While waiting for the getting to know Cédric Tangre with the TOBC team, Wednesday evening we went to see a Amateur Flat Track which took place near Daytona.
Two tracks, one a quarter mile (approximately 400 m) and one half a mile (800 m) on very hard and dusty dirt on the trajectory, but very sandy off the trajectory. On the first, amateur races of 5 to 8 laps take place every 10 minutes. No time to breathe, the drivers who have just finished their race have not yet left the track before those of the next race enter it. Everything from 5-year-old children to an 81-year-old great-grandfather (yes, yes!) to the best amateurs or almost pros who came to train in preparation for the AMA Flat Track in Daytona on Thursday and Sunday. AND all, on motorcycles without a front brake, or even two brakes for the oldest!
A spectacle unknown in Europe and an atmosphere both good-natured and serious that the Americans cultivate with enthusiasm.
And of course, number 13 still wears its legendary black leather embellished with a skeleton!
On the half mile, the professional Triumph team trains there. Speeds of 160 km/h on a motorcycle without front brake on a dirt track; impressive !
Brad Baker “The Bullet”, the driver who beat Marc Marquez at the last Super Prestigio hangs around the paddock, the shadows lengthen; It's time to head to Daytona and its Main Street, the city's historic street and Mecca of Bike Week where bikers reign supreme.
More the kings of the party are the bikers, these lovers of ultra-personalized road motorcycles, whether sporty with a swinging arm of more than a meter, American GT with fairings and accessories to dazzle those who look at it as they shine, with three wheels with a choice of two in front or two behind, and above all cling to the 40-inch front wheel and/or lowered to the point of putting your knees on the ground when stopping.
Forget the atmosphere of the “great years” around the Bol d'Or with its excesses; everything goes smoothly (or almost), the police, very present but discreet, keep watch without being overzealous. We just take the precaution of prohibiting places that are a little warmer than others for minors, wearers of bellicose or bad boy badges, armed people (and yes, it is America and its 2nd Amendment that some even displayed on their t-shirts). Even without having the soul of a tattooed or simply “decaled” Biker, we find pleasure in wandering in this ephemeral world which only lasts a decade.
Well, it's now time to go back to be in shape for the first day at the International Speedway Of Daytona, where we saw the huge stands lit up every night, which form a halo at the back of the city.
On Wednesday, it will be the well-practiced ballet of the installation of all the equipment of the Daytona 200 teams, and the immersion for us in this TOBC team so awaited by all the observers and enthusiasts here.
