American Federation of Motorcyclists Schedule for 1999

1st Newsletter...

Just a postcard with the race dates and Buttonwillow motel information

2nd Newsletter...

First race of 1999: March 6-7 at Buttonwillow (1/2 mile west of I-5 on Lerdo Highway, east of Bakersfield)

Welcome to 1999! I've spent most of the off season working out the y2k bugs in the worker database. There is still a possibility that come January One the whole database will revert back to Year 1900 and we'll be spotting horses on the starting grid. Or it might go back to Year 1000 and we'd still have the horses, but dress real funny. The best way to tell is how the first newsletter of Year 2000 is delivered: Pony Express or Chariot. One highlight is the possibility of having the West Coast round of the National 125 series at our June race at Thunderhill. But first we head to Buttonwillow. Just for starters, all workers who work both Saturday and Sunday for this race only will receive the 1999 version of the Worker (No Guts - No Glory) Sweatshirt as well as a few extra bucks. All workers will receive the AFM Schedule Keychain and the free Saturday After-Race BBQ. Make it a weekend event! We can use all the help we can get. Bring a friend.

Bill Riggins died on November 18th at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley of complications from cancer. He had been given six months to live, and spent the last months of his life doing what he loved: flagging. During the last year Bill seemed to be hanging around the track after the races were over, longer and longer. Now we know why. I just wish he would have let us really say goodbye. Bill was very opinionated about his job at the track. He had a real passion for flagging. He gave 110% for what he believed was the right way to do things. I remember Bill coming up to me after a multi-bike crash in turn 4 and beating himself up over whether he could have thrown the flag sooner if he'd turned a few more degrees to the left. Bill was a very valuable member of our crew and will be missed greatly. Godspeed, Bill. I know you'll be watching our backs.

Any remembrances can be e-mailed or sent to me and I will forward them to his brother. Also you can find out more details about Bill on a web page we set up at: www.afmracing.org/billrigg.html
 

Race Notes
by Doug Smith
Twentieth Century - The Last Waltz

Too dramatic? Not really. Let's get excited! The season's here! And like last year it's a down-south start. The band strikes up at Buttonwillow Raceway Park on March 6 & 7 signaling the end of winter no matter what that famous groundhog says. Good weather, great racing and no snow Ñ guaranteed Ñ will be waiting for us. It's racing season, and I wonder where my whites are.

I hope you all had the best of offseasons and you're ready for a road trip. Or a bunch of little road trips. All the races count for the riders and for us too. Last year was the most extensive in DieHard Hat history, and for '99 I'd like to hand out at least 10 more. No WSB conflicts - thanks to all in the scheduling biz - and frankly Dale's gonna get his and he needs the company. So BRP is the place to start. Lots of new folks calling on the hotline so it should be a good year.

Nuts and Bolts
Crew Goals

Doing what it takes to keep a racetrack in shape for a weekend of racing is a big job, but with a lot of friends, it's a lot of fun. Whether you're flagging in a tight dicey corner, handling in a flat-out right-hander, keeping an eye out for your crew from the comm spot, or doing what Phill and I do, it's the best fun with friends. Both the friends you meet at the track and the friends you bring to the track. So bring some new folks along! We'll make sure there's plenty of lunches. They just might like it. And if not, they're still friends, right?

What to do:  We've got to have a racetrack ready for action when it's time to go racing. The host facility does a great job of prep work, but it needs to be staffed and kept up right through the weekend. That's what we do, and we do it better than most. The Big Picture is to provide a track for the riders as safe as possible at any given turn and time. This means watching what's happening and fixing what's not right, getting the word to those who need to know when something's not right, and helping riders and fellow workers. Keep that picture in mind. It's pretty simple but there's a lot to it. And you learn more about it every weekend. The things we do to make that Big Picture real are (and you may have seen some of this before):

Arrive:  Show up, introduce your draftees, greet others, sign in, finish waking up. Coffee is usually in order.

Meet:  Finish planning the day, allocate resources (see who's stationed where), review and learn procedures, share a little news and the latest jokes (some days great jokes, some days not) and life experiences, get pointed in the right direction and head out. Get to know the folks you'll be sharing the day with. Maybe more coffee.

Set Up:  Get everybody and their and equipment in place on the turns, at the crash truck, at Start/Finish, wherever we need to be. This is where the turn marshals set up individual things to do, track conditions are assessed and reported if necessary, and we generally get ready to go. We as a crew now have control of the track for our event. First Aid crews are getting into position. Get to know them if they're in your turn. Racetrack personnel are there for our support all day long if we need them, and at our three tracks those guys are tops.

Clear the Track:  This is the point where each of the turns reports that every detail is ready for a session to begin. Clearing of the track will happen before each session, sometimes more formally than others. At the start of the day and after each major break (riders meeting, lunch, or a long delay), the track check is the single most critical link to each following part of the day. If this doesn't happen, nothing else does.

Do It: "It" involves a lot of things, all working to provide the safest possible race day environment for ourselves and the riders on course. Flagging, comm, handling, being a team with the medical folks, is all part of "It". "It" involves always being alert to things that are happening, not happening, changing or not changing. "It" is being involved in a very important way with the race day. And above all "It" means having fun. 'Cause if you're not having fun, you're not doing it right.

Relax:  At the end of a day we look back at the things we did, the help we gave, and the way we contributed to a pretty complex day. We talk about what happened, share some laughs and a cool one, and talk about the next race weekend.

Getting there and back for the away races can be enough of a problem you'd just as soon stay home and catch up on cooking shows and washing the socks. Don't let it happen. Carpools are the answer. Use the Worker Hotline (925) 362-9032 If you need a ride or have a seat to share. Don't be shy;  the earlier, the better. Leave your number, where you're leaving from, time preferences, camping or motel, and a bit about flexibility - not the gymnastic type unless you're driving something really tiny. Save a buck, share the wheel if you like. You've got a weekend in common, and more people are looking for rides than you might think. One ride is already needed from Vallejo to Buttonwillow, an experienced excellent guy. So pool it up. It'll be fun. You'll see.

First, go to the front gate and sign the Gate Release form. Everyone, including campers, must sign the Gate Release each day they work. Be ready to show us your AFM Track Worker Card. If don't have a one, get the application at Registration. Even if you have applied for an AFM Competition or Associate license you must fill out the Worker application. They are different. From there, proceed to Registration and sign the Track Worker Release form. Also, for those of you who are near 18 years old, you must show us a drivers' license or ID card proving your age at least once. AFM keeps one copy of the release, you get the other. Take your copy to Start/Finish and you will be assigned to a turn both Saturday and Sunday. We will try to have a special area for track workers at Registration to speed things up. Please be early on racedays. Oh yeah, just one more thing:  a Gate Release form will be available at Start/Finish for campers to sign.

We need more Saturday workers. Especially for Buttonwillow and Thunderhill. If you want to make a weekend out of working, we offer a few extra bucks and maybe a special spiff for those Super DieHards!

The weather can be iffy, so be prepared for almost anything. Layers are the hot setup. Since we want to all look alike, and sharp, please wear as much white outer clothes as you can get. No red, yellow or orange colors - you don't want to look like a flag. You may be grabbed by the leg and thrown thusly, by mistake. Long pants, sturdy shoes, no shorts. Some other good things to bring along are sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, binoculars, extra clothes, a hat, energy snacks, fruits, juices and a good loud whistle. The AFM can provide you with a whistle but you don't know whose lips were on it last. Please no alcohol during the races.

Remember, our first race is pretty far away from civilization, unless you consider Taco Bell as civilization. Better bring it all with you. If you have an RV, Buttonwillow charges $30.00 for the weekend for electrical and water hookups. There is no dump. There is no charge for tent camping. They also have cold water showers. Brrrrr! Like Thunderhill, personal vehicles are not allowed on the track surface. You will be taken out to the turns by our Crash Truck. So be ready to pack it all in with you.

The worker gates open at 6:00 AM. and close at 7:00 AM sharp!. (We also need to go to Registration and sign the forms.) Please stay to the left as you enter the gate area, where the worker gate is. Because of agreements with the Buttonwillow track, no refunds to workers who arrive after we close the worker gate. Please be on time to save money and help us get used to the new procedures. The morning meeting starts at 7:10 AM at Start/Finish. The earlier the better for getting the turn you want. Attendance at all eight AFM races is mandatory for this year's DieHard hat. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of fog will keep us away from the gate taking names of those brave workers. We try to give the weather every chance of clearing before canceling the race and those days count for the hats.

Both Saturdays and Sundays we provide morning coffee and donuts, a sack lunch at noon, and after-race bevs and snacks. Please be responsible with post-race activities. We also place water, bug spray, and earplugs out on the turns Ñ use Ôem! Our payday is Sunday after the race. Our final race gets the checkered flag about 6:00 p.m.  If you plan to attend, please either call the Worker HotLine (925) 362-9032, E-mail us at phillb@ns.net or The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html so we can get a count of workers for our lunches and spiffs. C ya there!

