Shows produced during 2006

#893, Beans and Bikes ’06, February 11-12, 2006, We travel to the International Motorcycle Show in Rosemont, Illinois and look at some of the new bikes including the brand new 2006 Yamaha R6. We also go to ABATE’s Chili Cook-off that is held in Park Ridge, Illinois and serve as a judge of the chili.

 #894: WERA Nat’l Jennings GP Part 1, March 25, 2006, The first endurance of the year is held at Jennings, Florida. Brandon Griffith and Joe Ball join Dan Schmitt to challenge this six-hour national.  Joe takes the start and then Dan takes over and makes a couple of re-starts with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera capturing the action. The Team Chicago Tech Tip shows a great product, Ready Ramp. Brandon rides as the show comes to an end.

#895: WERA Nat’l Jennings GP Part 2, March 25, 2006. More racing action on this two-mile roadcourse located in northern Florida. With a few comments from some of the competitors, this six-hour race runs with perfect weather.

#896: Team Chicago/Grattan Raceway Roadrace School, April 1, 2006, We look in at the classroom lessons and watch some of the riding on the track at Grattan Raceway in Michigan at this annual event. Dan Schmitt interviews Chris Onwiler about his novel, "HIGHSIDE". They discuss the book and the characters in the book and the motorcycle racing action in the book.

#897: WERA Nat’l Talladega GP Part 1, April 8, 2006, After my grandson, Brandon Griffith, got injured during practice on Friday, Jonathon Parks joined Team Chicago to challenge this 1.5 roadcourse in Alabama. We watch the start and the first two hours of action. The Team Chicago Helmet-Camera brings the track to the viewers.

#898: WERA Nat’l Talladega GP Part 2, April 8, 2006, The action continues with as the WERA National teams and a few local team challenge this small and tough roadcourse. This is the last national at this track, with a new configuration planned for 2007. More Team Chicago Helmet-Camera and a brief look at the trophy presentation.

#899: World of Motorcycle Museum, May, 2006, I travel with Phil Young to the World of Motorcycle Museum, just south of North Judson, Indiana. This Museum is the creation of Jim Kersting, and it sits in the middle of his motorcycle dealership, Kersting’s Cycle Center, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, Suzuki. After I take a look around the museum, describing a good number of the motorcycles and I interview Jim Kersting. After I ride the Ford Flat-head V-8 motorcycle, I get to ride the V-12 Lincoln Zephyr motorcycle. This is too cool. Come along as I record this with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera.

 #900: Show #900, May 13, 2006 As I get some free time at Autobahn C.C. from the WERA roadracing action, I produced this show to recognize the production of nine hundred shows. Some of the footage shown includes the trail riding in Colorado, night roadrace action from Nelson Ledges, the Springfield short-track and off-road racing at the Race and the Bitter End Enduro. Some of the celebrities that made comments about Team Chicago include: Billy Etheridge, Frank Lee, Geoff Thorson, Evelyne Clark, Ben Walters and William Lindsay. Some of the local heroes that voiced an opinion on Team Chicago include Dave Vaughn, Ike Anderson and Chris Onwiler.

 #901: WERA Nat’l Autobahn C.C. Part 1, May 13, 2006, With the track soaked from heavy rains, the rain finally lets up and the race begins at noon. As the twenty-some teams battle for the survival on this slippery track, Brandon Griffith hangs on with the Team Chicago Yamaha R6. Steve Karson records the starting action with the Team Bear Helmet Camera, including the crash at the first corner that brings out the red flag.  During the second hour, Dan Schmitt captures the action with the Team Chicago Helmet camera.

 #902, WERA Nat’l Autobahn C.C. Part 2, May 13, 2006, The rain finally returns as Vesrah continues to lead. Brandon picks up the pace now with full-rain tires and the teams continue to scramble in the pits. The Team Chicago Helmet Camera runs ‘til the end of the race.

 #903, MegaCross ’06, May 27, 2006. We talk to some of the riders and look at both the heat races and the final events at this stadium style motocross race held at the Tri-County Fairgrounds in Mendota, Illinois.

