Off the Groove

In this week's episode, we preview the historic Peoria TT event held each year in Thunder Valley and interview a motorcycle legend, Peter Starr. Peter, who started as a racer himself while working for Triumph, went on to be a pioneer in the industry. We talk with him about his extensive career, what he's been up to lately, and goals he hopes to achieve in the future.

In this week's episode, we recap the two AFT events held during the Sturgis Rally in South Dakota, and talk with race mechanic, Nick Daniels. A former racer turned mechanic, Scottie and Nick talk about their racing days growing up together, his ties to several well-known racing families, and the current and future racing career of his son Dallas.

In this week's episode, we preview the next two Grand National events in Sturgis, the Buffalo Chip TT and the Black Hills Half-Mile. We also catch up with a well-known rider looking to make his comeback early next month, Stevie Bonsey. We talked about what its like growing up in California, his past flat track wins, and his string of bad luck that has sidelined him from racing the past few years.

In this week's episode, we recap my weekend in Minneapolis at XGames and catch up with race promoters, Steve Nace and Kelly Bell. We get to know the people behind one of the most respected amateur racing programs in the sport's history, understand some of the challenges that come with promoting flat track races, and discuss the future of amateur motorcycle racing.

In this week's episode, we preview XGames flat track events and catch up with Charlie Roberts. While he no longer is competes at the national level, you may see him on a Bultaco Astro from time to time. He is one of the founding members of Class of ’79 and Friends, a charity which has helped several injured riders in times of need.

00:24 - XGames Preview

02:02 - Charlie Roberts intro

02:53 - Where were you born?

03:50 - How did you get into motorcycles?

05:20 - Charlie tells us his favorite story of “the other Roberts” (Kenny)

06:24 - What was your first number?

07:28 - Do you have a nickname?

08:31 - What riders did you look up to as a young rider?

09:58 - Talks about the first time he met Ronnie Jones

13:00 - What is your favorite racing memory?

18:35 - Talk about what eventually led to you stepping away from racing

22:43 - Tell us the story of how the Class of ’79 and Friends charity came to be

27:27 - Talks about Tammi Richmond and her contributions to the charity

30:23 - Talks about what it meant to receive the Brintlinger Award of Excellence

31:58 - Talks about facility where the charity houses the memorabilia for auction

35:02 - Talks about plans for a nation-wide online auction for Parker Norris

37:53 - Plugs the facebook page https://www.facebook.com/amaft79/ & website http://www.amaft79.com/

38:52 - Talks about the new sponsors helping the charity in 2018

41:26 - Talks of Parker Norris and the efforts made to support him and his family

45:50 - GRAM’s QUESTION

48:30 - RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

In this week's episode, we recap the short track racing from New York and catch up with a rider in his second year of racing in the AFT Singles class. After surprising everyone in Calistoga with his first Singles victory at the age of 16, he proved he is here to compete with last week's win in New York.

📸 Rhonda Waters

00:24 - New York Shorttrack recap

02:00 - Goodwood mention

02:24 - Upcoming flat track events

02:36 - Tanner Dean intro

03:59 - Where were you born?

04:59 - How did you get into motorcycles?

05:17 - Talks about his first motorcycle

06:05 - Do you have a favorite racing memory growing up?

06:55 - Talks about only racing flat track and why its the only motorcycle racing for him

07:50 - Did anyone else in your family race motorcycles before you?

08:19 - Do you have a nickname?

08:47 - What do you when your not racing motorcycles?

08:58 - “Everybody knows me at school as the motorcycle guy”

09:21 - Do you work on your own bikes or have someone help you with that?

10:12 - How hard it is to balance school with racing?

12:16 - Talks about why most people may not have heard of him before he started winning professional races

14:27 - Do you consider 2017 a successful year?

15:32 - What did you think about the events in Sturgis last year?

16:56 - Talks about the team he formed in 2017 to help him get to the races

18:25 - Talks about how much he loves his racing family and the bonds you make racing flat track

19:32 - What did you do in the offseason to prepare for 2018?