Buttonwillow Hotels
@ I-5 @ Highway 46 - 10 miles north of Lerdo Highway
        Motel 6                         Economy Inn
        14685 Warren Street             14684 Aloma Street
        Lost Hills, CA 93249            Lost Hills, CA 93249
        Telephone: (805) 797-2346       Telephone: (805) 797-2371

Buttonwillow Off-Ramp / Highway 58
10 miles south of Lerdo Highway
        Good Nite Inns                  Motel 6- South
        20645 Tracy Road                3810 Tracy Boulevard
        Buttonwillow, CA 93206          Buttonwillow, CA 93206
        Telephone: (805) 764-5121       Telephone: (805) 764-5207

        Super 8 - Buttonwillow          Motel 6 - North
        20681 Tracy Avenue              20638 Tracy Boulevard
        Buttonwillow, CA 93206          Buttonwillow, CA 93206
        Telephone: (805) 764-5117       Telephone: (805) 764-5153

@ 1-5 Stockdale Highway - 15 miles south of Lerdo Highway
        Econo Lodge                     Best Western Heritage Inn
        200 Trask Street                253 Trask Street
        Bakersfield, CA 93312           Bakersfield, CA 93312
        Res: 1-800-424-4777             Res: 1-800-328-1234
        Telephone: (805) 764-5221       Telephone: (805) 764-626

3rd Newsletter...

The Crew
Editors: Phill Brown & Doug Smith
The Correct New and Improved Worker HotLine (925) 362-9032
E-mail: phillb@ns.net     The Crew web site
http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html

Next Race, Easter Sunday, April 3 & 4 1999, Sears Point Raceway, Hwys 37 & 121, Sonoma

It was great to see almost everyone at Buttonwillow. We were graced with good weather at the track. It looked like it was pretty wet to the west. I would like to thank the AFM for the great sweatshirts, schedule key fobs, a great BBQ Saturday evening and the few extra buck for the drive to nowhere. And what a drive it was. Dennis Baird and I left early on Friday to have daylight on the way down. I just remembered seeing all the tumbleweeds along one stretch of highway. If the wind ever changed directions, it would be a wild game of dodgeball with cars. Thanks for all of you who made the trip to help out. It looks like the AFM South Chapter may be revived and they will be recruiting more workers from SoCal, adding numbers to our family!

AMA and AHRMA workers please check the front of your newsletter for the dates you are signed up to work. If any information is incorrect, call me at (916) 282-6344 or e-mail me at phillb@ns.net ASAP. We still have room for a few more workers, but time is running out.

A couple of e-mails came across my 'puter the last few weeks, I'd thought I'd pass them on to everyone.  >From Bruce Barnum: Peter (Bruce's brother and assumes many start/finish/pre-grid positions) will not be at the next race, and may not be able to be at either the AHRMA or the AMA races. On Mar. 10th, he was injured at work when the trench he was in collapsed on him and pinned him against an 8" pipe sticking up out of the trench. He has two broken ribs and a lacerated kidney. He was in the hospital for two days and the docs think it will be 4 to 6 weeks before he is healthy. (We're gonna be missing you, big time, Pete!)

Lastly from AFM Racer Al Madril, Subject: Trackworkers Rule!!!! I was at the Buttonwillow Race a couple of weeks ago. Attended the New Riders School too. I was the big guy on the Triumph Bonneville, 1976, 750, Number 985. My bike is all stock, and is my street sweetheart. Now it's all gussied up and ready to have some fun. I wanted to thank all the Cornerworkers and Crew for all their support!! All the waves and thumbs up! were a big boost to my confidence out there, especially at the school, when I was put in the same group as the GSXR 750's. Can you spell intimidation? My poor Triumph has maybe 45 horsepower. But, as the sessions weren't too fast, I think we kept up just fine!! A big thank you to the guy and gal working the station just at the esses. The Triumph seemed to get a bite in that area, and each time I swooshed by, the look on their faces would tell me that we were doing OK!!!!! You folks are probably never thanked enough for all the work you do. So here's my one voice from the crowd of racers everywhere. THANK YOU ALL!
 

Race Notes - Doug Smith
The Road

All packed, dinner behind us and the commute traffic out of the way,
hitting the road after dark. It made for a good start, getting a break and something to eat after a long day at work. The excitement of the first race of the season started to kick in on the Altamont Pass. Over the hill and headed south I knew it was going to be a good ride. Calm and clear, a fast track, not that much traffic. Where did all those lights come from? This valley was a lot more empty last year. The music on the radio is the same, though. Saw the first bikes on a trailer at about Los Banos, the place with the neon windmill. Talking music, bikes and other stuff with TJ in the car helped click off the miles. Wouldn't have minded if the motel came up about an hour sooner. I think we got the last parking space there.

But the early alarm clock meant racing season and seeing a lot of folks I hadn't seen since we were here last. Saturday practice and new riders school followed the plan pretty well, once we got comm going. The landlines went south, and Warren (The Buttonwillow GM) got most of us hand radios to get the day started. With a lot of effort and a good attitude from everybody, it worked. Some of the stars of the day were Sharon in turn 9 (with the only headset that came close to working, running the checker and having nobody to talk to but me) and Guy (who had a close encounter of the hairpin kind on the way to the track but didn't miss a beat even with the bum leg). A lot of riders got plenty of track time to knock off some of the winter rust. It got COLD in the afternoon. The beer cooler wasn't a hit, but the comp BBQ sure was. Thanks, AFM, for the little red tickets. We needed the warmth and the carbo loading for Sunday.

Sunday was warmer (Yeahhh!!!), the land lines were back thanks to a late night thrash by Warren's guys, and things went smoothly until the races started. Three reds flags before lunch had a bunch of folks on edge, but it smoothed out after that. Lots of good racing even though some of the big guns were at Daytona (if you haven't seen a tape I'll be quiet). Usually 2 or 3 riders close at the front in each race, the exceptions being anything Jeff Short entered. There was the new number 1 plate and then a big gap in 750 SS and Formula Pacific. The Formula II race was one of the best until the last hundred yards, when the apparent winner got himself DQed for some dangerous blocking moves coming to the flag. On our side the busy spots were turns 2 and 6, sharing the center of attention. Good work and lots of it by Dennis Baird, Christian Thompson and new worker Brian Hedberg (Yeah!) in Turn 2, Harold Kaye and Jim Lowe' in turn 6. More work than usual for a Buttonwillow event, but I thought we handled things really well. Thanks to everyone for the effort.

Then the road home. It went well until I picked up that nail up near the neon windmill. Poking along on the mini spare for the last leg made for a long ride home. Guy, I hope your leg is OK (after bailing on the way to the track).

Nuts and Bolts

Overall it graded out a good opener. We only have 1 Sears race to get ready for the Pro events next month. Time to be sharp. So let's go over some of the basics again. A few key things for each thing we do on course:

Comm: Always have someone on the headsets, unless you're cleared for a break. Then make sure someone is back on well before bikes on course. Also have a pencil and paper handy too, for quick notes that can't be called in right away.

Flaggers:  Have the yellow flag in your hand whenever bikes are on course. Tuck it under your arm so you can get it out FAST. The very next rider may really need to see it.

Handlers: Get friendly with your fire bottle. Take it wherever you go, unless you KNOW you don't need it (like going to a knee puck, to a bike that needs a push, or to the little blue room).

TurnMarshals: Make sure your folks are comfortable with what they have to do. Coach them. Help them to help everyone else.

Everyone: Hand signals. Have you ever tried to make yourself heard over a herd of bikes on the first lap? Right. So we use a pretty universal set of hand signals to communicate when our golden voices just can't do it. There are hand signals for each flag in the bag, for help, for track crossing signals, and to pass on physical condition of a rider. These are all in the turnworker manuals. We cover them at the morning meetings too. But if you've got to be looking when the signal is passed your way (pretty basic). Whistles help to get people's attention out there. They help a lot. Bring one with you, and know who has one and where to look on your turn. When you hear one, take a look QUICKLY. I guarantee it's important. If you have any questions, ask anyone. If they don't know, both of you find someone who does. Again Keep looking towards your co-workers when you're not looking at traffic coming your way. Don't get tunnel vision, it's easy to get hypnotized by the speed. Look to each other for signals, and look out for them too.  Watch, be safe, and have fun !!!

First, go to the front gate and sign the Gate Release form. Everyone,
including campers, must sign the gate release each day they work. Be ready to show us your AFM Track Worker Card. If don't have a one, get the application at Registration. Even if you have applied for an AFM Competition or Associate license you must fill out the Worker application. They are different. From there, proceed to Registration and sign the Track Worker Release form. Also for those of you who are near 18 years old, you must show us a drivers' license or ID card proving your age at least once. AFM keeps one copy of the release, you get the other. Take your copy to Start/Finish and you will be assigned to a turn. This will be the procedure both Saturday and Sunday. We will try to have a special area for track workers at Registration to speed things up. Please be early on racedays. Oh yeah, just one more thing, a Gate Release form will be available at Start/Finish for campers to sign.