#904, AMA National Mile, Springfield, May 28, 2006. Before the final event at Springfield, I looked around the pits and talked to various mechanics and riders to find out about the different bikes that will compete at this mile. We talk to Babe DeMay and JR Schnabal about the 750 Yamaha. We look at the Lloyd brothers’ Aprilia and talk to a representative from Aprilia. We talk to Ronnie Brown about the SV 1000 Suzuki.  Chris Hart tells us about his Illinois Harley-Davidson XR750. And we watch the entire 25-lap final.

#905 WERA Nat’l Miller MSP, Part 1, June 10, 2006, Located west of Salt Lake City, Utah, Team Chicago meets the challenge of this brand new race track with the help of Ed Stobo. Ed rode with Team Chicago last year at Willow and he bring his expertise to help set up the bike and ride for points and fun. We cover the first two and one-half hours of this six-hour race.

#906: WERA Nat’l Miller MSP, Part 2, June 10, 2006. This show begins with the rap up through the third hour and we listen to a few more comments from the racers. With only Dan and Ed riding, the racing coverage includes both multi-angle views of the 3-mile roadcourse and the Team Chicago Helmet Camera footage.

  #907: WERA Nat’l Grattan Raceway, Part 1, July 15, 2006, Team Chicago travels to its home track, Grattan Raceway in Michigan, to meet the challenge of this 6-Hour race. Joe Ball leads off for Team Chicago as Steve Karson take the start for Team Bear. With the Team Bear Helmet Camera, we watch the action at the start. During the second hour, Dan Schmitt with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera continues on. Brandon Griffith rides the third hour on the Team Chicago R6.

#908: WERA Nat’l Grattan Raceway, Part 2, July 15, 2006. The racing action is halted by a red flag during the fourth hour. Vesrah Suzuki take the start again and continues to lead. Dan Schmitt take the Team Chicago Helmet Camera for the fifth hour. A few pit stops are covered as the race concludes after 6 hours of racing.

  #909: Lake County SuperCross, Tuesday, July 25, 2006. We check out the action of the Pit Bikes racing on this stadium style MX track. We also check out the trials demo and the jumpers. Lake County is in Grayslake, Illinois.

  #910: Lake County SuperCross, Wednesday, July 26, 2006. We talk to a few of the racers and look at the fast action at this Nielsen Enterprise sponsored race. Some of the heat race action and some of the finals are covered.

#911: AHRMA Nat’l Ashland ½ Mile:  July 28, 2006: Located just north east of Mid-Ohio Road Course, the watch the dirt-track racing action at this famous fairgrounds ½ track. Most of the feature event are covered.

  #912: AHRMA Nat’l Mid-Ohio: At this roadcourse in Ohio, we watch some of the roadrace action and some of the motocross action. A special comment is made by multi-time world champion, Giacomo Agostini, for the Team Chicago Challenge audience.

  #913: WERA Nat’l Summit Point Part 1, August 12, 2006, Located 65 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., we race a 6-hour race. As Vesrah, 5150, Velocity and ARNCHU battle for the lead, Team Chicago struggles with a bad running engine in the Yamaha R6. We change batteries to keep going.

#914: WERA Nat’l Summit Point Part 2: August 12, 2006. As the racing continues, we listen to a few more comments from the riders and a red flag brings the racing to a halt. With another restart, the action continues to the checkered flag after six hours of racing.

  #915: Night Practice at Nelson Ledges, August 31, 2006. The boys from ARNCHU Racing invited Team Chicago to come to Nelson Ledges SC Course and run a evening practice with them, 5150, L.O.C. Endurance, and On-2-Racing.com. So we talk to the various team members and check out the lighting systems on the Team Chicago Yamaha R6 and the other bikes.

  #916 WERA Nat’l Nelson Ledges,Part 1: September 9, 2006, This 8-Hour race begins at 3:30 in the afternoon and will run until 11:30 PM. Vesrah Suzuki battles with ARNCHU and Team Velocity for the lead as Speedy Pete takes the start for Team Chicago. We listen to a few comments from some of the racers before Dan Schmitt runs his hour on this track with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera.

