"Michigan's Grattan Raceway up for sale"

It seems like you got off the SVs and onto modern 600s when I was on the Rez in 03/04 I only did the endurance series based in NC in 04… then I was on Kawis for 05-06 and doing marketing for them and not seen on another brand until 07… which is what that R6 jump pic was from a test before mid O on the 07 R6 I also tested that gen R1 as seen here

The last real Grattan race I remember was a a Kawi money race in 06 between me, LD, and Conrad.. I think we all ran 19s so nothing special… 07 was tests and prep for 08 the IndyGP year that was done full AMA Superstock on GSXR1K with guest appearances in SB for Mid O and VIR

I partnered with Dorna and Indy for the GP marketing for 08 then Toyota and the Semi team started in 09

all great times for sure… all staring at Grattan a track that was absolutely instrumental in my trajectory I meant figuratively mostly but on second thought just as often literally

I could highside some crazy flights from there

 

Wow, haven't heard a GLRRA reference in decades. I was the inaugural GLRRA amateur clubman class champion! My "career" was all downhill from there...

 

The GLRRA days were awesome....great time to be road racing with a hell of a group. The winning Amateur got thrown into the deep end with a bunch of sharks every year.

 

ya 19s are scooting for sure. We quit in late 2016 for a while. Got too busy with work, and now running around there again on an R1. I am usually happy with a 22 nowadays, but I remember watching farrell do 17s and that was gnarly. Given the technology every modern bike has its amazing how fast everyone was 20-25 years ago.

 

All racing orgs aside our group from GLRRA as friends is like nothing else… from the director show ponying us in Vegas to the AMA peeps to get our license then picking up mine and others bikes at my shop for the Daytona 200 after a three days of prep where nobody slept and ended with a stripper party Bon voyage the next years were things movies are made from… I started a book from my parts… don’t worry fellas name and images changed to protect the…. Uh… those involved?…

 

That’s me Steve Steinman, Ray Yoder, and Farrell… I remember him showing up and foot down flat tracking in the rain when he was a kid… him and his gaggle of Osh Koshites… his step sister is still a great friend and cool as can be… took him awhile but he sure got fast and made it last and I don’t think HS ever left Kawi again since he switched from an F3… damn… I rode everything as long as they paid well and I could make it work

 

someone laminated this and sent it to me from 99… you remember this weekend? The author goes on about me and Monte and I remember him describing it as my spanking him with a wooden spoon but I don’t even remember that win much but I damn sure never forget our race they’re talking about… whack the throttle between 10a&b and beat me to the line… nice one LD… so much fun back then..

 

Damn dude, you don't throw away anything. Or at least have it in digital form.

Keep up the good work!

 

Yeah only my second full year on the track I won the clubman amateur on a honda ascot and then bought a ZX-7 and got bumped to expert. My first race weekend the next year, my goal was to not get lapped in a sprint race LOL!!!

 

Getting lapped was my highlights

 

You were the guy to watch during those days, Larry. The Dega freight train with the Gibsons and Jamie back then. Scotty was infamous (I remember Nacke's stories, lol), Rad Greaves had some hyped up Busa, but Dave on the mic always seemed to give you the most props.

Fast forward to my first year on a 600 in the experts, I struggled most of the season. James Bhathena was helping us at the time asked you to ride our R6 during a Friday practice session. You took it out for a couple laps, came in and went to James, "Does the shock even work on this thing?" We got it sorted out and start finding our way. You and I were on the track a couple times after that but by then you were starting to wind down the racing I think. Even as the years went by and new faces came along (Vesrah crew, Jensen, etc.), I always remembered those GLRRA days. Too many stories to tell, but good times all around and you guys set the standard.

 

I'm going to have to scan the clippings from my first race, which was at Grattan.

BTW, does anybody remember that place over on 44 that had rent by the hour hot tubs? Talk about some questionable stuff going on...

 

F’n gross man! Yeah…. No I don’t remember that and damn sure wouldn’t go to one… I had a crew chief that is a kick ass dude… he’s a huge germaphobe… but loves strippers…. I know…. But anyway whenever I would entertain in our room when he was out I’d mess up his bed to make it look like we used it and throw the condom wrapper on his pillow…

he’d be like “I know you’re just messing with me, you wouldn’t do that…” to which I’d say “you never know…” he’d be like “I put your tires on! Your life is literally in my hands!” I’d say “yeah you’re right” let me know if you find an earring over there”

he knew me too well… I never did use his bed…

 

Hubba Tub?

 

Don't remember the name, but it was where Plainfield split off 44 on the West side of the road. Skanky as hell. It was a good thing we were all drunk when we went there, so we didn't have to think about the petri dish that was going on in there.

 

That's the place. I never went there even though a bunch of my friends did.

 

Close. The Hubba Tubba. Couple of guys opened a brewery there after it closed.

 

This is rad.

 

that’d be cool if you did

Don’t forget Dan Schmidt’s Team Chicago shows has all those years of endurance races…. Few of us on FB were trying to remember who Bradley Champion was at the last Grattan 8hr and Steve Carson posted up the link to the entire race we were talking about…