20:34 - Talks about riding with Brad Baker at his track in Washington

22:43 - How did you get hooked up with the Waters Auto Body team?

24:29 - What is it like working with Dave & Rhonda?

25:56 - What are your plans for the rest of the season? 2019?

26:36 - Have you set goals for the remaining races?

28:00 - Truck drive-by

28:42 - Talks through the New York Short Track event

30:39 - Do you ride with your teammate Wyatt Anderson?

31:20 - Talks about fishing with Austin Luszak in New York

32:47 - GRAM’s QUESTION

33:40 - RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

39:03 - Shout outs and thank yous

In this week’s episode, we recap the racing from Lima & Frederick, preview this weekend’s events in New York, and catch up with one of the fastest guys from the Pacific Northwest, Davis Fisher.

📸 Flat Trak Fotos

00:24 - Lima recap

01:31 - Barbara Fritchie Classic recap

01:53 - New York Short Track preview

02:24 - Davis Fisher intro

03:14 - Where were you born?

03:41 - Talks about the motorcycle scene in Oregon

04:26 - How did you get into motorcycles?

05:54 - Talks about his favorite racing memories with his father Rex

07:15 - “I wanted to make those memories like my dad made with his friends”

08:35 - Where did you get the nickname Dashin’ Davis Fisher?

09:02 - What do you do when you’re not racing motorcycles?

10:10 - Were you surprised with the success you had when you first went pro?

10:53 - Talks about winning that first championship title

11:22 - Talks about how he got hooked up with Parkinson Brothers Racing

12:13 - Talks about how he became the first rider to race the XG-750 and the Harley-Davidson Factory team

13:20 - What was it like to be the first to put an XG in a Twins main event

14:20 - Talks about his decision to switch to Kawaski and building his own team after the 2016 season

15:34 - Talks about almost getting his first Twins podium in Lima in 2017

16:26 - What did you do in the offseason to prepare for the 2018 season?

18:47 - Compares beach riding to ice riding

19:53 - Talks about teaming up with Richie Morris Racing and how its helped his program

22:09 - What do you think about the competition in the Twins class this year?

23:09 - First impressions of the FTR-750

24:13 - Talks about racing up front in Springfield earlier this season

25:06 - Disappointment at the Red Mile

26:00 - Didn’t make the main last weekend…what happened in Lima?

27:22 - “I’m looking forward to the TT’s”

28:17 - Talks about being invited to race X-Games

28:54 - Have you started talking about plans for 2019?

29:29 - GRAM’s QUESTION

30:50 - RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS

33:23 - Shout outs and thank yous

In this week's episode we preview Round 10, the Ohio National in Lima and talk with the winningest TT rider in flat track, Henry Wiles. We cover everything from his early days of riding moto and wrestling, to his winning streak in Peoria.

00:59 - Lima Preview

01:59 - Henry Wiles intro

02:32 - Where were you born?

03:55 - How did you get into riding motorcycles?

04:38 - How long have you been racing motorcycles?

04:54 - What was it about racing that appealed to you?

05:34 - Where was your first win?

06:11 - Did you look up to any riders when you first got started?

07:25 - How did you get into flat tracking?

09:04 - How did you get the nickname Hammering Hank?

10:14 - Talks about wrestling career

14:04 - Talks about balancing being a father with racing

17:02 - Talks about 2009 & 2010 racing seasons

18:48 - Talk about his injury suffered in Daquin in 2011

20:12 - Talks about winning in Salinas with the injured knee

23:46 - Talks us through the Buffalo Chip finish in 2017

25:10 - Was 2017 a successful year in your eyes?

27:00 - Talks about his success at the Peoria TT

28:43 - Talks about preparing for the 2018 season

30:12 - How much testing were you able to do on the Indians before racing them?

32:02 - Talks about where he got his Indians

33:46 - Talks about working with his mechanic Brian B.

35:49 - “I don’t think he was much of a fan of me”

37:59 - How important is it for you to win on a mile?

39:01 - Are you looking forward to this weekend’s race in Lima?

40:19 - Do you think Hayden Gilliam is going to give you a run for your money on the TT’s?

