Getting Started in Flat Track Racing

If you answer yes to any of the following, you NEED to try Flat Track Racing!

• Do you love riding and racing motorcycles or quads?
• Do you like trail riding with your friends or kids but have the urge to race?
• Have you raced in the past and want to get back into it?
• Do you want to learn to turn on a MX track with out a burm?
• Road racers, do you want to learn how to maintain control when one or both ends of your bike lose traction?
• Are you interested in SuperMoto and want to get the experience needed for the dirt sections?
• Do you or your child love riding their TTR/XR trail bike and want to compete ?
• Do you want to learn how to "back it in" to a corner?
• Would you like racing on Saturday nights under the lights?

Flat Track racing is one of the most exciting forms of motorcycle racing there is. Not only is it exciting to watch and participate in but also it is a great learning tool that can be a useful in bike control for any motorcycle discipline. Every form of motorcycling can benefit from what you will learn at a Flat Track race. Motocrossers can gain that all important corner speed, Road racers will gain the confidence of "backing it in" to a corner, Supermoto racers will learn the control needed to be quick in the dirt sections, and the recreational rider will learn how to safely maneuver their machine in the event that they lose traction or have to make a sudden change of direction. The best part about all of these learning rewards is that you will have a blast doing it and not feel like you are doing riding drills.
Here you will find almost all of the information that you need to get started in racing flat track in Minnesota. Anything you don't find here just ring up Rick Waschek at (612) 432-4077. Below we will cover the four things you will need to know to start; bike and quad information, tire information, safety equipment, membership requirements, and race day information. Crack open a cold sarsaparilla and let's get started!

MOTORCYCLES AND CLASSES

Any off-road motorcycle can be used. Below you will find a list of classes and the motorcycles and riders that are eligible for each. The bikes listed are by no means all and every machine eligible but rather some of the more common machines. If you don't see your machine or a machine you are contemplating purchasing please call Rick Waschek at 612-432-4077 and he can answer any further questions you may have.

50 cc oil injected: Any single speed, automatic 50cc 2-stroke motorcycle that is oil injected, not premix. 2 or 4 stroke chain drive multi speed automatic motorcycles are eligible for this class also if the shifter is removed. Ages 4-8.

50 cc chain drive: Any single speed, automatic 50cc motorcycle, 2 or 4 stroke. As mentioned above 4-stroke chain drive multi speed automatic motorcycles are eligible for this class also if the shifter is removed. Ages 4-8.

65cc: Any 2 stroke motorcycle 51cc up 65cc. Ages 7-11

85cc: Any 2 stroke motorcycle 65cc up to 85cc and 4 stroke motorcycles 80cc-125cc. Ages 7-15

Open Mini: Any 2 stroke motorcycle 65cc up to 85cc and 4 stroke motorcycles 80cc-125cc. Ages 7-15. Yes, there is a fair amount of overlap in 85cc and Open Mini but this allows all riders multiple chances to race on the same motorcycle.

80-125cc 4 stroke: Any 4 stroke motorcycle from 80cc up to 125cc. This class is also used as a starting point for riders just starting out that are beyond 8 years old.

126-200cc 4 stroke: Any 4 stroke motorcycle from 126cc up to 200cc. This class is typically referred to as the Mad Dog Mini Class. It generally features adults on little motorcycles, XR 100. TTR 125. DRZ 125, ETC. Great place for older (15+) beginners. The skills you use on the big bikes are exactly the same and price of getting started is considerably lower. Heck you probably already have one of these bikes laying around. Just kick the kids off, strap on the ole brain bucket and go have some fun.

Beginner C: 125cc 2 strokes and up. This class is usually made up of first year racers or those that have a motocross bike or trail bike and want to see what flat track racing is all about before making an investment.

Knobby tires are permitted on all the above classes. Any class listed below this line can run knobbies on the front wheel only.

250: 125cc to 250 cc 2 stroke and 4 stroke. (wheel size minimum of 18" make most 125cc 4 strokes such as XR 100, TTR 125, DRZ 125, etc not eligible for this class). Any MX, trail, super moto, or small single cylinder street bike will fit into this class.