We need more Saturday workers. Especially for Buttonwillow and Thunderhill. If you want to make a weekend out of working, we offer a few extra bucks and maybe a special spiff for those Super DieHards!

The weather can be iffy, so be prepared for almost anything. Layers are the hot setup. Since we want to all look alike, please wear as much white outer clothes as you can get. No red, yellow or orange colors - you don't want to look like a flag. You may be grabbed by the leg and thrown thusly, by mistake. Long pants, sturdy shoes, no shorts. Some other good things to bring along are sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, binoculars, extra clothes, a hat, energy snacks, fruits, juices and a good loud whistle. The AFM can provide you with a whistle but you don't know whose lips were on it last. Please no alcohol during the races.

Remember, our first race is pretty far away from civilization. Unless you consider Taco Bell as civilization. Better bring it all with you. If you have an RV, Buttonwillow charges $30.00 for the weekend for electrical and water hookups. There is no dump. There is no charge for tent camping. They also have cold water showers. Brrrrr! Like Thunderhill, personal vehicles are not allowed on to the track. You will be taken out to the turns by our Crash Truck. So be ready to pack it all in with you.

The worker gates open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 sharp!. (We also need to go to Registration and sign the forms.) Please stay to the left as you enter the gate area. That's where the worker gate is. Because of agreements with the Buttonwillow track, no refunds to workers who arrive after we close the worker gate. Please be on time to save money and help us get used to the new procedures. The morning meeting starts at 7:10 at Start/Finish. The earlier the better for getting the turn you want. Attendance at all eight AFM races is mandatory for this year's Die-Hard hat. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of fog will keep us away from the gate taking names of those brave workers. We try to give the weather every chance of clearing before canceling the race and those days count for the hats.

Both Saturdays and Sundays we provide morning coffee and donuts, a sack lunch and after-race beverages and snacks. Please be responsible with post-race activities. We also place water, bug spray, and ear plugs out on the turns. Our payday is Sunday after the race. Our final race gets the checkered flag about 6:00 p.m. So we can get a count of workers for our lunches and spiffs please either call the Worker Hot-Line (925) 362-9032, E-mail us at phillb@ns.net or The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html if you plan to attend. C ya there!

1999 AFM RACE SCHEDULE
        May     29*-30  Sears Point
        June    19-20   Thunderhill
        July    17-18   Sears Point
        August  28*-29  Sears Point
        September       25-26   Buttonwillow
        October 23**-24 Thunderhill
        * = New Racers School
        ** = 4 Hour Endurance Race

4th Newsletter...
The Crew
3rd Race Newsletter
Editors: Phill Brown & Doug Smith
The Correct New and Improved Worker HotLine (925) 362-9032
E-mail: phillb@ns.net     The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html

Next Race, May 29-30, 1999, Sears Point, Hwys 37& 121, Sonoma

Memorial Day Weekend! For those of you who can work with us for Saturday and Sunday, we will, as an added bonus, give you Monday off! (Certain restrictions apply. Not valid on most holidays or when State laws are violated. See store for details. Not valid on days with a "d" in them. Write your congressperson often. Trust me on the sunscreen). Really, if you don't have any plans for Memorial Weekend, we'd be glad to see you.
 

Race Notes - Doug Smith
C.. c.. c.. c..

Yeah, it was cold, like Thunderhill in November only with hail. Our Sears Point opener had something a little special for us. One of the cooler days on record for an AFM day. Windy too. Haybales blowing down, riders missing lines by a lot. Most of the bad weather was Saturday after lunch, so it cut short some of the open practice and trimmed down the new rider's school time a bit. But the wind dried things out pretty quickly and we got the day in. With the wind and cold track we had a lot of work to do. Our Saturday crew was definitely up to it, and all of you get a big thank-you from the club and the riders.

Sunday was warmer and calmer, but not really tee-shirt weather. The Easter bunny left little goodie bags in the turn boxes, and the races were on. Very packed grids, 13 races without Formula EZ, and a great spectator day. Jeff Short showed off his #1 plate by running away from the F-P pack, but good close racing in nearly every event. Fewer crashes than Saturday - a little sunshine helps - but that nearly changed at the start of 750 Superbike. A guy on the second row got completely sideways, and 5 or more riders made all the right moves to miss everything. No contact Ñ amazing! Also amazing was our work on the corners. Good picks and quick clearances were the order of the day. I won't pick out any stars, 'cause that might slight someone else. But we're in mid-season form and ready for the Nationals. And Pete, we missed ya, hurry back. (Editors note: Bruce (Pete's Brother) e-mailed me and said Pete thanks everyone for the get well card and he expects to be back at Start/Finish at our May race).

Special thanks go out to the new workers - Kevin Zimmeran, Tim Dao, Kitty Holmes, Leo van Dudheusden and AMA Official and founder of Flag Services Daniel Lance and some folks we hadn't seen for a while. Welcome, and welcome back.

Nuts and Bolts

Just a reminder of the big one. Watch your back. Know where you are and what's coming your way - All The Time - Whatever Is Going On. Especially if you're going to an incident. Repeat as often as necessary, and remind your corner-mates too. Things happen right behind other things, and you really don't want to be in the middle. We don't want you there either.

Another Great AMA / AHRMA Weekend (Doug and Phill)

A special thanks to Henry for taking care of the coffee and post-race refreshments for the AHRMA race. and what a great three days it was. This is a real easy going group. Some classes had only one or two racers in it. Five guys going 'round the track for one Vintage practice. Just a quick update on Todd Henning who crashed three laps before calling it a weekend. He had the equivalent of Shaken Baby Syndrome. He making slow but steady progress. He is able to speak a few words and take a few steps with help from parallel bars. For more information an auto-reply is set up at his e-mail address: todd454@yahoo.com. Miriam, Todd's wife, credits Todd's steady recovery to her faith in God and Miriam would like you to join her in prayer for Todd's continued progress and full recovery.

The AMA tour made a fast pass through California recently, with the second stop at Sears Point. The weather cooperated, with a few minor misty sprinkles Friday but sunshine for the rest of the weekend. The track took on its AMA personality with their modified Turn 1 configuration and our Turn 12 chicane opened up more than in past years. The radar gun caught the Suberbike guys at 95 entering and 105 leaving. Sure hope nobody snags a bale.

The 3 day format was the same as in past years. Lots of practice and qualifying, heat races too, on Friday and Saturday. One final Saturday and the rest Sunday. Lots of very fast racing, but not the number of bikes we deal with at a club race. Much higher visibility though, with TV and all of the factory folks looking on. So we did what we usually do, handled things right. Our AMA observer's only comment, repeated all weekend long, was "You AFM guys are kicking some serious butt out there!" Sears and the AMA were nothing but happy with what we did for them. Lots of good comments from riders in the pits too. Thanks to everyone who contributed, from one day to all three. Some of you from a long ways away.

In the races, Matt Mladin, Chuck Sorensen and Tom Montano walked away with the Superbike, 250, and Pro Thunder events. Nicky Hayden and Tom Kipp were pushed a bit more, but took the 600 and 750 classes. The busy spots for the weekend? Turns 1 and 6, not for so many crashes, but for so many riders taking shortcuts in practice and qualifying. Serious stuff included red flags Sunday for crashes in Turns 8 and 12. Randy Groves is recovering after an airlift from turn 8 in the 600 race. Good work on the calls and actions taken up there. Cleanup time, the restart, and the live TV schedule led to lunch on the turns for the first time in a long while. Then late in the 250 race someone did clip one of those bales in 12. We had the cleanup covered but the rider didn't get right up from the line. Too many laps done for a restart, so another one hits the books. Again, great job everyone !!! Thanks for the Sunday lunch indulgence.

We need more Saturday workers, at all tracks. If you want to make a weekend out of working, we offer a few extra bucks and maybe a special spiff for those Super DieHards!

Our fourth race at Thunderhill is just around the corner, and we're gonna need lots-o-workers. We will try to run the new sections of the racetrack (behind the pits). Bring some of your friends along with you to the next two races and get them trained. Anyone who brings us a new worker who works at least four races will receive a special spiff. This applies for the whole season, not just Thunderhill. See the list of hotels at the end.

First, go to the front gate and sign the Gate Release form. Everyone, including campers, must sign the gate release each day they work. Be ready to show us your AFM Track Worker Card. If don't have a one, get the application at Registration. Even if you have applied for an AFM Competition or Associate license you must fill out the Worker application. They are different. From there, proceed to Registration and sign the Track Worker Release form. Also for those of you who are near 18 years old, you must show us a drivers' license or ID card proving your age at least once. AFM keeps one copy of the release, you get the other. Take your copy to Start/Finish and you will be assigned to a turn. This will be the procedure both Saturday and Sunday. We will try to have a special area for track workers at Registration to speed things up. Please be early on racedays. Oh yeah, just one more thing, a Gate Release form will be available at Start/Finish for campers to sign.

