What excitement at the races this year! We were lined up for the main event it was Hotter then Hell out there. We were all at the starting line ready for the starter to hit the green light, out of the corner of my eye I noticed something was not right. The Indian a couple bikes over to my left burst into flame! Now I have seen bikes catch fire. It's happened to me at least three times. But not like this. That thing was engulfed with the rider still on board! Finally he jumped off and let the bike drop. His arm was on fire too but he got his leather off and turned out to be OK. I think he did a stop drop and roll...
A group of us at the starting line took off around the track to get out of the way. We came around slow to see the bike still blazing! Water is NO GOOD for a gas fire! We went by and came around again on I think the third pass the flames were out but there was cops dragging a guy off the track from what I could see and some kind of melee going on. I couldn't tell what was happening.
After another lap they set us up on the starting line and we raced while folks frantically covered the wet mess were the Indian was with dirt. Man what a night!
My son Jesse got these pictures.
But that was not all. Apparently the announcer (who was from ESPN 2 and first time at Wauseon) decided to poke some fun at the situation and say to a grandstand full of bikers..."You are really getting your $15 worth tonight aren't you?" (something like that). What a Smacked Ass he was!!!
Well my son said the crowd went berserk and started booing the announcer throwing stuff and several guys jumped the wall and went after the guy! That is what I saw when I came around and saw the cop dragging a guy off the track! Apparently one of the guys that made it over was the builder of the bike!
Nice way to enrage a crowd of Antique Motorcycle people!
I have a bunch more pictures of the races and the meet with a ton of cool bikes I will post later.
I wonder if that announcer will be back next year?
Poor guy... next year maybe they should have the Indian owner and the announcer toe to toe in the middle of the oval. That would be $15 well spent.
ReplyDeleteTuly apprechiated your posts from Wauseon. Sigh and sigh again, wish I had been there. Your photos told great stories for me still.
ReplyDeleteAwesome with all those barnfresh finds offered, wonder how many unrestored bikes there are still around?
Look forward to any more photos.
Thanks
Sverre
AMcN