SIERRA OLDTIMERS/SOTMX

March / April 2008

Past Meeting – 03-12-08 @ Denny’s Cordelia Junction

Next Meeting - 04-09-08 @ Denny’s Cordelia Junction

General Meeting Notes: Meeting called to order 7:00 pm – 11 members present

Secretary / Treasurer Report – club is now up to 71 members

Old / New Business – None

Sierra Old Timer Race – Our race is still scheduled for June 14 & 15

A deposit check has been sent to “E” Street track owner.

General discussion held re: how much our race entry should be – motion to increase it to $85.00 for pre entries and $95.00 late entries. Entry will include T-shirt for pre entries and dinner to all entries.

Gate / Camping fee – A $20.00 per vehicle charge was approved – will cover gate and camping – good for all weekend – A $5.00 gate fee will be charged as gate fee – per day to anyone not camping.

Dinner – we will try to get California Grill back again – hoping we can get rib / chicken dinner – will check on price – club will contact one other source to provide option on dinner.

Sponsors – club looking into finding local sponsors – sponsors can be listed on “T” shirts – program – and web site.

Program – club to provide one score page – rather than one for each class – to cut down on printing cost – would be nice to add photos from past races and historical facts.

Trophies – Johnnie Hall to take care of trophies

“E” Street track owner / promoter to provide everything except 2 positions – club will provide a person for starting gate and person for finish line flagger.

Amount of classes to run – besides old-timer classes – it is still undecided on what other classes we will have. We will have some combination of Support, OTHG / Vets and Vintage. TBD.

Meeting adjourned 9:00 - next meeting 04/09/08

RACE RESULTS – Sierra Members in Top Five

Arizona 2008

40 Master A 40 Master B

50 Master 60 Master #1 Terry Sage

#3 Steve Machado

80 Master - #1 Johnnie Hall 40 Expert

50 Expert #3 Scott Raymes

#4 Stuart Douglas

60 Expert - 70 Expert #3 Gene Hrobsky

40 Amateur - 50 Amateur –

60 Amateur - 70 Amateur #2 Harold Noell

40 Novice - 50 Novice #4 Rodney Rohrbacker

60 Novice - 70 Novice –

Los Angeles 2008

High cost of fuel – Driving to a Race – Got You Down?

The answer has got to be yes! With gas / diesel prices going up and up, the number of riders being able to afford driving to the races is going down, down, down. A smaller number of riders attending the events will make it harder for each Chapter holding an international race to break even. If the trend continues and attendance @ the races goes too, we are in danger of losing our sport. Here is what to do – Buddy Up – Not just with one guy, why not the RV or club cab with four or more? If you traveled to the races with 4 of your buddies, by the end of the year, you would probably have saved enough money to buy a new bike.

Sierra Member Profile – A Little History

Ever wondered when the Sierra Old Timers was formed. How about International Old Timers MX? Just what was it like back in the first years? Are any of those guys still around? We now have new members joining the Old Timers who were still crawling around on the floor back then. Each newsletter, I hope to include a short interview with some of these walking legends. My first victim –

Norm Armstrong celebrated his 83 birthday March 10 – Happy Birthday Norm! Norm now rides in the 80 Master class – Norm has been riding dirt bikes forty something or other years – seems to think his first bike was a Yamaha 100 – He started riding so he could keep up with his son who took up an interest in dirt bikes. Norm did a lot of short track racing, enduros, hare scrambles, Virginia City Motocross and trail riding.

I asked Norm what event or dirt bike riding experience he had that would be his favorite / fondest memory? Norm gave it a thought for a second, and then said without hesitation – “They were all good!” - “Even the DNF’s or races that had problems – were good! – I enjoyed it all – the good and the bad – I have just really enjoyed it.

Norm went on to tell me of riding in the Sawmill Enduro – About half way through the event, the streams rose to a height that no one could cross – people trying to carry their bikes across were being carried off by the current. Helicopters were called in to rescue the riders. In those days (late 60’s) there were 1500+ riders –

Norm believes he is one of three charter Sierra Old Timer members – the other two being Don McKenzie and Bill McClinton. The Sierra Old Timers were formed in the living room of Bud Eckenberg one night. There were around 19 original members who formed the Sierra Old Timers. In order to become part of the other established Old Timer Chapters (Washington & Los Angeles) the new Sierra group were allowed to hold a race – but it was a trial race. It was held at the old Hangtown rack – Plymouth – which Norm cites as his all time favorite track. Great job Norm – keep on keeping on the gas.

March Birthdays

Norm Armstrong Stuart Douglas Rick Feigel

Phil Ogino Pat Smith Jay Valentine

Mike Yarn

Upcoming Events

Central Valley OTMX April 5-6

Idaho OTMX April 19-20

Rocky Mountain OTMX May 3-4

Washington OTMX May 24-25

Sierra OTMX June 14-15

Remember: If you can’t get out of it – then get into it – or as Sierra says -