The weather can be iffy, so be prepared for almost anything. Layers are the hot setup. Since we want to all look alike, please wear as much white outer clothes as you can get. No red, yellow or orange colors - you don't want to look like a flag. You may be grabbed by the leg and thrown thusly, by mistake. Long pants, sturdy shoes, no shorts. Some other good things to bring along are sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, binoculars, extra clothes, a hat, energy snacks, fruits, juices and a good loud whistle. The AFM can provide you with a whistle but you don't know whose lips were on it last. Please no alcohol during the races.

The worker gates open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 sharp!. (We also need to go to Registration and sign the forms.) Please stay to the left as you enter the gate area. That's where the worker gate is. Because of agreements with the Buttonwillow track, no refunds to workers who arrive after we close the worker gate. Please be on time to save money and help us get used to the new procedures. The morning meeting starts at 7:10 at Start/Finish. The earlier the better for getting the turn you want. Attendance at all eight AFM races is mandatory for this year's Die-Hard hat. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of fog will keep us away from the gate taking names of those brave workers. We try to give the weather every chance of clearing before canceling the race and those days count for the hats.

Both Saturdays and Sundays we provide morning coffee and donuts, a sack lunch and after-race beverages and snacks. Please be responsible with post-race activities. We also place water, bug spray, and ear plugs out on the turns. Our payday is Sunday after the race. Our final race gets the checkered flag about 6:00 p.m. So we can get a count of workers for our lunches and spiffs please either call the Worker Hot-Line (925) 362-9032, E-mail us at phillb@ns.net or The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html if you plan to attend. C ya there!

1999 AFM RACE SCHEDULE
        May     29*-30  Sears Point
        June    19-20   Thunderhill
        July    17-18   Sears Point
        August  28*-29  Sears Point
        September       25-26   Buttonwillow
        October 23**-24 Thunderhill
        * = New Racers School
        ** = 4 Hour Endurance Race
 
 
 

Thunderhill Hotels

Golden Pheasant Inn       Crossroads West Inn
(Best Western)
249 N Humboldt             452 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4603              (530) 934-7026

Days Inn                          Super 8 Motel
475 N Humboldt             457 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4444              (530) 934-2871
 
 
 

5th Newsletter...

Next Race: June 19 & 20 Thunderhill Raceway at Willows, about 1 hour north of Sacramento on I-5

It was another cool and busy Memorial Day race at Sears Point. Our 600 Superbike race took almost as many red flags (can I say RED in the newsletter? Whoops, I just did!) as the AMA Saturday Night Live marathon of a few years back. But enough about the past.... To Infinity And Beyond! OK, back up the bus just a little. Our next race is at Thunderhill. (See motel list elsewhere) And starting at Thunder track workers will receive Mo Money (see “Mo Money” also elsewhere, for particulars). In addition to more bucks, there is a Saturday night BBQ and another great Slickart Worker T-shirt. Now what would you give for all this? But Wait! There’s More! If they get enough entries, we will see a special GPRA 125 race. Hard to believe, eh? This is something you won’t see on late night TV. Act now. One lonely operator is trying to stay awake.
 

Track Notes / Doug Smith
Summertime ???

Not yet, but stay close to your flag stations, it could happen. The Memorial Day Weekend race at Sears had some of those cold March winds on Saturday and a bit of sunshine Sunday. It was our third race of the year, the one that Barbara always worries about, because the racers are just confident enough to try almost anything. She came pretty close. Very full grids and practices left little room for mistakes, so when they happened ...

Sunday gave us some of the best racing in recent memory. Close dices in most of the classes. The second and third waves were sometimes the closest, but tough to follow. The Formula Pacific Jeff Short Benefit Race was closer than any time this year. Jeff won again, but it was tough for him to break away from the pack, and then Brian Parriot was closing steadily at the end. Only a matter of time before someone got one of those new F4s really hooked up. The problem race was 600 Superbike, which took 4 warmup laps to get a finish. Our crew was right on top of all the problems, though: it was just the flags and the planets lining up a little funny.

Busy spots on race day: Turns 2 and 6 with 7 falls each, turns 7 and 11 with 6, turns 3 and 12 close behind. Too many names to list, so we’ll pass this time. But the whole crew did a fine job. And like we always say, no matter how often you come out or how long you’ve been with us, you’ll see something new every time. Send your duck flag designs to Phill.

Nuts and Bolts - Comm Again?

So you’re the flagger on Turn 4 at any of our tracks. Over the headsets you hear ÒRider down, we have a rider down. He’s off to the side of the track, next to his bikeÓ. What do you do? Do you know what turn is calling? Do you know what flag they have (so you know what flag to show)? Do you know if the track is clear? If the rider is OK? No, and neither do I. Somewhere on the track there is a problem, and almost nobody knows where. So, we try very hard not make calls like that. First things first. Think of our safety priorities: take care of yourself first, second the upcoming riders, third the involved rider(s). Your fellow workers need coverage, and the upcoming riders need to know what is going on quickly. Immediately when an incident happens, a flag is usually needed. Put the right one up and say so, or ask for one from the turn ahead of you if that’s what’s needed. The call would be much better if it was:

Waving yellow turn 11. Rider down rider’s right exit. Track is clear, rider is up and OK. Checking on bike number.

Better? Now turn 4 can get back to the business of turn 4. Turn 10 puts up a standing yellow before the call is half done. The upcoming riders have the best warning they can get. That makes the workers and the down rider much safer. So if you might be on comm some race day, practice this call. When it’s clear it tells everyone what they need to know. Things go so much smoother and safer. It’s all about communication. Usually we’re very very good at this as a crew, but we’ve had some slips lately. Without good comm work, things fall apart quickly. But good comm work comes with practice and deciding that you’re in control of the situation, whatever happens. And we can all do that.
 

Thanks to all our new workers... AFM racer, Jessica Arai, saw things from the other side of the track in Turn 1. Warren Eik brought Walt Heimbecher and learned some hard lessons in Turn 2. Turn 5 was staffed by newcomer Bennett Watts who Guy Berrysmith talked in to helping out. Henry Hathaway introduced us to new worker Jill Sellers in Turn 6. Barbara Smith (our Race Director) brought help to Start/Finish with Jacquie Mardell. Do you see how easy it is? Five new workers at one race. By the end of the year it will be so crowded out on the turns that you won’t have to worry so much about potty breaks. Welcome all new workers. Next race you won’t be rookies - you’ll be family!

Thanks to the AFM Board of Directors for giving our workers a well deserved raise starting at our next race at Thunderhill. At Sears Point workers only working one day will receive $20. If you work both Saturday and Sunday you will receive $60 for the weekend. At Thunderhill and Buttonwillow, to help offset the costs of travel, workers only working one day will receive $30. If you work both Saturday and Sunday you will receive $80 for the weekend. Plus at Thunderhill and Buttonwillow there is usually a no-cost BBQ on Saturday night and an extra spiff. Share a drive, share a motel room or camp out, and put even more bucks in your pocket! Thank you AFM for Showin’ Us Da Money!

First, go to the front gate and sign the Gate Release form. Everyone, including campers, must sign the gate release each day they work. Be ready to show us your AFM Track Worker Card. If don’t have a one, get the application at Registration. Even if you have applied for an AFM Competition or Associate license you must fill out the Worker application. They are different. From there, proceed to Registration and sign the Track Worker Release form. Also for those of you who are near 18 years old, you must show us a drivers’ license or ID card proving your age at least once. AFM keeps one copy of the release, you get the other. Take your copy to Start/Finish and you will be assigned to a turn. This will be the procedure both Saturday and Sunday. We will try to have a special area for track workers at Registration to speed things up. Please be early on racedays. Oh yeah, just one more thing, a Gate Release form will be available at Start/Finish for campers to sign.

We need more Saturday workers. Especially for Buttonwillow and Thunderhill. If you want to make a weekend out of working, we offer a few extra bucks and maybe a special spiff for those Super DieHards!

The weather can be iffy, so be prepared for almost anything. Layers are the hot setup. Since we want to all look alike, please wear as much white outer clothes as you can get. No red, yellow or orange colors - you don't want to look like a flag. You may be grabbed by the leg and thrown thusly, by mistake. Long pants, sturdy shoes, no shorts. Some other good things to bring along are sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, binoculars, extra clothes, a hat, energy snacks, fruits, juices and a good loud whistle. The AFM can provide you with a whistle but you don't know whose lips were on it last. Please no alcohol during the races.

The worker gates open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 sharp!. (We also need to go to Registration and sign the forms.) Please stay to the left as you enter the gate area. That's where the worker gate is. Because of agreements with the Buttonwillow track, no refunds to workers who arrive after we close the worker gate. Please be on time to save money and help us get used to the new procedures. The morning meeting starts at 7:10 at Start/Finish. The earlier the better for getting the turn you want. Attendance at all eight AFM races is mandatory for this year's Die-Hard hat. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of fog will keep us away from the gate taking names of those brave workers. We try to give the weather every chance of clearing before canceling the race and those days count for the hats.