450: 125cc to 450cc 2 strokes and 250cc to 450cc 4 strokes. There is also a displacement handicap for older 2 valve motorcycles up to 540 cc. And if you show up with a XR 500 Honda, (4 valve head) we will allow you to run in this class also. This one almost runs the gammet. DR, DRZ, YZF, YZ, CR, CRF, KTM 2&4 stroke, KX, KXF, KLR, ATK, XT and TT 500, XR and XL 500, Rotax. If it has 2 wheels and one cylinder, it can run in this class.

Open Am: Just as the name suggests, this one is wide open. 125cc 2 strokes all the way up to 1,000 cc 4 strokes of any cylinder configuration. If you can build or buy it, you can run er in this class. Generally, this is made up of all amateur riders looking to run some additional classes.

Vet 30: Open to all riders that are 30 years of age and up and any motorcycle regardless of cylinder count or displacement. A lot of the Senior 40 riders will ride this class because most of our Senior 40 riders are still that fast.

Senior 40: Open to all riders that are 40 years of age and up and any motorcycle regardless of cylinder count or displacement. Usually an 80% 40 plus age group with a few 50+ riders mixed in here and there.

Super Senior 50: Open to all riders that are 50 years of age and up and any motorcycle regardless of cylinder count or displacement. These old geezers usually hump around pretty fast.

600 Vintage: Any motorcycle, single or twin, with a displacement of 600 cc or less. Some very common types of bikes in this class are XT and TT 500 Yamahas, XR and XL 500 Hondas, DR 500 Suzuki's, and old air-cooled 2 strokes. If you have something old with a displacement at or under 600 cc's and regardless of cylinder count we will run it in this class. Riders must be 30 years of age or older.

Vintage Twin: As the name indicates twin cylinder motorcycles. Triumph's, Norton's, Yamaha's, Honda's, BSA's, anything old with 2 cylinders we. Riders must be 30 years of age or older and as above we mirror the VDTRA rulebook.

450 Pro: Open to any rider of 14 years of age or older and motorcycles of 450 cc. The same handicap of older 2 and 4 valve motorcycles as our 450 Am class are eligible for this class. Our pro classes are actually Semi Pro classes due to amount of purse payout so all riders weather professional or amateur are welcome.

Open Pro: 450cc to Open, 2 stroke, 4 stroke, 1-30 cylinders. We don't care. Our pro classes are actually Semi Pro classes due to amount of purse payout so all riders weather pro or am are welcome.

The amount of money paid out in both Pro classes are based on the number of entries so more riders equals a bigger paycheck.

So as you can see there is quite a bit of overlap between classes and tons of racing opportunities with just one machine. Suppose you are 32 years old and have a XT 500 Yamaha. You could run 450 am, Open am, 600 Vintage, Beginner, and if you aren't tired enough after all that, you could run the 2 pro classes also. Suppose you are 14 and have a 450 MX bike. You could run 450 am, Open am, Beginner, and both pro classes. Not many forms of racing offer riders 5 or more riding opportunities with the same bike.

In addition, there are no classes reserved for males or females only. Our current and former female riders pride themselves on being able to go toe to toe with the males.

For latest rules and class lists: Click Here


COST OF GETTING STARTED ON BIG BIKES

To get started in Flat Track you will not have to change anything to your current off-road motorcycle. As you become more serious and faster you may want to consider suspension services to lower your machine, purchasing a hot shoe, and using specialized dirt track tires on 19" wheels. You get to be as serious as you want running from cheap to really spendy. Either way will get you grinning from ear to ear.

Cheap: Show up to the track with your trail or MX bike and your trail or MX gear and run the beginner class. Or kick the kids off their play bike (XR, TTR, DRX, KLR) and go racing. Better yet, bring them with you and let them run the 80-125cc 4 stroke class, 85cc class, and Open Mini class. Then you can show them how it is done and run the 126-200cc 4 stroke class. All with the same bike. We're talking CHEAP here.

