Michigan HPV Races
Waterford Hills Race Track
Clarkston, Michigan
June 8-9, 2002

This is a collage of pictures from the two-day event, with a short description here at the top. I think it provides a better overall picture than if I made a long-winded report.  Weather was pleasantly warm with a light variable breeze and not a cloud in the sky. These pics don't show the blue sky very well because of the haze near the horizon, but the sun was unrelenting.

On Saturday the main event was an hour time trial utilizing the entire track - approximately 1.4 miles per lap. There were two heats, the stock/women/juniors first, then the faired/tandems.

In the afternoon, the Practical Vehicle Competition and the Slow Race were held. I have no pics of the PVC, but activities included weigh-in, a U-turn, grocery carrying, and a short timed course with a braking test at the end.

In the evening everyone went to Big Boy for their Buffet Special.

Sunday started with the 15 lap road race. The start line was near the north parking lot entrance to the west of the Esses (7) and proceeded east. The route exited the main track at the east end of the parking lot, and crossed over to reenter the track near Gulch Turn (1). After Bluff Bend, riders went straight onto the crossover and turned sharply left toward Swamp Turn (8), proceeding 'backwards' around the track, back to the start. This route avoided the hill, and was about a kilometer long. John Stinson paced the riders in each heat around one lap, whereupon the green flag dropped and everyone took off.

Following the road races, the sprints were set up. Starting at Hilltop Turn (4), racers rode down Pelton Bend, Big Bend (5), and down the Back Straight. Near the end of the Back Straight, the radar gun captured the competitors' speeds as they crossed the timing point. This meant instantaneous speeds were used, not the traditional 200 yard average. Walkie-talkies coordinated when to send the next rider.

Following the sprints, everyone gathered in the shade of the main building's overhang for the awards ceremonies.
 
 


Here's the track layout.



Vehicle inspection. Suck it in, John, you're an athlete today!

Mass (chaos) start for the stock classes. Len Brunkalla 
explains the flags to everybody.

TriCORR member Don Smith on his Optima Baron.

An unidentified lowracer and I follow Frank Geyer across the start/finish line for another lap. Len Brunkalla indicates condition green. I have the white spoke covers.

Mass start for faired and tandem classes. 
Yes, they get the same lecture.

Warren Beauchamp leads TriCORR member John Simon in Paddock Curve

TriCORR member Dave Johnson taking 
Archer's Corner with Great White

Dave Johnson leads Frank Lindley up the hill 

Frank Geyer in the slow race

Our junior competitor Cory Dubrish did an extended trackstand for the win.

Andrea Funk rides her lowracer up to the start of the slow race.

We had a trailerload of unusual vehicles show up, 
including this rather tall contraption. Did anybody get a 
picture of that 200 lb Harley-influenced bicycle?

This practical vehicle had plenty of cargo room.

What to do between races? C'mon, Jeff, 
let's go for a ride!

The green flag drops for the start of the stock class 
15 lap road race.

Rick Gritters rides past the lap counters enroute to his win in the 15 lap road race.

John Foltz (Yours Truly) drafting Sean Costin
through the cutover

Charlie Ollinger takes his LWB lowracer through the cutover. Charlie did a great job racing against competitors almost twice his age.

John Simon's Moby coming out of the parking lot and back onto the main track in the road race.

Due to technical difficulties, Dave Johnson (right) ran
Great White without the fairing during the road race. 

Thom Ollinger chases John Tetz up the small rise 
on Gulch Turn.

Timers and observers sit near the end of the Back Straight, waiting for the next sprinter.

Everyone gathers around the scoring table to learn the results.

Wally Kiehler reads off the prizewinners' names.

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