Both Saturdays and Sundays we provide morning coffee and donuts, a sack lunch and after-race beverages and snacks. Please be responsible with post-race activities. We also place water, bug spray, and ear plugs out on the turns. Our payday is Sunday after the race. Our final race gets the checkered flag about 6:00 p.m. So we can get a count of workers for our lunches and spiffs please either call the Worker Hot-Line (925) 362-9032, E-mail us at phillb@ns.net or The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html if you plan to attend. C ya there!

1999 AFM RACE SCHEDULE
        May     29*-30  Sears Point
        June    19-20   Thunderhill
        July    17-18   Sears Point
        August  28*-29  Sears Point
        September       25-26   Buttonwillow
        October 23**-24 Thunderhill
        * = New Racers School
        ** = 4 Hour Endurance Race
 

Thunderhill Hotels

Golden Pheasant Inn     Crossroads West Inn
(Best Western)
249 N Humboldt          452 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988       Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4603          (530) 934-7026

Days Inn                Super 8 Motel
475 N Humboldt          457 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988       Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4444          (530) 934-2871
6th Newsletter...

Editors Note: Because of massive finger failure and not really paying attention, the paper version of the newsletter went out with Doug Smith’s “Track Notes” from last issue. This is the only place that you’ll read the real thing. Sorry Doug, I can’t throw anything away. Even an old article! Phill

Next race July, 17 & 18 1999. Sears Point Raceway. Hwy 37 & 121, Sonoma, CA

June 19 & 20, the weekend of the Flying Spiders (and other pests).  As I was walking by the grass along Start / Finish I noticed the ground was moving. Well, not really, it was just mucho critteros (grasshoppers). It’s really weird the things I remember after a race. Kind of goes with the guy remembering them, eh? Anyway, very warm with a lot of bugs. Oh yeah, and some great racing. Some really good battles down to the last lap. Not to mention the extra 125 GP race. Some great racing there too, even though they sound like the bugs mentioned before. Too bad we were not able to complete the full raceday because of too many transports and not enough available ambulances. The latter problem will be taken care of by the time we return to Thunderhill for our last race (Worker Appreciation) October 23 & 24. One last thing: thanks again to the AFM for the extra bucks (see elsewhere) and the great Saturday After Race BBQ. It just keeps getting better and better!

So no more complaints about cold weather, OK? That little bit of overcast Sunday afternoon helped cool off a hot weekend at T-Hill, on and off the track.  Saturday was a full practice day with the only partly full sessions going to the GPRA 125cc series.  With a lot of our F-III riders joining in, it looked good on paper.  The pits were full, more so than I've ever seen away from Sears.  This is our fifth year coming up north, and you can see the racetrack and the facility grow every year.  Remember the short course, waist-high weeds, bike eating ruts and the hand held radios? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww...

After we slept off that great Saturday night dinner it was show time.  Full grids, the extra GPRA race, and things were going fine for a while.  Just before lunch was the GPRA show.  You knew it would be good with 3 bikes wide through Turn 3 for second place on the first lap. Ten laps later it was a two-foot margin from first to second.  Later Jeff Short kept his FP record perfect for the year, but not without some company from Don Greene and Jeff Hagan.  Things kinda got strange after that.  A synthetic oil spill at the exit of turn 5 claimed 6 or 7 riders over 3 races, dozens of off-and-ons in the 13-14 area, and a fire following a 2 bike incident in Turn 1. Unfortunately some riders were getting hurt too.  Nothing serious, but between us and the rest of the Glenn County area (which was also having a rough day) we ran short of ambulance support and had to call it a day with 2 races unfinished.

Good Crew work though.  Fire-Meisters Brad Stewart and Christian Thompson backed up by Guy Berrysmith on comm and Dave Grismore sprinting over from Turn 3 handled the fire situation in Turn 1 to the great delight of the Thunderhill staff.  With the dry grass things could have gotten out of hand in a hurry.  Top marks!  Dennis Baird, Sandy Jones, Sharon Kizziah and Rick Bales did their best with the slick stuff in 5.  To you folks and everyone else, thanks for a great job on a long hot weekend.  The club and the riders really appreciate it.  In fact, one rider who I don't know but had his arm in a sling came down and said he wanted to thank the turnworkers and give us a little something. Then he headed back to the pits before I could get his name.  So now there's $100 more in the Worker Appreciation Day fund.

I wish I was good enough to see one race ahead for what we need, especially this time.  But it's dry grass season and a motorcycle fire takes on a whole new look.  First, bike basics.  Bikes don't go up often, but you have to be ready when they do.  The red fire extinguishers on the turns are ABC types, which are good for everything on a motorcycle but not for dry grass or haybales.  Dealing with a bike fire requires an extinguisher in hand - no surprise - so you need to take one with you when you respond to an incident.  If you don't need it, and most of the time you won't, set it out of the way, deal with things, and take it back to your station.  Don't pull the pin unless you mean to use it. If you have a fire, pull the pin without squeezing the handle.  These parts are easy to bend, and then the extinguisher won't work (what then ??).

So you've got one. Things will be REALLY BUSY right about now so make sure you know where you are, where the track and traffic is, where the rider is, and you'll want to think about the wind. Pin pulled, aim the nozzle at the base of the flames from 7-10 feet away and squeeze it off. Get a good shot inside the fairing where most of the gas comes from.  After it's out, keep an eye on things.  It's still hot and probably still leaking. Turn off everything you can. Keep thinking about where you are. Give your fellow workers the help they need.  Comm folks, stay on the headset keep us posted.  If I know something's burning, you have my attention.

There are also some chrome fire extinguishers on course.  They contain water for the occasional haybale or hillside that may get started.  If a grass fire gets going, call for help immediately!  The track crews are very interested in helping us with that. Don't use the water extinguishers on a bike / gas fire.  It will only make matters worse.

You won't need to use this information too often, but always keep a bottle in hand when you respond just in case.  Fire bottle, that is ...

Just two new workers at Thunderhill: Amanda Taylor who worked turn 11 on Saturday and turn 9 on Sunday, and Aaron Heimbechers, Walt’s son, who helped at Start / Finish all weekend. Thanks for all your help during the weekend and don’t forget to come back. The first race you’re guests - and now you’re family!

Thanks to the AFM Board of Directors for giving our workers a well deserved raise starting at our next race at Thunderhill. At Sears Point workers only working one day will receive $20. If you work both Saturday and Sunday you will receive $60 for the weekend. At Thunderhill and Buttonwillow, to help offset the costs of travel, workers only working one day will receive $30. If you work both Saturday and Sunday you will receive $80 for the weekend. Plus at Thunderhill and Buttonwillow there is usually a no-cost BBQ on Saturday night and an extra spiff. Share a drive, share a motel room or camp out, and put even more bucks in your pocket! Thank you AFM for Showin’ Us Da Money!

We need more Saturday workers. Especially for Buttonwillow and Thunderhill. If you want to make a weekend out of working, we offer a few extra bucks and maybe a special spiff for those Super DieHards!

First, go to the front gate and sign the Gate Release form. Everyone, including campers, must sign the gate release each day they work. Be ready to show us your AFM Track Worker Card. If don't have a one, get the application at Registration. Even if you have applied for an AFM Competition or Associate license you must fill out the Worker application. They are different. From there, proceed to Registration and sign the Track Worker Release form. Also for those of you who are near 18 years old, you must show us a drivers' license or ID card proving your age at least once. AFM keeps one copy of the release, you get the other. Take your copy to Start/Finish and you will be assigned to a turn. This will be the procedure both Saturday and Sunday. We will try to have a special area for track workers at Registration to speed things up. Please be early on racedays. Oh yeah, just one more thing, a Gate Release form will be available at Start/Finish for campers to sign.

The weather can be iffy, so be prepared for almost anything. Layers are the hot setup. Since we want to all look alike, please wear as much white outer clothes as you can get. No red, yellow or orange colors - you don't want to look like a flag. You may be grabbed by the leg and thrown thusly, by mistake. Long pants, sturdy shoes, no shorts. Some other good things to bring along are sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, binoculars, extra clothes, a hat, energy snacks, fruits, juices and a good loud whistle. The AFM can provide you with a whistle but you don't know whose lips were on it last. Please no alcohol during the races.

The worker gates open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 sharp!. (We also need to go to Registration and sign the forms.) Please stay to the left as you enter the gate area. That's where the worker gate is. Because of agreements with the Buttonwillow track, no refunds to workers who arrive after we close the worker gate. Please be on time to save money and help us get used to the new procedures. The morning meeting starts at 7:10 at Start/Finish. The earlier the better for getting the turn you want. Attendance at all eight AFM races is mandatory for this year's Die-Hard hat. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of fog will keep us away from the gate taking names of those brave workers. We try to give the weather every chance of clearing before canceling the race and those days count for the hats.

