Ballet on dirt for Sunday, December 31, 2006

The story begins at the start or more correctly the starting line. After all the preparations, practice and a last trip to the bathroom, the rider finally lines up on the starting line. The riders wait until the last minute to put their goggles on to keep them from fogging up. Notice the man with... Sign in to see full entry.

Now the start is imminent, the starter has his hand on the bar that will drop the gates. The riders have the engines revved and the clutches are held at the point where the bike wants to creep forward. Their eyes are on the gates, ready to go at the first movement. Notice the overlapping elbows... Sign in to see full entry.

This shot requires timing and having seen many starts to anticipate the gate drop. By keeping both eyes open, I was able to see the starter pull the handle so I knew when the gates would drop. In this shot I was lucky enough to catch dirt and rubber coming off the rear tires, one wheelie and how... Sign in to see full entry.

The following shot required permission from the track workers to be alongside the track. It captures the fury of the start with all the roost coming off the rear tires and all the riders still pretty much lined up. For us, it was a revelation to see just how much a slow reaction time puts one behind... Sign in to see full entry.

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