Pretty Darn Cheap: Call Rick Waschek at 612-432-4077 and tell him you are chomping at the bit to race flat track but only have a knobby tire on your rear rim. He will give you, free of charge, a used, but not used up, 19" dirt track tire. This will allow you to run any class that you or our bike fit into. If you run a knobby on the rear, you are eligible for the Beginner C class only. If you have an 18" rear rim we can still hook you up, you just might need to give the tire back when finished.

Equally Darn Cheap: Bring your Super Motard bike and do absolutely nothing to it. No BS, Supermoto bikes make wonderful flat track bikes. The more "grooved" the track the better they work. See glossary for definition of grooved.

Relatively Cheap: I say relatively because if you have ever gone motor sport racing of any way, shape, or form you will spend well over $6,000.00 on a machine alone. Here is the scoop. Come to the races or check the classifieds for a TT or XT 500 Yamaha or XR 500 Honda. Typically, these machines are sold for around $500.00 as long as they aren't too fancy. And as far as fancy goes please keep in mind you are just beginning (meaning you WILL fall down and your fancy motorcycle will go with you) and we race on the dirt. Even if you don't fall down (highly unlikely), it won't be fancy by the end of the night. If they run and don't knock like a handful of nuts in a hubcap they should last an entire season of racing. Both of these bikes are fairly bulletproof. Slap an 18" Dunlop dirt track tire on the rear and some kind of 80% street tread dual sport tire on the front and whallla, a dirt track motorcycle!!!

Relatively Cheap +1: Do all the above but rather than popping for the 21" front dual sport tire hit the junk yard and buy a mid 70's 19" front rim. This should set you back a whopping $15.00. Round up a buddy with a lathe and make up some spacers to fabricate this rim to you XT, TT, XR, or XL. No friends with a lathe? Hit the hardware store and get some washers. 1/4-mile dirt ovals don't require spot on centering of the front wheel in the triple clamps. Then call up (insert tire sponsor here) and purchase a bonafide 19" dirt track tire.

Really Spendy: Buy a new modern MX bike from Larsons Cycle or Delano Sports Center. Have Durelle Racing (877-737-7337) lower your forks and shock. Unlace your rear rim and lace to your front hub; unless you have a Honda, the spoke count is different front to rear. Call up Durelle Racing or Marty Mataya of Go Moto MN and order up a 2.5"-3.5" rear rim to lace to your rear hub. Or call Durelle Racing (877-737-7337) and order up super slick complete set of wheels. In the links section of this website click on Flat Track Racing Suppliers, get your self some nice dirt track tires by Maxxis or Goodyear/Dunlop.

Really Spendy: Hit the classifieds on www.flattrackmn.com , www.flattrack.com, ebay, or Craig's List and buy an already set up flat tracker.

Please keep in mind really spendy is a relative term. Even if you buy a brand spanking new bike your total monetary output here would be in the neighborhood of $4500 to $7500.00. Pennies when compared to most forms of motor sports.

COST OF GETTING STARTED ON LITTLE BIKES

50cc bikes: Pretty much nothing is necessary to get your PW 50, JR 50, KTM 50, Cobra, Polienie, etc ready other than putting gas in it. You can put taller tires on any of the non-chain bikes to increase your final driver ratio, but that is about it. No pinion and gear changes are allowed on the shaft drive bikes. Multi speed automatic chain drive bikes such as Z50 or XR50 just select what gear they want to run in and remove the shift lever.

60 and 65cc bikes: No real modifications are necessary to get your little racer started. These bike works fairly well in stock trim. Lowering the bike will help your little racer acclimate to the corners quicker. The simplest route to lower these bikes is to slide the forks up in the triple clamps. The next thing and a little more expensive is to replace the solid shock linkage rod with a threaded rod set up with some heim joints on each end. This will allow you to adjust the ride height of the rear end as your little racer gets bigger. The third thing you may want to consider is stretching the swing arm. You will need to check the AMA rulebook to see what the maximum allowable is. This helps prevent the clutch novice from looping the bike on the starting line and helps a little with straight-line stability.