Both Saturdays and Sundays we provide morning coffee and donuts, a sack lunch and after-race beverages and snacks. Please be responsible with post-race activities. We also place water, bug spray, and ear plugs out on the turns. Our payday is Sunday after the race. Our final race gets the checkered flag about 6:00 p.m. So we can get a count of workers for our lunches and spiffs please either call the Worker Hot-Line (925) 362-9032, E-mail us at phillb@ns.net or The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html if you plan to attend. C ya there!

1999 AFM RACE SCHEDULE
        May     29*-30  Sears Point
        June    19-20   Thunderhill
        July    17-18   Sears Point
        August  28*-29  Sears Point
        September       25-26   Buttonwillow
        October 23**-24 Thunderhill
        * = New Racers School
        ** = 4 Hour Endurance Race

7th Newsletter...

We are over the hump and on our way for the last three races of the season. There are rumors that Sears Point will be making more major changes in the off season. This my be your last chance to see the new- old Sears Point. If you have been reading the Unofficial AFM Poster Area (or the last Sunday riders meeting) there has also been lots of talk about changing the turn 12 chicane. Stay tuned. Once again because of a major brain fog, all I really remember of our July race was lots of weird crashes happening in weird places. Not the usual weird that follows me around, mind you, and not the Twilight Zone weird either. But a strange kind of weird. Thank goodness for all our veteran workers to sort through all the weirdness.  Thanks, everyone, for all of you hard work. We could not have done it without you!
 

Track Notes - Doug Smith
Hot August Notes

Pretty bad, OK. Don't blame that on Phill. So, where were you for the July race weekend? Those of us at the Point had a great day with a lot of good racing and just enough action to keep us busy. Saturday was practice, practice, practice. Some of the riders needed the work, and all of them appreciated the track time. Everyone got 5 sessions and plenty of chance to work out some of the mid-season bugs and dial in the new trick stuff. I was a little worried about the weather earlier in the week, but Friday cooled off a bit, and the weekend was perfect.

Sunday brought full grids and a few things different from the usual race day. Best race? How about Formula 40? These guys that are approaching (ahem...) my age were really going after it. Close and dicey from flag to flag, Bob Siebenhaar held off about 4 other guys for a close win. To make the race day interesting, a couple of the second wave class winners got past all of their first wave friends to take checkered flags. FP - Jeff again. Close company for the podium though. Somebody might even get a wheel in front this year. (OK, trivia buffs, Cal was our last repeat Number 1, but who was the last repeat champion before that? No special prize if you know, just the awe and adoration of The Crew at the morning meeting). Nice to see a "1" plate out there though.

So how busy was it? Turn 7 with the new pavement (from the NASCAR thrashing) - a few acrobatic off&ons but pretty mellow overall. Turn 2 was the crazy place for a while. Dennis Baird, Brad Stewart and Tejon Stanley had nearly every call. Then the crash magnet went to Turns 3 and 12. Good work by the crews of Henry Hathaway  and Judy Mosier in turn 3 and Kerri Golden and Christian Thompson in turn 12. Bits of stashing to do everywhere else too. A little more work overall than usual, but no problem. A great job by everyone. The new workers in the mix this weekend were certainly up for it, and seemed to have a ball Hugh Mc Mullen, Bill Caldwell and Alfredo Sanchez. Come on back!!! (We think they're hooked.) And a tip of the hat to Tejon Stanley. Nearly a die-hard last year, and on track for a hat this year, he's off to Embry Riddle University in Arizona. Good luck TJ! See ya next summer.

Remind me next race - It's been too long since we did a name tag order. Get with me and I'll get you on the list if you're tagless. Names taken at the track only, so ...

Something I've been hearing a lot lately from the riders is "Thanks." Those thanks are for all of you. Saturdays at pre-grid, Sunday around the pits at lunch, at registration in the morning, all over. Everyone reading this need to know that a lot of folks know that you make a difference to them. They can't thank each of you, but it's there.

It's a long break till Sears again. Get those summer chores and other weekend deals out of the way. Hope to see all of you in a few weeks. Bring a friend!

Nuts and Bolts
Tis the Season

Editors note: If you're on the e-list you've seen this before because I can't seem to throw anything away - even old files. So here's the July installment of Nuts and Bolts and Race Notes, Sorry Doug.

I wish I was good enough to see one race ahead for what we need, especially this time. But it's dry grass season and a motorcycle fire takes on a whole new look. First, bike basics. Bikes don't go up often, but you have to be ready when they do. The red fire extinguishers on the turns are ABC types, which are good for everything on a motorcycle but not for dry grass or haybales. Dealing with a bike fire requires an extinguisher in hand - no surprise - so you need to take one with you when you respond to an incident. If you don't need it, and most of the time you won't, set it out of the way, deal with things, and take it back to your station. Don't pull the pin unless you mean to use it. If you have a fire, pull the pin without squeezing the handle. These parts are easy to bend, and then the extinguisher won't work (what then ??).

So you've got one. Things will be REALLY BUSY right about now so make sure you know where you are, where the track and traffic is, where the rider is, and you'll want to think about the wind. Pin pulled, aim the nozzle at the base of the flames from 7-10 feet away and squeeze it off. Get a good shot inside the fairing where most of the gas comes from. After it's out, keep an eye on things. It's still hot and probably still leaking. Turn off everything you can. Keep thinking about where you are. Give your fellow workers the help they need. Comm folks, stay on the headset keep us posted. If I know something's burning, you have my attention.

There are also some chrome fire extinguishers on course. They contain water for the occasional haybale or hillside that may get started. If a grass fire gets going, call for help immediately! The track crews are very interested in helping us with that. Don't use the water extinguishers on a bike / gas fire. It will only make matters worse.
 You won't need to use this information too often, but always keep a bottle in hand when you respond just in case. Fire bottle, that is ...

Track Notes - Doug Smith
(From July)

So no more complaints about cold weather, OK? That little bit of overcast Sunday afternoon helped cool off a hot weekend at T-Hill, on and off the track. Saturday was a full practice day with the only partly full sessions going to the GPRA 125cc series. With a lot of our F-III riders joining in, it looked good on paper. The pits were full, more so than I've ever seen away from Sears. This is our fifth year coming up north, and you can see the racetrack and the facility grow every year. Remember the short course, waist-high weeds, bike eating ruts and the hand held radios? Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww...

After we slept off that great Saturday night dinner it was show time. Full grids, the extra GPRA race, and things were going fine for a while. Just before lunch was the GPRA show. You knew it would be good with 3 bikes wide through Turn 3 for second place on the first lap. Ten laps later it was a two-foot margin from first to second. Later Jeff Short kept his FP record perfect for the year, but not without some company from Don Greene and Jeff Hagan. Things kinda got strange after that. A synthetic oil spill at the exit of turn 5 claimed 6 or 7 riders over 3 races, dozens of off-and-ons in the 13-14 area, and a fire following a 2 bike incident in Turn 1. Unfortunately some riders were getting hurt too. Nothing serious, but between us and the rest of the Glenn County area (which was also having a rough day) we ran short of ambulance support and had to call it a day with 2 races unfinished.

Good Crew work though. Fire-Meisters Brad Stewart and Christian Thompson backed up by Guy Berrysmith on comm and Dave Grismore sprinting over from Turn 3 handled the fire situation in Turn 1 to the great delight of the Thunderhill staff. With the dry grass things could have gotten out of hand in a hurry. Top marks! Dennis Baird, Sandy Jones, Sharon Kizziah and Rick Bales did their best with the slick stuff in 5. To you folks and everyone else, thanks for a great job on a long hot weekend. The club and the riders really appreciate it. In fact, one rider who I don't know but had his arm in a sling came down and said he wanted to thank the turnworkers and give us a little something. Then he headed back to the pits before I could get his name. So now there's $100 more in the Worker Appreciation Day fund.

First Calls for Buttonwillow
and Thunderhill

Our last two races are on the road. First at Buttonwillow September 25 and 26. And our last race of the season at Thunderhill October 23 and 24. Our last race will also be out annual Worker Appreciation Race give-away and super BBQ. As mentioned before we have over $100.00 toward the fund to hand out. Before our BBQ we might have a four hour endurance race just for fun. Mark you calenders and book your lodging as we're heading to the end of this season. Please see the list of motels printed elsewhere

Mo Money! Mo Money!

Thanks to the AFM Board of Directors for giving our workers a well deserved raise starting at our next race at Thunderhill. At Sears Point workers only working one day will receive $20. If you work both Saturday and Sunday you will receive $60 for the weekend. At Thunderhill and Buttonwillow, to help offset the costs of travel, workers only working one day will receive $30. If you work both Saturday and Sunday you will receive $80 for the weekend. Plus at Thunderhill and Buttonwillow there is usually a no-cost BBQ on Saturday night and an extra spiff. Share a drive, share a motel room or camp out, and put even more bucks in your pocket! Thank you AFM for Showin' Us Da Money!

