June 2016 | 1 | CityBike.com

8:00 Practice Groups 1-59:15 Riders Meeting

National Anthem9:45 Race 1: 450 Production

Race 1: 650 TwinsRace 1: Formula II

10:05 Race 2: 750 ProductionRace 2: Legacy Heavy

10:30 Race 3: 450 SuperbikeRace 3: 250 ProductionRace 3: Legacy 250

10:50 Race 4: Open Production San Jose BMWRace 4: Open Twins

11:15 Race 5: 600 Production Keigwins@theTrack11:40 Race 6: Open GP Fastline Cycles

Race 6: Super Dino12:00 Lunch Break1:05 Race 7: Formula I Galfer Brakes1:30 Race 8: Formula IV

Race 8: Legacy Middle1:55 Race 9: Formula Pacific Dunlop Race Tire Service

Winner's Circle 2:40 Race 10: 700 Production

Race 10: Lightweight Twins Spears RacingRace 10: Formula Singles

3:00 Race 11: 600 Superbike3:25 Race 12: Open Superbike Pacific Track Time3:55 Race 13: 750 Superbike4:20 Race 14: 250 Superbike Catalyst Reaction

Race 14: Legacy Light

8:00 Riders Meeting8:25 Practice Groups 1-5 RD 19:30 Practice Groups 1-5 RD 210:50 Practice Groups 1-5 RD 312:00 Lunch Break1:00 Practice Groups 1-5 RD 42:10 Practice Groups 1-5 RD 5 3:15 National Anthem 3:30 Race 1: Formula 50

Race 1: Clubman HeavyRace 1: Clubman Middle

3:50 Race 2: KTM 390Race 2: KTM MastersRace 2: Formula III Spears RacingRace 2: Clubman LightRace 2: Vintage

4:20 Race 3: Formula 40 Heavy JPH SuspensionRace 3: Formula 40 Mid JPH Suspension

4:40 Race 4: AFemme MC TechRace 4: Formula 40 Light JPH SuspensionRace 4: 350 Production Feel Like A Pro

Race Schedule May 28 - 29Thunderhill Raceway Park

Saturday Events Sunday Events

2016 AFM Club Sponsors

Catalyst Reaction Suspension CT Racing Pirelli Serious RnDDunlop Race Tire Service Ocean Heat Sportbike UpgradesFastline Cycles Pacific Track Time Texas Tea OilFeel Like A Pro Project Serenity Massage Trackside MassageGalfer Race Pace Motorsports VnM MotorsportsGP Suspension Racer Gloves Zoom Zoom Trackdays

Vendors:

2016 Class Sponsors

June 2016 | 2 | CityBike.com

If you have ever wondered how the AFM came to be, wonder no more! Thanks to Paul Ritter, author of the book "Racing the Gods" (Available from Octane Press) we are going to get you all caught up on AFM history. The article below is an excerpt from his blog (paulritterblog.wordpress.com)

Part One: The Early Years, 1954 – 1959

The American Federation of Motorcyclists was incorporated in California as a not-for-profit organization in November 1956. It’s origins actually go back two years earlier, to 1954, when a club with the unwieldy name of American Association of Grand Prix Riders was formed in Southern California.

The AAGPR was organized to bring European-style motorcycle road racing to the west coast of the U.S. The AMA had a few road races in those days, such as Daytona (on the beach), Laconia (through the streets) and Dodge City (at an airport), but their rules did not allow fairings or clip-on handlebars or over-head cam motors, and there was no interest in the small displacement classes such as 125cc. The AAGPR provided owners of such machines as Manx Nortons, Matchless G45s, AJS 7Rs, or small displacement bikes like 125cc Ducatis, Gileras, MV Agustas, DKW and others, a place to compete.

There were nine men who founded the AAGPR including Alan Tompkins, Gene Wise, Marty Dickerson, and John McLaughlin. Soon after the beginning of the club Thompkins, the club’s president,

began talking to the FIM, motorcycling’s international organization. The AAGPR wanted to be the U.S. representative. The AMA, now the U.S. representative to the FIM, wasn’t interested back in the 50s.

The FIM required that any representative had to include all facets of motorcycle activity and not just one aspect such as road racing. So in 1956 the AAGPR was disbanded, reformed and incorporated as the American Federation of Motorcyclists, with Thompkins as the first Chairman of the Board.

Thompkins must have had big plans for the AFM. In a 1959 letter he talks about the renaming of the clubs and said, “The AFM title was chosen in preference to the U.S. Motorcycle Association, due to my feeling that the name could feasibly include all of the Americas and not just the United States alone.”

I couldn’t find out a lot of information about the club during the years 1957-1958, but they appear to have been years of rapid expansion. By May of 1959 the AFM included chapters in the Tampa Bay and Miami areas of Florida, New York City, Chicago and Biloxi, Mississippi, as well as

four chapters in Southern California — The Bay City Motor Club of Manahatten Beach, San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and San Diego. Road races were being held at Willow Springs near L.A., Hourglass field in San Diego and at several Florida tracks including Gainsville and Sebring. The Chicago chapter was running f lat track dirt races at O’Hare Speedway and road races at Meadow Raceway.