41:28 - Talks about why the second half of the season is always better for him

42:46 - “The push-ups weren’t even planned”

45:00 - GRAM’s QUESTION - When will we see your little boy racing a motorcycle?

46:52 - Rapid Fire questions

47:32 - Who would win a wrestling match between you and Mees?

48:19 - Shout outs and thank yous

In this week's episode, we recap last weekend’s events from Oklahoma City, and catch up with a yet another Pennsylvania flat tracker, Jake Shoemaker. We talk about what it is like balancing a full-time job and raising a daughter as a single parent, while also trying to make the time to still come play in the dirt with AFT on the weekends.

📸 Jodi Johnson

00:24 - Oklahoma recap

01:33 - Jake Shoemaker intro

02:32 - Where were you born?

03:18 - Theory behind why riders from PA are so good at racing

04:12 - When did you get into motorcycles?

05:13 - Talks about growing up racing District 6 riders

07:12 - Talks about his work life and goals outside of racing

08:52 - You think your daughter will be a motorcycle racer?

10:35 - ”Time is the most valuable thing you can give anybody”

11:00 - 2019 goals

11:13 - Explains why he missed Oklahoma last week

11:56 - How hard was it for you to transition from Singles to the Twins class?

13:15 - Talks of riding Triumphs

14:12 - Scottie’s fondest memory of Shoemaker (winning Hagerstown)

15:27 - “I really believe that racing is mainly mental”

16:13 - Did you consider your 2017 season as a successful one?

17:20 - What did you do in the offseason to prepare for 2018?

18:20 - Teases possible changes in his program following Oklahoma

19:20 - Talks about how he got hooked up with Johnny Goad

21:49 - How did you learn to work on motorcycles?

23:50 - Do you ride/race outside of the Nationals?

24:42 - Does your daughter ever make it out to the races?

26:05 - How has becoming a dad changed you?

27:15 - GRAM’s QUESTION: Would you ever consider being a mechanic after you retire from racing?

27:45 - Rapid Fire Questions

29:26 - Shout outs and thank yous

In this week's episode we preview this weekend's racing in my home state of Oklahoma and catch up with California-based privateer rider, James Monaco. We chat about everything from growing almonds to cleaning pools and prepping a race track. This guy has gone from racing on Kenny Roberts Ranch as a child, to racing his way into his first AFT Twins main event in 2017.

📸 Michael Acorsci

00:00:24 - Recap of last weekend’s racing

00:01:00 - OKC Mile preview

00:01:56 - James Monaco intro

00:03:25 - “Son of an almond farmer”

00:04:00 - What was it like growing up in Modesto, CA

00:05:05 - How did you get into motorcycles?

00:05:57 - First motorcycle, first ride, first race

00:07:28 - Talks about racing with his brother

00:08:31 - Talks about Ole Orange & White

00:11:54 - Kenny Roberts Ranch

00:15:10 - Talks about the pool business

00:17:05 - Talks of turning pro in 2012

00:19:21 - Talks of his success during the 2016 season

00:21:20 - Jump to Twins in 2017

00:24:33 - Peoria TT talks and making his first AFT Twins event

00:25:00 - How he got hooked up with Sammy O.

00:27:47 - Cool gift from King Henry

00:29:24 - More talks of racing for Sammy O.

00:31:10 - Offseason free-riding with working Alta

00:34:09 - Racing Mama Tried & other outlaw events

00:36:45 - Talks about recent win at Galesburg

00:37:16 - “It kinda all started with George Mack”

00:40:17 - Goals for 2018

00:42:43 - Where does your determination come from?

00:45:13 - Track prep talk

00:50:20 - Thoughts on progress in 2018 thus far

00:53:29 - Any thoughts to what your plans are for 2019? Sticking with Twins?

00:55:22 - Talks about racing flat track with Alta

00:59:05 - GRAM’s QUESTIONS - Are short tracks your favorite type of track?

01:00:46 - Rapid fire questions w/ James Monaco

01:06:37 - Thank yous & shoutouts