Saturday Workers

We need more Saturday workers. Especially for Buttonwillow and Thunderhill. If you want to make a weekend out of working, we offer a few extra bucks and maybe a special spiff for those Super DieHards!

Raceday Sign-in Procedures

First, go to the front gate and sign the Gate Release form. Everyone, including campers, must sign the gate release each day they work. Be ready to show us your AFM Track Worker Card. If don't have a one, get the application at Registration. Even if you have applied for an AFM Competition or Associate license you must fill out the Worker application. They are different. From there, proceed to Registration and sign the Track Worker Release form. Also for those of you who are near 18 years old, you must show us a drivers' license or ID card proving your age at least once. AFM keeps one copy of the release, you get the other. Take your copy to Start/Finish and you will be assigned to a turn. This will be the procedure both Saturday and Sunday. We will try to have a special area for track workers at Registration to speed things up. Please be early on racedays. Oh yeah, just one more thing, a Gate Release form will be available at Start/Finish for campers to sign.

What to Wear

The weather can be iffy, so be prepared for almost anything. Layers are the hot setup. Since we want to all look alike, please wear as much white outer clothes as you can get. No red, yellow or orange colors - you don't want to look like a flag. You may be grabbed by the leg and thrown thusly, by mistake. Long pants, sturdy shoes, no shorts. Some other good things to bring along are sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, binoculars, extra clothes, a hat, energy snacks, fruits, juices and a good loud whistle. The AFM can provide you with a whistle but you don't know whose lips were on it last. Please no alcohol during the races.

             What to Expect on Raceday.

The worker gates open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 sharp!. (We also need to go to Registration and sign the forms.) Please stay to the left as you enter the gate area. That's where the worker gate is. Because of agreements with the Buttonwillow track, no refunds to workers who arrive after we close the worker gate. Please be on time to save money and help us get used to the new procedures. The morning meeting starts at 7:10 at Start/Finish. The earlier the better for getting the turn you want. Attendance at all eight AFM races is mandatory for this year's Die-Hard hat. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of fog will keep us away from the gate taking names of those brave workers. We try to give the weather every chance of clearing before canceling the race and those days count for the hats.

Both Saturdays and Sundays we provide morning coffee and donuts, a sack lunch and after-race beverages and snacks. Please be responsible with post-race activities. We also place water, bug spray, and ear plugs out on the turns. Our payday is Sunday after the race. Our final race gets the checkered flag about 6:00 p.m. So we can get a count of workers for our lunches and spiffs please either call the Worker Hot-Line (925) 362-9032, E-mail us at phillb@ns.net or The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html if you plan to attend. C ya there!

Buttonwillow Hotels
@ I-5 @ Highway 46 - 10 miles north of Lerdo Highway
        Motel 6                                     Economy Inn
        14685 Warren Street                14684 Aloma Street
        Lost Hills, CA 93249                Lost Hills, CA 93249
        Telephone: (805) 797-2346       Telephone: (805) 797-2371

Buttonwillow Off-Ramp / Highway 58
10 miles south of Lerdo Highway
        Good Nite Inns                         Motel 6- South
        20645 Tracy Road                    3810 Tracy Boulevard
        Buttonwillow, CA 93206          Buttonwillow, CA 93206
        Telephone: (805) 764-5121       Telephone: (805) 764-5207

        Super 8 - Buttonwillow             Motel 6 - North
        20681 Tracy Avenue                20638 Tracy Boulevard
        Buttonwillow, CA 93206          Buttonwillow, CA 93206
        Telephone: (805) 764-5117       Telephone: (805) 764-5153

@ 1-5 Stockdale Highway - 15 miles south of Lerdo Highway
        Econo Lodge                        Best Western Heritage Inn
        200 Trask Street                   253 Trask Street
        Bakersfield, CA 93312           Bakersfield, CA 93312
        Res: 1-800-424-4777             Res: 1-800-328-1234
        Telephone: (805) 764-5221       Telephone: (805) 764-626

Thunderhill Hotels

Golden Pheasant Inn       Crossroads West Inn
(Best Western)
249 N Humboldt             452 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4603              (530) 934-7026

Days Inn                          Super 8 Motel
475 N Humboldt             457 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4444              (530) 934-2871

1999 AFM RACE SCHEDULE
        May     29*-30  Sears Point
        June    19-20   Thunderhill
        July    17-18   Sears Point
        August  28*-29  Sears Point
        September       25-26   Buttonwillow
        October 23**-24 Thunderhill
        * = New Racers School
        ** = 4 Hour Endurance Race

8th Newsletter...
 

Just a little reminder of the closely approaching next race, September 25 & 26 at Buttonwillow, west of Bakersfield on I-5. We're going to try to run a new section of racetrack near turn 9, so we need all the extra workers we can get to make it happen. BBQ, Spiffs, and more money awaits you.  We'll see you there!!
Info #'s : Worker Hotline:  (925) 362-9032   Worker E-mail: phillb@ns.net

Buttonwillow Hotels
@ I-5 @ Highway 46 - 10 miles north of Lerdo Highway
        Motel 6                                     Economy Inn
        14685 Warren Street                14684 Aloma Street
        Lost Hills, CA 93249                Lost Hills, CA 93249
        Telephone: (805) 797-2346       Telephone: (805) 797-2371

Buttonwillow Off-Ramp / Highway 58
10 miles south of Lerdo Highway
        Good Nite Inns                         Motel 6- South
        20645 Tracy Road                    3810 Tracy Boulevard
        Buttonwillow, CA 93206          Buttonwillow, CA 93206
        Telephone: (805) 764-5121       Telephone: (805) 764-5207

        Super 8 - Buttonwillow             Motel 6 - North
        20681 Tracy Avenue                20638 Tracy Boulevard
        Buttonwillow, CA 93206          Buttonwillow, CA 93206
        Telephone: (805) 764-5117       Telephone: (805) 764-5153

@ 1-5 Stockdale Highway - 15 miles south of Lerdo Highway
        Econo Lodge                        Best Western Heritage Inn
        200 Trask Street                   253 Trask Street
        Bakersfield, CA 93312           Bakersfield, CA 93312
        Res: 1-800-424-4777             Res: 1-800-328-1234
        Telephone: (805) 764-5221       Telephone: (805) 764-626

Thunderhill Hotels

Golden Pheasant Inn       Crossroads West Inn
(Best Western)
249 N Humboldt             452 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4603              (530) 934-7026

Days Inn                          Super 8 Motel
475 N Humboldt             457 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4444              (530) 934-2871

1999 AFM RACE SCHEDULE
        May     29*-30  Sears Point
        June    19-20   Thunderhill
        July    17-18   Sears Point
        August  28*-29  Sears Point
        September       25-26   Buttonwillow
        October 23**-24 Thunderhill
        * = New Racers School
        ** = 4 Hour Endurance Race
 

9th Newsletter...

Next race October 23-24, 1999. Thunderhill Raceway, Willows, CA. One hour north of Sacramento on I-5.

Whatta weekend. Whatta drive. Whatta BBQ. I will continue to say that it’s too bad that Buttonwillow isn’t a couple of hours closer to our homes. Great track - Long drive. But some great racing. Mere points separate the front runners in some classes. We saw some great passing strategy on the last laps. I really like our away races because of the BBQ and more hanging around after the races. It gives us more time to sit and bench race. “You shouldda saw the pass when the guys helmet was almost touching the front fender, his left foot was on the right side and looked like he was playing twister, BUT HE SAVED IT!!!” That happens almost every race weekend. Right? How ‘bout that drive home north on I-5? Did you get stuck in the hour and a half plus traffic jam? The next time it happens, Cal-Trans should give us a call. Not only would we have worked on a live track, but we probably cleared it up faster and swept the road free of debris too!

It looks like the lion’s share of crashes were in the new Turn 9; deeper and tighter. That kept Henry Hathaway and Judy Mosier busy the whole weekend. And not far behind 9 was turn 2 with Dennis Baird and John Zepada. Even driving through Turn 2 kind of scares me. But not like Turn 5 at Thunderhill. We also had two new track workers helping us out in Turn 5, Kristin Petrey and Ricky Taylor. Thanks for your help - we couldn’t have done it without you! And another hats off to Tony Novello who worked Turn 10 solo the whole weekend.  Also a special thanks to Henry Hathaway for hauling the soda and beer coolers down to Buttonwillow.

