Real Road Racing

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307T
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#11 Unread post by 307T »

In the US, TT means Steeplechase. It involves a closed circuit course with left and right turns, and usually a hill which, over time, became a jump. It was patterned after the English steeplechase, a similar course for horses. When the AMA ran organized Class C professional races (and amateur too for that matter), the TT was one of five types of racing that a pro had to be proficient at before he could get national ranking. These included, in addition to TT, mile and half-mile ovals, and short track (usually quarter-mile or less) ovals, and road racing. Just like with auto racers back in the 60's and 70's, top of the list bike riders could and did do it all. Then, in 1986, the AMA set up a separate championship for road racing and we had specialists that rarely crossed that line. Lest you think that the successful road racers didn't waste their time doing dirt track, let me remind you all that Kenny Roberts (Sr), Eddie Lawson, Wayne Rainey, Dick Mann (yes, he was an accomplished road-racer...won Daytona twice) all were very good dirt track riders first. While I love the beauty of road courses, I sorely miss the old days of opposite lock, power on slides on the ovals and handlebar to handlebar racing over the jumps at the TT races. You can sign me one (obviously) old bike rider.
Back in the saddle again

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