K&N Del Mar Mile Weekend
K&N Del Mar Mile Weekend
On October 3-5, 2003, the K&N Filters Pro Series returned to the Del Mar fairgrounds with Vintage races, Short and full mile track races, plus Superbikers!.... completing yet another racing season. Bryan Smith had taken the championship title from Terry Poovey as the series points leader with 282 points. Willie McCoy walked away with the Sportsman of the Year award after all was said and done.
Being this MO-ron's first dirt track race visit, I learned a lot in the process of wandering through the pits and staging areas. Largely a family event, I was fondly reminded of the days when I raced BMX 'back East'. Parking in the large dirt lot, operating from the bed of a pick-up truck and eating dust & dirt all day long - all fond memories. Motos, heats, semi's and the main events are all very similar. The biggest difference is the speed! Where I peddled my ass to a top speed of maybe 20mph, these folks speed around the track @ 70 plus mph, with reported peaks of 120+ mile per hour on the mile track! Engines are the obvious difference - skills and bravado are less obvious - especially with women within the pack of racers. Nicole Cheza (#16) finished 4th place in the Pro Singles Main event, racing against men aged from teens to 40's +
On Saturday night the arena roared with the sounds only heard once a year for Del Mar Fairgounds, the Skip Van Leeuwen event was the most exciting of the weekend. Being the shortest of all short tracks out there - Del Mar's ST has garnered the name 'the bullpen' by many of the riders. I watched from the infield along with other media folks and track workers - perhaps the best seat in the house to see riders blazing around the track constantly in a leaned and turning riding position, no time for a straight-away in this Horse Barn arena.
On the lawn outside the main grandstand, was the Concourse D'Elegance - a bike show like no other. I wish the concourse was held on Sunday as well. I did get to see a few of the show-pieces, but not everything that was there. With all that was happening, besides the races, swap meet, new-bike and vendor products, freestyle moto-cross exhibition, Superbiker (supermoto) sponsored by Parts Unlimited races and the public pit passes - the days went as fast as the film! There were just too many things to see.
The weekend concluded with Sunday's finale, the K&N Filters Del Mar Mile. Several hours of ear splitting races... singles and twins, vintage and new competed for cash and titles. Being the season finale of the series, the best-of-the-best dirt track gladiators had taken to the Del Mar Mile oval in search of the $40,000 purse and the right to be named 2003 season champion. Riding a Honda, Bryan Smith from Flint, MI had taken away 20K$ as the Pro Singles superstar with 282 points - as well as the new K&N Filters Pro Singles National Championship.
The brand name Umbrella Girls were out in full-force as well, what a bountiful weekend!
Not being completely outfitted with camera gear, after riding a motorcycle 100 miles to beautiful coastal Del Mar, I managed to capture the highlights anyway. The action shots have some blur to them, but in a good way I promise! I hope you enjoy them.
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