This next race closes out or season in a grand way. But before I go on with the details the AFM is throwing even more in the pot. The AFM will pay workers working both Saturday and Sunday one hundred bucks and forty for either day. Twenty more than usual. Plus a longsleeve Track Official worker shirt. Not only is it the last race of the 1900’s but we have a four hour endurance roadrace, an after race BBQ and the annual Worker Appreciation Give-Away. (Can you say BBQ sauce and wire ties?) So far this year I’ve collected about $150.00 in cash, a helmet, a bunch of T-shirts, a backpack full of other stuff.  And I’m cleaning out my garage. In previous years many wonderful items were given to us by the  racers, crews, friends, officials and others like computers, soft luggage, leathers, helmets, booze, vacation tickets, hats, gloves, cases of oil, and that super practical gift, cash. You get the idea. Oh yeah, you get to listen to me lose my voice yelling out everyone’s names (a Phill that can’t speak? Say it ain’t so. Almost worth showing up just to see me quiet). We are going to have a great time. Make your plans to be there. We’ll miss you if you aren’t. And with all the turns and an enduro at Thunderhill, we’ll need all the help we can get! See you there!

The following have made all seven races so far this year and are on track (sorry for the pum. No I’m not!) for getting the last DieHard hat of the 1900’s. Here is you elite for 1999: Dennis Baird, Guy Berrysmith, Melanie Durandette, Henry Hathaway, Harold Kaye, Sharon Kizziah, Jim Short, Brad Stewart and Christian Thompson.

Between now and next season if you have a problem with a hotel listed on any of the lists in this newsletter or web pages, let me know and I will add notes to the list. This will help everyone when reserving rooms.
 
 

First, go to the front gate and sign the Gate Release form. Everyone, including campers, must sign the gate release each day they work. Be ready to show us your AFM Track Worker Card. If don’t have a one, get the application at Registration. Even if you have applied for an AFM Competition or Associate license you must fill out the Worker application. They are different. From there, proceed to Registration and sign the Track Worker Release form. Also for those of you who are near 18 years old, you must show us a drivers’ license or ID card proving your age at least once. AFM keeps one copy of the release, you get the other. Take your copy to Start/Finish and you will be assigned to a turn. This will be the procedure both Saturday and Sunday. We will try to have a special area for track workers at Registration to speed things up. Please be early on racedays. Oh yeah, just one more thing, a Gate Release form will be available at Start/Finish for campers to sign.

The weather can be iffy, so be prepared for almost anything. Layers are the hot setup. Since we want to all look alike, please wear as much white outer clothes as you can get. No red, yellow or orange colors - you don’t want to look like a flag. You may be grabbed by the leg and thrown thusly, by mistake. Long pants, sturdy shoes, no shorts. Some other good things to bring along are sunscreen, sunglasses, gloves, binoculars, extra clothes, a hat, energy snacks, fruits, juices and a good loud whistle. The AFM can provide you with a whistle but you don’t know whose lips were on it last. Please no alcohol during the races.

The worker gates open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 sharp!. (We also need to go to Registration and sign the forms.) Please stay to the left as you enter the gate area. That’s where the worker gate is. Because of agreements with the Buttonwillow track, no refunds to workers who arrive after we close the worker gate. Please be on time to save money and help us get used to the new procedures. The morning meeting starts at 7:10 at Start/Finish. The earlier the better for getting the turn you want. Attendance at all eight AFM races is mandatory for this year’s Die-Hard hat. Neither rain nor snow nor gloom of fog will keep us away from the gate taking names of those brave workers. We try to give the weather every chance of clearing before canceling the race and those days count for the hats.

Both Saturdays and Sundays we provide morning coffee and donuts, a sack lunch and after-race beverages and snacks. Please be responsible with post-race activities. We also place water, bug spray, and ear plugs out on the turns. Our payday is Sunday after the race. Our final race gets the checkered flag about 6:00 p.m. So we can get a count of workers for our lunches and spiffs please either call the Worker Hot-Line (925) 362-9032, E-mail us at phillb@ns.net or The Crew web site http://www.afmracing.org/crew.html if you plan to attend. C ya there!
 

Thunderhill Hotels

Golden Pheasant Inn       Crossroads West Inn
(Best Western)
249 N Humboldt             452 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4603              (530) 934-7026

Days Inn                          Super 8 Motel
475 N Humboldt             457 N Humboldt
Willows, CA 95988        Willows, CA 95988
(530) 934-4444              (530) 934-2871

1999 AFM RACE SCHEDULE

        October 23*-24 Thunderhill
        * = 4 Hour Endurance Race

10th Newsletter...

End of Season Newsletter, Next Race 2000.

The last race of the year at Thunderhill was the most well attended AFM race of the year. One of our new workers had a dream that we’d have 45 workers and we did. What can you tell me about next year? It was down right crowded in some turns. With all the extra help it gave some of our injured workers a rest, especially with a 4-hour enduro. The after enduro BBQ and Worker Raffle finished off a great Saturday. Thanks to all that donated to the raffle, it was the best ever. Almost $1000.00 in cash was split among the workers, about $20 bucks each. All sorts of other gifts were up for grabs: A Lake Tahoe vacation, autographed Kawasaki jacket, a framed ‘finger’ photo (if you were there you know what I mean), oil, tools, ‘soccer mom’ chairs, booze, gift certificates, rhyming gift certificates for the Gucci of Willows from who must be one if it’s stockholders and much, much more. And everyone walked away with a hat, a worker shirt, another shirt or jacket, one from column A and one from column B, you what I mean. Put it this way, my wife is happy with me because I cleared out our garage. But it was a bitter sweet ending to our 1999 racing season with the loss of racer Doug Cook on the first lap of the last race on Sunday. Godspeed Doug. More from Doug Smith.

So many of the good things from the last Thunderhill race were hidden in the cloud of dust from turn 1 and the crash that took the life of racer Doug Cook in the last race of the day at our last race of 1999. Things change so quickly. Doug and his brother Dan had won their class at the 4-hour race on Saturday on the same bike. Formula 40 was the last event Sunday. From a front row start Doug was on the outside through the apex of the first turn, then ran wide and was involved with another rider. Our hearts go out to his brother, wife and family.

The very sudden way that things can turn in this sport is hard, but it underscores the importance of the work we do as a crew. There was nothing we could have done in this instance to help Doug. But we have done so many things just right that have helped so many riders in the past that we should all grow stronger knowing that incidents like this are fewer - because of the things we do at the track. And we’ll never know every one of those things. I get thanks from riders every race day. Everyone who was there for the endurance race Saturday heard it from the riders coming in on the truck at the end of the day. The families and crews know it, too, and really appreciate the care we take of their guys and gals.

Saturday dawned with great weather and full practices both for Sunday and the 4-hour later in the day. A great worker turnout gave us very good track coverage for a really competitive endurance race. It stayed close at the front overall and in most classes. The transponder scoring system gave us better updates than we’ve had for a long time at an enduro. And no controversy at the end as has happened some races before. Follow that up with a great barbecue and Worker Appreciation festivities, and the weekend was off to a great start.

Sunday started with a dozen DieHard hats above a dozen happy faces. This is up from 4 last year. How about a big jump next year, too? Through the whole day the points chases in each class were contested and settled. Jeff Short defended his AFM #1 plate, something that hasn’t happened a lot. One by one the races ticked off. We handled the things that came our way very well, and it let the races be settled by racing, as it should be. Lots of happy folks in the pits, those who won, those who came close, and those who just had a great year having fun in the middle of the pack. Then the big pause and all the smiles went away. But we should rewind a bit and see that we had a very good year in so many ways. Overall worker turnout was up, something we can continue next year. The quality of work was up, too, with more folks showing insight in different ways. The pro racers that come our way know they have the best crew in the country on the hill when they come to town. Our club’s racers are spoiled. They know it, and they love it. So thanks to all who came out for one race or all of them. And you who joined us in spirit, we hope to see you again soon. I’m already getting calls from new folks who want to join us and from some of our regulars wanting a schedule so they can make plans. Next year will be another good one. Hope to see you all there. But first, enjoy your holidays and have a Happy Y2K. I’ll celebrate with the champagne I got Saturday night!
 

 March 25-26 Buttonwillow
 April 22-23 Sears Point (Easter)
 May 27-28 Sears Point (Memorial Day weekend)
 June 17-18 Thunderhill (FatherÕs Day)
 July 15-16 Sears Point
 August 19-20 Sears Point (This one is really tentative)
 Sept 23-24 Thunderhill
 October 21-22 Buttonwillow

Make your room reservations now. Well, maybe wait until after the first of the year or they might back bill you for a room you reserved back in 1900.

On behalf of the AFM I would like to thank everyone for a great 1999. Thanks not just the workers but all the families behind the workers. They watch the fort so we can go out and play and make the race day safer. We were shorthanded most of the year and you did -your share of the work times two. We’re looking at new ways to add to our numbers. Keep an eye out for some business-sized cards with our schedule and worker information to give to folks or put on bikes you see. Get the word out!

We have another year under our belts and hopefully learned something new. I know I did. I got to get better morning jokes! Next year will be better. Right? The hour is getting late and fingers are falling asleep, so it’s time to say goodbye. The start of next season is just a few months away. Keep it tuned in here for the latest news. Until then, Happy Holidays to all and to all a good night!