^^ Fantastic work, Will!!!

I absolutely love big twin flat track racing and have loved it since the Nixon, Springer, Lawwill days! Totally American and totally balls to the wall. Makes me want to watch On Any Sunday for the 435th time!! [laugh] My favorite moment would have been at last year's Indy Mile and watched KR Sr. back in the TZ750 monster. Awesome shit! [thumbsup] [moto] [bow_down] Sorry I missed it.

(BTW, I deleted the "Yavapai Mile" from the thread title, since this has become a de facto AMA Flat Track thread -  [thumbsup])

A fun video from Cycle World -- he rides the Duc, Kawasaki, KTM and Harley Flat Trackers after the last Grand National of the season:

AMA Grand National Twins Tested at The Arizona Mile (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tXEaCRWfUA#normal)

^^ Good stuff.  [thumbsup]    "American peanut butter & jelly racing"  8)

Joe Kopp takes to the tarmac!

(http://www.cyclenews.com/files/news_articles/roadracing/0111/CN_Kopp_2.jpg)

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/01/24/joe-kopp-goes-road-racing (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/road-racing/2011/01/24/joe-kopp-goes-road-racing)

I can see his point.  road racing that thing would defently ween me off of racing for good too [bacon]

(http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa91/chiflado/nicky-1.jpg)

Great Pictire! Who's the rider? Sonny Burres? 1970s?

nicky hayden, 2000s.

MotoUSA 2010 AMA Flat Track Minnesota Mile (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4FT7J0aLsM#normal)

Now that's a full lock power slide!! ;D [thumbsup] [clap]

That was cool that the Nickster did some demo laps at last year's Indy Mile. ;)

Meant to post this the other day.

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2011/03/31/smith-leaves-werner-springsteen-kawasaki (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2011/03/31/smith-leaves-werner-springsteen-kawasaki)

2011 Schedule.

http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/ (http://www.amaproracing.com/ft/events/)

Our guest bedroom's available the weekend of October 9 if you want to catch the season-ending Yavapai Mile here in Presskit Arizona - first come, first served. With any luck, the #1 plate will still be in play just like in 2010!

Nice offer! [thumbsup]

Lloyd Bros Racing announces who's getting Joe Kopp's seat following his retirement ... spoiler alert: It's not Nicky.  ;D

http://amaproracing.com/ft/news/index.cfm?cid=42309 (http://amaproracing.com/ft/news/index.cfm?cid=42309)

It's not clear (to me, at least) if they're running the Duc motor this year, but the Ducati logo is still prominent on the Lloyd Bros sponsor page.

Damn. I wish they were coming to Texas. Yeah sure MotoGP is coming to Austin... blah blah blah. But I'd love to catch me some Class C big twin flat track action! [thumbsup] If I remember right they did make an appearance at Texas Motor Speedway a few years ago and maybe one at Devil's Bowl before that. And no I couldn't go to either. [bang] Some people think it's boring like two wheeled NASCAR but it's nothing like that. [moto] [popcorn] At least to me.

Yes, Lloyd Bros ENI/AGIP Ducati Team will still be running a Ducati powered twin in 2011.  They will continue to develop the 1100 Hyper motor in a custom chassis.  A few of the things you will notice if you see the bike in good pics or in person, is they had to rotate the motor up in the frame approx. 20 degrees to allow for a shorter wheelbase ( horiz. cylinder was contacting the front tire).  Baker is a fearless rider, very competitive and is part of the new breed of dirt trackers that have mastered the stiff production framed 450s on the oval.  He is a rookie in the Expert class, but has already earned rostrum finishes in 2 of 5 races this year (all Singles/450 races).

The first Twins race is the Springfield mile Sunday, May 29th.  Baker #12 is as good a candidate as any to ride/develop the Ducati.  The theory being, the younger riders used to riding the Motocross 450s in Flat Track will adjust/ride the non Harley-Davidson XR 750s better than their predecessors....Carr, Coolbeth, Kopp, etc.  It would not surprise me at all to see Baker put the Duc on the box more than once this year.

Dark horses to keep an eye on are road racer JD Beach #95 on a Kawasaki twin and former factory KTM Supermoto phenom Johnny Lewis #10 on a Kawasaki twin.

Here is a little eye candy to keep you guys busy:

Monster Energy Kawasaki's Flat Track Team in Daytona (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T0_jwAWPLB0#normal)

2011 DuQuoin Short Track Round 3 Highlights (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmDUpzzzPyU&feature=related#normal)

Road to Salinas (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwbuWfbNkeo#normal)

Thought you guys might need a little more grit in your coffee  8)

2011 Hartford 1/2 Mile AMA Pro Flat Track (http://vimeo.com/25556966)

2011 Hagerstown Half Mile AMA Pro Flat Track (http://vimeo.com/28440153)

 [bow_down]

Springfield Mile....the legend....

2011 Springfield Mile II  AMA Pro Flat Track Video (http://vimeo.com/28865459)

Shayna Texter makes history as the first woman to win a GNC Flat Track event!

2011 AMA Pro Flat Track Knoxville Half Mile (http://vimeo.com/29378260)


Enjoy your American motorcycle heritage fellas  [Dolph]

Knoxville was a great race.

This weekend's race in Brainerd will coincide with the CRA sprint races on Saturday at BIR and a 5 hour endurance race on Sunday. Got several friends running BIR this weekend.

The best motorcycle racing in the world.  [evil]  [bow_down]

I agree!  [thumbsup]

More roundy round stuff...

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2011/09/25/mees-wins-brainerd-half-mile/ (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2011/09/25/mees-wins-brainerd-half-mile/)


Hey, this is dirt flat track too... just not Class C AMA! ;D

http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2011/09/25/greg-hancock-world-champion/ (http://www.cyclenews.com/articles/flat-track/2011/09/25/greg-hancock-world-champion/)

Sad to see an end to an astonishing 25 year racing career but Chris Carr's final flat track race was this last week at the Pomona Half Mile. Great write up and career recount of Carr's quarter century of racing at the top level in the latest Cycle News. What a great ambassador to the sport of motorcycle racing, especailly flat track. I remember his great streak of wins at the Peroia TT races. Just awesome. Even topped off his career with a land speed record! And kicked butt in Super Moto![thumbsup] He will be missed on the track. He really knew how to show those new kids the fast way around the track! [Dolph] [bow_down]

for 2012...a new factory game will be in town....

http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2011/11/28/triumph-sponsoring-ama-grand-national-team-in-2012/ (http://thekneeslider.com/archives/2011/11/28/triumph-sponsoring-ama-grand-national-team-in-2012/)

^^^ Very cool news!  [thumbsup]  The non-factory team that's been campaigning Triumph had a very nice street tracker in tow the couple of times I saw them; I put a photo up on page 1 of this thread.

Vale builds a backyard flat track for the off-season:

http://2wheeltuesday.com/2011/12/motogp-valentino-rossi-builds-flat-track-in-backyard-to-prepare-for-2012-season/ (http://2wheeltuesday.com/2011/12/motogp-valentino-rossi-builds-flat-track-in-backyard-to-prepare-for-2012-season/)

Think we'll see him backing it in more in 2012?  ;D

Wish i would have seen this before.  our 620 won the gp1 race with ease, could have used a dmf'r in our pits.  the flat track race was awesome also.  old mill tall boys and hot midwestern girls servin' slabs of pizza, i'll take that anyday [bacon]