Rothbury Speedway
Rothbury, Michigan USA

1999 Speedway
June 12, 1999
From Michael DeChamplain E-mail: Moxy@Klondyke.Net

Michigan runs Speedway -- 30 year drought is Over!!! Mark Engel wins the Main Event!

We ran a speedway race in Michigan on the 12th of June. Two of the riders, have never raced speedway, prior this! Winston Short Track, Root racing, Rothbury, Michigan, A.M.A. Yes, it was a Car track, and it sure was Rough, to say the least, but as the English say, "We had a Go". A "D" shaped Oval with an open run off, right over the top of the steep 25 degree banks, and you were History. Hell, everyone thought that we were Crazy. Even the state of the art, full suspension Rides were having a hand full. Holes and Bumps, and tacky as glue, time to get the slicks out! But it was worth it, and More! Most of the people in the pits have never seen that many speedway bikes in one spot, let alone on a race track, in their lives! Hey, we're talkin' Flat Track Capital here, Baby! Needless to say, the enthusiasm Level was extremely High -- on "all",that day! The Promoter, and the A.M.A. crew were more than Happy to see us show up. This goes for the other racers, and Crowd as well.

We ended up getting 2 practice runs, 1 Heat, and the Main. All of the speedway riders are from Michigan. Two riders have never raced speedway, for the "BIG" $$$, prior to this race. We would have paid them, just to run in Michigan, hey, I think we had to do that?!#%. Anyway, everyone got out of it Alive, and had a "shagadelic" Good time. Lets see, One guy, after talking to us, wanted to get a track going in Indiana. Another guy wanted to try out the bike after the Race, which Mark Engel was more than Happy to oblige. Plus,the Root Racing team would Love to have us back again. Hopefully, the speedway scene in Michigan, will take off. We're picking away at it! Contact Mark Engel, he'll let you try out a bike at Wheatly, Ont. Canada, on the Erie Ramblers 1/4 mile track. Plus, give you all that you can handle, and more, in the line of Info. in regard to SPEEDWAY!!! Mark will even sell you a reliable speedway bike, with a starter kit to get going. Or contact, Michael DeChamplain, hey thats me, and we'll try to set something up.

Main action:
1st Mark Engel
2nd Michael DeChamplain
3rd Ken Pridmore
4th Brad Pridmore

We put on a show for the crowd, wanted to do the Old High low, but the track was on the rough side. Root Racing tried like hell, to work it, but they just ran the cars a few days before the bike meet. A two way tie to the 1st turn between Engel and DeChamplain. Engel ran it high, and stayed up there. DeChamplain went low, what a mistake! The inside was like the Moon. Pridmore's stayed close, not bad for the 1st time on the track, and runnin' in front of an audience. After 4 short laps, Mark Engel took the checkered. Thanx to Corky, and the Root Racing team, District14-ama, and "ALL" involved in a memorable day at the Races! We'll keep everyone posted on the action in Michigan as we progress.

Michael DeChamplain E-mail: Moxy@Klondyke.Net