85cc bikes: As with the 65 cc bikes, nothing is necessary to get started. Lowering is helpful and can be accomplished either by raising the fork tubes in the triple clamps or by having your suspension professionally lowered. Dave Durelle of Durelle Racing (877-737-7337) does a wonderful job for very affordable prices and quick turn around. When purchasing an 85cc bike make sure you get the Expert version. As you get more serious about flat tracking, you will want to lace up some 17" wheels in the front and rear. If you get the standard version, you don't have enough room in the swing arm to facilitate this. When lacing up 17" wheels your tire options are Maxxis or any road race rain tire. The Maxxis tires are considerably cheaper and last longer. The rain tires are sticker, but don't last nearly as long. If you go the rain tire route, you will use a front tire for both the front and rear of your 85.

80-200cc 4 strokes: Absolutely nothing is necessary to get your start in flat tracking on one of these bikes weather you are a little kid, big kid, or really big old kid. Knobbies work better on some tracks, street tires work better on others. Suspension works fine for the kids, heavier springs for forks and shocks might be a good investment for anyone over 150 lbs. In the 80-125cc 4 stroke class, the only modifications allowed are aftermarket exhaust. In the 126-200 class (Mad Dog), the sky and pocket book are the limit to modifications. Some folks purchase custom-built race frames and sink a couple of grand into motors and different suspension. However, keep in mind we have seen very good riders show all those high buck motorcycles the fast way around the track more than once.

TIRE INFORMATION

Dirt track tires come in 19" sizes for front and rear of big bikes and 17" sizes for front and rear for little bikes. There is also 18" rear and 21" front sizes for those of you that would like to do this on the cheap.

Dirt track tires are also "groove-able". This means you can purchase, or borrow, a "tire groove" which is a hot knife like device and cut new grooves in your tires. You need to maintain a sharp "edge" to all your tire lugs and this will help you to extend the service life of your tires.

Different surfaces require different tread patterns and tire pressures based on brand of tire. Loose or "cushion" surfaces typically want a lot of sharp edges. Hard packed surfaces or "groove tracks" like big blocks of rubber and edges aren't as critical. Please keep in mind none of this will be terribly pertinent until you have mastered some skills. So don't get too whipped up with tread patterns, cutting tires, or which brand will take you to the front. Just buy what's cheap and have some fun.

Front tires will outlast rear tires about 4 to 1. All of these tires will set you back around $250.00 per set and should last anywhere from a season to a couple of years. This depends on your riding style. Did you catch that road racers and super moto folks? That is around $250.00 for an entire season, not simply one weekend or one day. This flat track stuff just gets better and better.

All of these tries are equipped with uni-directional tread patterns. You can run them forward or reverse. They all come equipped with directional arrows, but that is mostly legal speak BS. Keep in mind you will spend most of your time turning left so mount them up and burn off one side, then turn the tire around and burn off the other.

As with all tires, there is a balance line between tread life and traction. Higher tire inflation pressures will result in a cooler tire, but may compromise traction. Most of the tires listed below come in three rubber compounds with three being the softest and eight being the hardest. Regardless of brand 5's typically make the best all around tires.

Dunlop (formerly Goodyear): If the motto is "it ain't broke don't fix it" - this is the tire for you. While the compound has been upgraded over the years, the tread pattern hasn't changed in eons. The tread blocks on these tires are slightly shorter than the other manufacturers, Maxxis and Continental, so they have slightly less tread "squirm" than the others do. However, keep in mind you are sliding most of the time so it takes an experienced derrière to detect this. Dunlop tires come in three softness compounds, three, five, and eight with three being the softest and eight being the hardest. Dunlop's typically work best between 12 and 18 psi.

Dunlop also offers 18" rear and 21" fronts. These work well if you have an enduro or older MX bike and would like to try flat track racing on the cheap.