The AFM was still talking to the FIM and in 1958 made a formal proposal to become the U.S. representative. A letter from Major Goode, then Secretary General of the FIM, said the application was “most sympathetically considered” but “there was still some doubt as to whether your club, active as it is, can at present be truly regarded as

representative of your great country.” The letter continued by stating the qualification to be representative was “evidence that your club has an active membership amongst motorcycling clubs in at least 15 states in the U.S.A.”

The machines, as you would expect, were very different than what we [raced in 1976]. The Japanese brands were just starting to make an appearance with some Yamahas

in the lightweight classes, but European brands dominated. The smaller classes were filled with Italian brands, Ducati, Parilla, and Aermacchi, with an occasional MV Agusta. Other small bikes included Rumi, Puch, NSU and Triumph Terrier.

The 500cc class was the “glamor” class and was all English: Manx Nortons, Triumh twins, Matchless and BSA Gold Stars. The California races featured some close battles between Buddy Parriot and Don Vesco. A Jan. 1959 newsletter describes a race at Willow Springs on Dec. 7th, 1958: “Buddy Parriot, consistently one of our fastest riders, cut another notch for himself by winning the Senior Heat and Main, in each case fighting off a determined assault by Don Vesco. Both rode 500cc Triumphs. Buddy would go by with his nose buried in the gas tank, while Vesco would cruise past sitting up like he was out for a Sunday afternoon ride. Wonder how fast he’d go if he really tried?” Who would have guessed in 1959 that 17 years later the answer would be over 300 mph?

The end of the 1950s also marked the resignation of Alan Tompkins as Chairman of the Board. He left in October 1959 to take a job at Riverside Raceway, and his place as chairman was taken by Wes Cooley, who was elected by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.

Stay tuned for Part Two: The Wes Cooley Era, 1960 through 1964. Or if you can't wait, go read it now at paulritterblog.wordpress.com

Welcome to the Club

Watch From The Best Seats In The HouseThere is much more to a race weekend than just the racers. Behind the scenes (or more accurately in the corners) are some of the hardest working volunteers in motorcycle racing - the AFM Turnworkers. When racing is going as planned they have the best seats in the house, just a few feet away from the action.

But motorcycles are not exempt to the laws of physics so when gravity happens, "The Crew" springs into action. First a f lagger displays the appropriate f lag to warn other racers that there is a problem. At the same time a communicator notifies race control of the situation. In the blink of an eye the bike handlers arrive to check on the rider and move the downed bike (as well as any yard saled parts) into a safe location.

Watching a good crew handle a bad situation with a calm yet intense perfection is almost as much fun as watching the racing itself!

The AFM covers morning coffee, lunch, snacks, and an after race beverage or two at every round. At the end of the year there is a worker appreciation party and BBQ where racers say thank you for taking care of them by donating cash, gear, and many other items.

If watching over some of the fastest racers in the country sounds like something you and your friends might want to check out, send an email to crew@afmracing.org, or talk to Phill Brown at Thunderhill Raceway Park May 28th - 29th.

Seat time makes you faster.Gain speed between rounds with Keigwins and Paciiic Track Time

March22 Tues 2 day Novice School23 Wed Thunderhill East26 Sat Thunderhill East27 Sun Thunderhill East

April 2 Sat2 Sat Buttonwillow3 Sun Buttonwillow12 Tue Laguna-Seca13 Wed Laguna-Seca25 Mon Thunderhill East26 Tues Thunderhill Full

May 2 Mon2 Mon Sonoma7 Sat Laguna-Seca8 Sun Laguna-Seca9 Mon Laguna-Seca16 Mon Thunderhill East17 Tue Thunderhill East

April 3 Thunderhill East May 14 Thunderhill West15 Thunderhill West3030 Laguna-Seca

June 13 Laguna-Seca18 Thunderhill West24 Thunderhill East

July 16 Buttonwillow 1717 Buttonwillow 23 Thunderhill East24 Thunderhill East

August 13 Thunderhill West14 Thunderhill West15 Thunderhill East

September 3 Thunderhill West44 Thunderhill West24 Buttonwillow25 Buttonwillow

October 15 Thunderhill West16 Thunderhill West

November 55 Thunderhill East6 Thunderhill East

June 6 Mon Thunderhill East7 Tues Thunderhill East17 Fri Laguna-Seca18 Sat Laguna-Seca18 Sat Thunderhill East19 Sun19 Sun Laguna-Seca19 Sun Thunderhill East

July 11 Mon Thunderhill East12 Tues Thunderhill East

August 15 Mon Sonoma27 Sat27 Sat Thunderhill East28 Sun Thunderhill East29 Mon Thunderhill Full30 Tues Thunderhill East

September 19 Mon Thunderhill East20 Tues Thunderhill East

October 5 Wed 2 Day Intermediate 6 Thur Thunderhill East7 Fri7 Fri Thunderhill West8 Sat Thunderhill East9 Sun Thunderhill East22 Sat Thunderhill West23 Sun Thunderhill West

November 1 Tues Laguna-Seca2 Wed2 Wed Laguna-Seca14 Mon Sonoma28 Mon Laguna-Seca29 Tues Laguna-Seca