The Machines
Fueled by methanol, the bikes weigh just 180 pounds and develop over 80 horsepower. They have a power-to-weight ratio similar to that of a Formula One car and can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in two and a half seconds. They have a top speed in excess of 100 mph, but have no gears and no brakes!
The Riders
Speedway is an athletic competition, make no mistake about it. Four laps flat out on a speedway bike is exhausting and physically demanding. It requires instant reaction time, precise balance and excellent physical condition. The riders are professionals who must perform at their peak at all times.
The Racing
Speedway meetings are comprised of two types of racing: handicap and scratch. Handicap racing places riders of various abilities and experience together. The faster riders start with as much as a 60-yard handicap behind the starting gate. To watch one of these veterans battle through the pack to first place in four laps is a true spectacle. The top 16 to 20 riders must face each other on an equal basis in the scratch portion of the program. The top rated riders race each other four at a time for four laps. Wheel-to-wheel racing is the name of the game and the winner is seldom decided until the checkered flag.
The Show
Speedway is a spectacle. From the playing of the national anthem to the final checkered flag, there is never a dull moment. Speedway is a night sport, and the glare of the floodlights adds to the atmosphere of gleaming machines and riders in colorful leathers, doing battle in an arena that puts the spectator right on top of the action. Add to this the pungent odor of alcohol race fuel and castor oil and you have an electricity that is seldom duplicated by any other form of racing. |