Maxxis: These tires feature the largest tread blocks of all 3 choices. Consequently, if you like to customize your tires, these are the ones for you. Maxxis tires will run a slightly higher tire pressure than the others. Typically around 18-25 psi. They feature a slightly lower and firmer sidewall than Dunlop's or Continentals. When you purchase the tire, don't freak out at the 12 inch wide tread surface. They appear much wider when un-mounted than the Dunlop's or Continentals. Maxxis 19" tires come in 3 softness compounds, 3, 5, and 8 and fall slightly between the Dunlop's. A Maxxis 3 would be the softest with a Dunlop 3 slightly harder; Maxxis 5 would be next followed by a Dunlop 5, Maxxis 8 harder still and Dunlop 8 the hardest you can find. Even though they are slightly softer than a Dunlop in the same classification, they will usually outlast a Dunlop due to the higher tread blocks.

Maxxis also offers 17" tires. These are custom made for the minis, 85cc, 17" rimmed mini 4 strokes, and any of those weirdo 17" rear rimmed Hondas. Please keep in mind these tires are designed for little bikes so if you run them on the rear of a XR 600 you will need a lot of tires. They only come in one compound and are considerably cheaper than your other 17" option. That is road race rain tires.

Continental: Continental has the smallest gap between tread blocks of all 3 brands so consequently the harder the surface the better they work. If you are going to be taking your flat tracker on the asphalt (Raceway Park or super moto) and want to use one tire, this is the one for you. In addition, if you have the black magic for block cutting these can be your best "cushion" tire around. However, keep in mind so much cutting is necessary the tires life cycle is shortened considerably.

Here are some links to some suppliers of the tires you need: Durelle Racing, RJ Performance and S-K Service.

Got questions post them here: Forums

GETTING STARTED IN FLAT TRACK QUAD RACING

Flat track quad racing takes place on ovals and TT (left and right hand turns plus a few smaller jumps). The setup of your quad can amount to about 60%. If you can't handle and get traction, it will be tough to win races. That being said here are a list things you need to race flat track quads along with additional mods to add later on.

In District 23, AMA and any sanctioned ATV race you need a tether switch and nerfs bars to race. Next would be numbers and number plates. You need a plate on the front bumper and rear grab bar plus numbers on your rear fenders and front hood. Without these items, you would not be legal to race in competition.

Now that we have those items next would be a set of flat track tires and wheels. The choices in tires are limited to American Racer and Hoosier. Typical tire sizes are 18x6x10 for the front and 18x10x10 for the rear. Wheel choices include Douglas and ITP for aftermarket. Some OEM front wheels could be used but are generally a little heavy. A wheel thickness of .160" or above is best for strength and safety. Wheels sizes are generally 10x5 for the front and can come in different offsets including 4+1 and 3+2. A 3+2 offset is the same offset as an OEM wheel. A 4+1 wheel would be an inch narrower than that. Rear wheel sizes are 10x10 and sometimes 10x9. A 10x8-rear wheel is tougher to use because it causes too much tire rollover. Next would be choosing a compound for your tires. American Racer offers compounds ranging from a SD-23 (softest) to a SD-44 (hardest). Hoosier compounds depend on the model of tire chosen. For Tri-Trac type tires compounds are T10 (softest) to T30 (hardest). New style block pattern Hoosiers range from a D10 (softest) to a D35 (hardest). For an amateur rider a good starting point would be a SD-33 compound front and rear for American Racers and a T20, D10 front and D15 rear for Hoosiers. Air pressure is next and depends on track conditions. A good starting point would be 8psi in the front and 6psi in the rear.

The next, and possibly best addition to your quad, is a sway bar. The function of the sway bar is to keep all the wheels planted on the track for optimum traction. Commonly used brands include Lonestar Racing. Sway bar setup is determined by track conditions. Consult the manufacturer for setup and installation details.

Those are the basic modifications needed to make a quad ready for flat track racing. Now we can talk about more extensive modifications.

