Death Race 09

Looks like a good time was had by all, congrats on the podium finish FR. That horn will help next year to get the competition out of the way.

Congrats on the high ranking finish against all the "big iron"...

David was a great host as a home-town favourite he let a couple of out of towners place ahead of him in the final. He and everyone else in the final were going all out and it was some great racing. Vinnie and David were the tightest placings throughout the race. They traded placings a number of times with Vinnie being the fastest on the straights and David on the turns. Finally the gap widened but not till the last couple of laps.

Someone was pushing Joey for first for a few laps but crashed on an off camber and slippery turn. Joey earned his first as he steadily built a gap little by little, peddling out of most corners to add to his speed at low end. His cornering seemed flawless. I may have mistook identity but it looked like his gas tank fell off as he left the track. Joey had bought the bike off Craigslist and tuned up and worked his magic on a Spooky Tooth second hand bike.

My bike (datz510's custom Rotten Orange) broke it's front freewheel before the racing began but did well in warm up and practice. Last 2 year's defending champion, Happy, was racing it well but had to revert to a back up lady's bike for the racing and probably fried its motor with not enough break in time. Roland the race promoter from Spooky Tooth kindly had mechanicals of his own with a fast custom Spooky 3 speed. Never have trusted the Strumy Archer 3 speed for durability. Tucson Spooky Tooth's Michael had put together a very fast bike that also may have won but had mechanical troubles also. There were 2 real crashes with maybe a broken leg but he did leave walking?

Vinnie and Larry probably won most creative bike of the show if a prize was offered with a custom 3 wheeler of real chopper design. Larry raced it to middle of the pack placings and looked great doing it. Another very creative bike was the recumbent of Scot, with an under seat mounted 79 cc 4 cycle 4 or 5 headlights a wind faring and a very large trunk. This bike placed 5th in the final and other than the trike was the heaviest by a factor of at least 2. The final was run under the lights after sunset.

Any who did not make the show and race were missed, and we hope that 20 April 2010 sees you here in Arizona for the 6th annual Spooky Tooth Death Race. Roland has done a lot for the Sport and lifestyle that goes with motorized bicycle use and racing and commuting. A Tucson press member was reporting and the article will be posted when we get it. This is by no means a complete report so all who attended need to post their impressions and photos.

Good job to everyone that made the race. I thought about it all weekend long and wish I could have made it. I think next year I'll ship my bike in and fly into Tucson. It looked like everyone there had a blast!

Ohh I forgot to thank FR31 for providing us who didn't make it with some great pictures.

Cool, Guys, Thanks To David, Lenny & All For Sharing, Pic, Vids And All. I Bet Davids Tail Bone Was The Most Nervous Of All Attending!. Ron

there were people from all over
texas, nevada, utah
there was 2cycles, 4's (mine, the cool whizzer and the re cumbant (I was the only motrized bicyle under the arizona state definition )
my son-in-law (azvinnie), got a cool cup and didn't kill his engine (3rd year we've been there)
our friend, and fab dude larry, got some well deserved props for the trike they collaborated on (and had the biggest grin I have EVER seenon his usually somber face)
he had as good a time as I told him he would, even tho he thought I was bs'n him
I met faces to put to conversations here, got to show off my baby (I gave out over 40 EZM business cards), had a very good day meeting and talking to aother like-minded crazies

thanks to Roland for putting it together ( even tho it should have been better organized)

They were loading the guy who wrecked the red bike into the truck right next to me at the end of the night. He was definitely in some serious pain while they were moving him. However he wouldn't leave until the end of the race and seemed to be mainly concerned about telling his wife he banged himself up. I guess some folks just have their priorities in order!

I had a blast!!! I'm pretty sure my nexus seven speed is toast though, It wont shift into 6th or 7th gear anymore. My motor got hot enough to peel off the 500 degree paint on it, I definitely need a better way to cool the custom high compression head I made. I expected the motor to be completely toasted when I tried to start it up today, but It started and ran just as strong as usual. I was neck and neck with Joey from Austin in the first heat race until I crashed around a really sharp corner. After the crash a series of technical difficulties kept me out of the second heat race (they were allowing those who crashed to try again in the second heat). My Dad, Uncle and some friends took video that I will post links to as soon as I put it all together. I'm in fairracing31's video of the first heat race, I'm the guy with the blue plaid flannel jacket and the black half helmet.

The guy who won the second heat race, can't remember his name, had a really short frame bike with 24" tires (I think). He was able to lean into the corners with his configuration, I expected him to win the whole event but his bike wouldn't start before the final race. I talked to Roland for a while afterward, I guess his internal gear 3 speed broke too. I can't wait for Death race 2010!!!

Finfan, I enjoyed meeting you there. We need to get together with our "station wagons" and cruise. I figured if I took my bike out, if it were still running after Max and Happy got thru with it I would have not left the track till they threw me out. I do enjoy just cruising though. I want to put together a 2 day event this fall for people to come to Phoenix/Mesa area. I would have that slow ride just for you to see how slow you can really go.

fr31 that is a great montage just like it is. I loved the get together and all the bikes and the race. Music is Mexico Rider or some such song I never heard. Seems to fit.

Hey Guys And Fair, I Was Not There But This Thread And All The Pics, Vids And Sharing Is Great. Thanks Ron

I had a great time. I especially like getting lapped like three times. A few times got the bike up to speed. So, this week i'm going to get the jetting right. I tried to stay out of the way of everybody. There were alot of very nice bikes there. Next year i will be more prepared.

Man - what a hoot! Wish I could have been there. Racing and pit support.

So how many total people/bikes were there?

fairracing31 said:

I believe this is you Fishermanblues.

Click to expand...

Yup that's me. I have 2 cameras full of footage to go through and edit. Unfortunately my Dad and Uncle had to leave early with their cameras and I don't have any footage of the final race. I do however have footage of the spill I took in the first heat race. I will post links as soon as the videos are up, but with finals just around the corner it might be a little while before I find the time.

I know the first is you, and I think the 2nd is too (middle row beside the heat winner)
me n vinnie couldn't tell if the last pic is you lookin over his shoulder (you guys were back n forth a lot...what a cool race)

just to let everyone here know, fairracing came in 3rd, and wasn't even going to speak up when they were trying to decide the podium stuff...I had to tell Roland's mechanic dude, 'he's standing beside you' !!!

dave, you did the site proud dude !(I'm glad I got to do the face-to-face with you)

You would never know my dad was a professional photographer and my son-in-law makes movies. I didn't even bring either kind of camera and I have them. Vinnie and Dave did provide the most exciting racing for the whole race. And you all are giving plenty of good footage of the event.