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Lawrenceburg Motorcycle Speedway
Dearborn County Fairgrounds
Lawrenceburg, Indiana 47025
1998 Season Opener
May 29, 1998 Lawrenceburg Motorcycle Speedway
From: Kim Gregory and Barry Benkert whhonda@goodnews.net
The track was under water just days before this event, and
rideable only after some great last minute grading and wheel packing by the track crew.
They were unable to achieve their legendary billiard table smooth surface,
but it was just fine for the thirty go-karts, heats of ATV's, and many
flat trackers there for opening night. The surface was a little too rutted
and sticky for a good speedway ride though, and we struggled to get round the
track with style. Even Chris Hesmer was two-wheeling into the corners for the first
heat race.
Even with the 93 F degree temperatures, Chris's brother Aaron demonstrated that a 12 year old on a 250cc speedway bike was
competitive with the top 500cc riders here. Being last into the corner proved to
be a lot of work for him that night! He was forced to lay it down
to avoid his brother, myself, and a local rider as we lost our
battle with turns one and two, in three separate races.
There were five bikes in the speedway final, the gate being won by
two promising local riders, with Chris Hesmer pushing hard on the inside
for turn two. He caught his foot on the inside green, and tumbled,
taking himself, and his brother out of the race, giving me an easy third
behind the two local hot shoes!
Local favorite Patrick Reynolds was unable to ride due to an earlier injury.
The crowd included two Belle Vue speedway fans that
came all the way from Sheffield England to see a USA Mile race, and Lawrenceburg Speedway.
They showered us with speedway programs they brought from their favorite tracks,
and thanked me for the work I have done on the internet.
More details to follow...
From: Barry Benkert whhonda@goodnews.net
Thanks for coming down Friday night, I really enjoyed the show, even
though I had my hands full. We had 115 entries, plus you speedway
riders............... 550 paid adult spectators.
The local riders were: Tom Hensler, Pat Behrle, Kevin Hilbert, and Albert Lowe.
I felt bad that the
program got off to a late start, never in twelve years had we ever
gotten off to such a late start............... we had so many new
entries, but this is also a good thing! After racing two classes, +30
and the Pro class, I was shot!!!! I wished I could of stayed around for
a little while, but as it was, I didn't get home til 2:30 a.m., then
back to work at 7:30 Saturday morning!!!!!! Ya now, the mornings come to
soon and the evening don't last long enough!!!!
Well gotta run, I'm getting ready for another Friday night, then a 1/2 in Dayton Oh. on Saturday. I've got my hands full, but that's the way I like it!
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