Suspension; Lowering your quad's suspension will greatly improve the handling. Either this can be accomplished with aftermarket lower kits or lowered shocks made for flat track racing. Next would be an adjustable axle and wider a-arms. Both will help tune your quad to track conditions and improve handling.

Engine modifications would be last. For a 4 stroke, a pipe is the biggest mod you can make on an engine. The same goes for a 2 stroke. Next would be things like a cam (4 stroke), porting, high compression piston and aftermarket ignition.

Flat track racing has lot to do with handling and being able to adapt to changing track conditions.

Got questions post them here: Forums

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

The same safety equipment that you currently use in any form of motorcycle competition or pleasure riding can be used in racing Flat Track. All that is mandatory is a certified DOT helmet, boots that cover above the ankle, goggles or face shield, cloth or leather gloves, and full coverage shirt and pants. However, we strongly recommend you go beyond the minimum for those unavoidable instances when you discover you have exceeded your limits. Please visit one of our local favorites Bobs Cycle Supply - they have the biggest and most affordable selection in the Midwest and they are located right here in St Paul, MN.

Trail or MX riders: You guys and gals already have everything you will need; boots, gloves, helmet, protection of every variety. Just leave the Camelback in the truck.

Super Motard Riders: You guys and gals also have everything you will need. Boots (just remove those trick little asphalt sliders, they don't slide so well on dirt) leathers, helmet, gloves.

Road racers: Guess what, you guys and gals also have everything you will need. Is this a cool sport or what??? Leathers, gloves, helmet, and yes road racing boots make pretty good flat track boots. In fact, most professional flat trackers use road race boots on the ½ mile and mile tracks.

As all the above groups of riders become more successful and find out how much this sliding of the motorcycles can be they will probably want to purchase a steel shoe. This is a specially made steel plate that straps to your left boot. They are available from a variety of suppliers, the closest one being Light Shoe. They aren't exactly cheap at $250.00 each however, they last practically forever. Most riders never wear through the hard coat surface on the bottom and for those that do you can get the shoe resurfaced for around $75.00.

REQUIRED MEMBERSHIPS

The following are required to race at all AMA/District 23 sanctioned events. You can save a little dough by purchasing in advance.

AMA Card: Cost of this is $39.00 and comes with a ton of membership discounts on everything from eyeglasses and contacts to car rentals, parts and accessory discounts, and motorcycle admission discounts. Best of all is your $39.00 goes towards maintaining your rights as a motorcyclist, whether you ride, race, do trail rides, or what ever. This can be purchased on line at http://www.amadirectlink.com or by phone at 800-AMA-JOIN or at the track on race day. There is no discount for purchasing in advance.

District 23 Card: Cost on this card is $40.00 if purchased in advance or $50.00 if purchased at the track. While slightly more expensive than an AMA card, this one card allows you to race Enduro/Hare Scramble events, MX events, Trail rides and yes best of all Dirt Track events. The application form has a section to request your racing number. Another thing unique to Dirt Track racing is you can actually request your number rather having one assigned to you. Your number will be reserved for you until March 1st.

RACEDAY INFORMATION

The best way to learn what you need to start racing and any other race information that you want to know is to come watch a race. We will gladly explain anything and everything that you would like to know.

Most Flat Track events are held in the afternoon/evening. This means we usually run half of our program under the lights. Please keep this in mind when doing your helmet shield/goggle selection. The smoked can see you but you can't see me mirrored versions look very cool, but make sure you have some clear ones for main event time.

Mentoring Programs: We have mentor programs developed to assign a veteran racer to a new comer. This mentor will answer any questions that you have as well as walk you through the race day. They will give bike set up advice, riding tips, and cover track day procedures. They will let you know what classes are available for you and your machine as well as which ones are recommended for beginners, and much more.

Start Times: The typical start time posted will be the time the gates open. There is usually a couple of hours for racers to show up, unload, and do sign up. Then start panicking when you notice you forgot to fix what ever it is you forgot to fix. Therefore, if a 2pm start time is posted this means the gates open at 2pm and practice begins at 4pm.

