A while ago I told our readers about Team Sheriff Racing (www.teamsheriffracing.com) and their efforts to get sport bike riders in the Los Angeles area out of the canyons and onto the racetrack. Well, they’re still at it, and now they’ve stepped up with an offer that cuts out any excuses that canyon riders might use to stay off the track.
With help from their sponsors as well as from Buttonwillow Raceway itself, Team Sheriff is putting on a track weekend at Buttonwillow August 2nd and 3rd, targeted specifically at the first-time track rider. According to Team Sheriff’s Michael Churney, licensed racers are “not invited”, and track day junkies are discouraged from attending. The reason for this is to keep the playing field level for the first-timers, helping to reduce their fear of being the “slowest guy out there”.
In addition to Team Sheriff and Take It 2 The Track staff, a large group of experienced racers and MSF riding instructors will be on hand to help new riders get acclimated to the track environment. Other activities include “short clinics presented by fire and law enforcement professionals to educate riders about the dangers of street racing and the benefits of racing/riding in a controlled track environment”, and of course a raffle featuring prizes donated by Team Sheriff sponsors.
The best part about this track day? The cost is only $50 per day! That should eliminate the “too expensive” excuse!
Again, we’d like to applaud Team Sheriff Racing for their positive contribution to the safety of sport bike riders in the LA area. Anyone who has visited LA’s popular canyons has seen the number of inexperienced riders trying to push the limits on powerful sport bikes, as well as the more experienced riders who are riding at a pace much more appropriate for a track than a public road. Rather than just giving out tickets and cleaning up after accidents in these areas, Team Sheriff Racing is going all-out to provide a positive (and safe) alternative for these “speed junkies”. Let’s hope that a lot of canyon riders take them up on their offer – for $50, you’d be foolish not to!