#917: WERA Nat’l Nelson Ledges Part 2: September 9, 2006, The action heats up as the bikes continue to make pit stops and race on the track. A few more comments from the racers and Dan Schmitt rides into darkness with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera. Joe Ball and Speedy Pete ride the Team Chicago Yamaha R6 to the end as we watch the bikes battle around this dark 2-mile roadcourse.

  #918: WERA Nat’l Barber Motorsports Park Part 1, 9/23/06. My good friend, Dave Knapp, rides with Team Chicago. As he takes the start, Vesrah, ARNCHU and 5150 race at the front of the pack. With a red flag, Dan Schmitt takes the first re-start with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera recording. During the first restart, Martin Musil is taken out in the last corner with the Blue Ridge Performance Kawasaki in the gravel pit. During the next restart, three bikes are down in turn 2 with Twisted Wizard in the middle of the track. I take the third restart and ride to the end of the first half of the race.

#919 WERA Nat’l Barber Motorsports Park  Part 2, 9/23/06,  The conclusion of this 4 hour race. Dave Knapp rides the third hour and I ride to the checkered flag with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera as the skies open up and the rain falls.

#920: AHRMA Nat’l at Peoria, October, 2006: Under beautiful skies, the Peoria Motorcycle club host this national on the famous TT course in central Illinois. Most of the final events are covered.

#921: WERA GNF Road Atlanta Part 1, October 13, 2006, Over forty teams come to challenge this 2.2 mile roadcourse with its great elevations changes. Joe Ball takes the start on the Team Chicago Yamaha R6. As Vesrah, ARNCHU and 5150 battle for the lead, the red flag flies after one hour, and the Team Chicago R6 returns to the pit broken. Dan Schmitt borrows Cory Warner’s R6 and captures a couple of laps with the Team Chicago Helmet Camera after another red-flag created restart.  

#922: WERA GNF Road Atlanta Part 2, October 13, 2006, The Team Chicago Helmet Camera shows the track layout as Dan Schmitt continues on with the Fast by Faracci Yamaha R6. Using six different camera angles, the racing action is cover throughout the third and final hour. With Vesrah taking the victory and the Championship, the action moves to the year end banquet as Dan Schmitt presents the ‘Crew Chief of the Year’ Awards to Richard Smith-Moore and Tony Pogue.

#923: OMA National, The Race Part 1, October 28, 2006. I ride the Fun Run, the Saturday event, at the Bike Barn in Morrison, Illinois. This event is part of the National weekend. The Sunday event is the 10^th round of this OMA National Series. I ride a 1993 Suzuki RM 250, and show the 15-mile loop with the Team Chicago Helmet-Camera. The small bike final is also shown, bikes from 50cc to 100cc’s.

  #924: OMA National, The Race Part 2, October 28, 2006. This is the grand-daddy of all off-road events in northern Illinois. This is the 31^st running of the tough race. We watch the start and parts of this 35-mile loop as some of the greatest off-road racers tackle this trail through tight woods, open fields and water crossings.

  #925: Legends of Chicagoland Motorcycle Racing Brunch, November 26, 2006 At this year’s gathering of old racers and fans, George Mack interviews National Star, J.R. Schnable. Warner Riley, who holds a few land speed records talks about Bonneville and the movie, ‘The World’s Fastest Indian”.

 #926: Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade, Part 1, December 3, 2006, In part 1 of this two part show, we talk to and receive comment from some of the participants in Dan Ryan Woods at 87^th Street and Western Avenue in Chicago. As we show the start of this annual event, the riding north on Western Avenue, we look back ten days as the members of the Toys for Tots crew travel to the ‘Rock’ near the Museum of Science and Industry and visit with Bill Wildt of Motorsports Unlimited.

 #927: Toys for Tots Motorcycle Parade, Part 2, December 3, 2006, As the parade continues north,  there are two flashbacks, one to the pre-parade meeting on Friday night and the pre-parade lessons at Dan Ryan Woods on Saturday. As the parade ends at the Marine Base on Foster Avenue on the Northside of Chicago, we receive more comments. Finally we talk to the engineer of the Santa Fe Train that led the parade.  

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