Riders Meeting: There will be a mandatory riders meeting prior to practice each and every event. And yes, this is mandatory. Even though it may be the same old same old about racing being dangerous and if you don't accept, the risks request your money back, blah, blah, blah. But there is also valuable information concerning up coming events, pats on the back for riders accomplishing certain goals, and class updates. For new riders this is prime time to ask questions or request a mentor if you haven't been assigned one already.

Practice: Once practice rolls around you will get about 45 minutes of it. We split the riders up by sign up groups, 50's, 60-85's, 80-125 4 stroke's, 126-200 4 stroke's, Beginners, Amateurs, and Pros. Unless track conditions dictate otherwise this is also the order we generally run the groups in. Groups consist of around 10 riders so we may have more than one group per sign level. Riders generally get 6 laps of practice and if they hustle, can get in 3 rounds. After you complete, your session you can go back to the pits or line back up and immediately take another turn when you group is up next.

Race Order: Race order is dictated by rider turnout. We make every effort possible to prevent racers having to race back to back, however some of these situations are unavoidable. In addition, if you are race number 3 one-week chances are very high you will not be race number 3 next week. It will be announced that the race order has been posted and you should check it out within 20 minutes of being posted. Make sure you are in the classes you signed up for, make sure they have your bike number listed correctly, and whether you are listed in heat 1,2,or 3. These changes are very difficult to make once the program begins.

Heats: The computer will select your "picking" order for your heat race. Picking order is the order in which you select your starting position on the starting line. Typically, we will put 6-8 riders per row. If you are 1st pick, you get to select any spot on the front row. Second rider listed gets second pick, so forth and so on. Your heat race will set your picking order for the main event. If you finished 2nd in your heat you get 2nd, pick in the main. If you have multiple heats, the fastest heat has priority. So if you finished 1st in the 2nd fastest heat you would get second pick for the main. Do I have you confused yet? Don't worry it will all make sense once you get to the track. Heats are typically 6-10 laps in length depending on whether it is a pro or amateur class.

Semis: In the event we have more than 18 riders attempting to qualify for the main event we will run semi-qualifiers. Typically, these are made up of riders that didn't finish in the top 4 spots or better in their heat. Please keep in mind these are approximate numbers and many times we don't have to run semi-qualifiers.

Main Events: Unless otherwise announced the main events will run in the same order as the heats, but it is always good to double check after the heats and semis have run. Main events are typically 8-15 laps in length depending on whether it is a pro or amateur main event. 1-3 place trophies are awarded for amateur classes and 80% payback for pro classes.

Minnesota Flat Trackers are a very helpful racing family. We love to talk about racing and any person that you see walking through the pits will be happy to answer any questions that you may have. You meet the nicest people at a Flat Track race...

If you have any further or more specific questions please feel free to post your question in our forum section. You may need to register a user name if you have not done so already. This is simply done by entering your name and email address. If you do not feel comfortable posting your question on the forum please contact Rick Waschek at 612-432-4077.

For our Race Schedule click here: Schedule

FLAT TRACK GLOSSARY

Flat Track - Motorcycle racing on dirt ovals on motorcycles traditionally with 19" wheels front and rear without a front brake (there are also TT or Tourist Trophy races in Flat Track where there are left and right turns and at least one jump)

Hot Shoe - A steel plate molded to the bottom of the left boot used to help your foot slide on the ground in the event that you need to put your left foot down to avoid tipping over (also referred to as a Steel Shoe)

Back it in - The practice of sliding into a corner where the back wheel drifts out of line with the front tire. This practice is used to scrub off excess speed while entering a corner as well as used to maneuver the bike into a position to complete the corner at a higher rate of speed.

District 23 ARMCA - Amatuer Riders Motorcycling Association - The local motorcycle racing and license organization in Minnesota. ARMCA.org

District 23 Rule Book: Click Here

For latest rules and class lists: Click Here

AMA or American Motorcycle Association - The national motorcycle racing and license organization for the USA: AMADirectLink.com