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Want to race Pikes Peak - registration problem

 
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Doug



Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 41
Location: Tallahassee, FL

PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 5:22 pm    Post subject: Want to race Pikes Peak - registration problem Reply with quote

Hello to all. Hope the start of your New Year is going well and bike prep is already underway for lots of miles in 2014.

I would appreciate all of you taking a look at the note that I sent to Megan Leatham (Executive Director for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb), her response to it and item number 5 of the registration procedure. I really would like to run the race this year, so it is my hope that someone on this forum might have a suggestion to meet this requirement or know someone that might be able to help.

Thanks in advance.

Dear Ms. Leatham:

It is my sincere hope that you will be able to assist me! If you can’t help, please refer me to the appropriate person within the PPIHC organization.

With great anticipation, and an untold number of sleepless nights from excitement, I waited for registration to open for the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Unfortunately, beginning the registration process I learned that proof of an expert motorcycle license is required and the application would not be “complete” until it was provided.

Although a lifetime AMA member with a successful race history in FTR, SETRA and AMA National Enduros, Hare Scrambles, and ISDE two day qualifiers, I no longer race. In 1981 while first in class and second overall in the FTR Enduro series a non-motorcycle related incident left me a paraplegic. From that time forward I have been both riding and building sidecars; some of them from scratch. During that time I have progressed from what is considered “a typical sidecar” to “high performance sidecars” with my last three imported from France. My current outfit is a Suzuki Hayabusa with RDS sidecar that features center-hub front end, low profile high performance car tires on all three wheels, sidecar wheel steering and an anti-sway bar. Although a different brand, this outfit is comparable to the two sidecars that were shipped over from France for the 2013 Pikes Peak Race finishing third and fourth in the sidecar class.

Even though I am a paraplegic, it in no way affects my ability to pilot a sidecar outfit at race pace. My greatest disappointment is that there is no race series in the USA for sidecars like mine as there is in Europe. Because of this, there is no ability for me to attain the required expert license from a recognized motorcycle racing organization.

It is my sincere hope that an exception might be made allowing me to compete. I am confident of my ability to qualify and safely compete, but if for some reason I am not able to attain 115% of the fastest time in my division I will gladly step aside forfeiting my entry fee. I am a racer with the heart of a racer that if allowed the chance to compete in this storied event it would fulfill a lifelong dream. Besides the personal fulfillment that participation in the PPIHC would provide I believe my participation would be an inspiration to many. I am confident that the back story of me being a paralyzed ex-racer and my “sidecar monkey” wife who is a Presbyterian Pastor would be of interest to spectators as well as possibly motorsport publications and televised media.

I am attaching a few pictures of my Hayabusa / RDS sidecar that would be competing at Pikes Peak as well as pictures of my dual sport sidecar. The dual sport sidecar is based on a Yamaha FZ1 and all fabrication of the leading link front end and sidecar frame was completed by me in my home garage (a video of me playing on this bike on some local dirt roads can be seen on YouTube by clicking on the following http://youtu.be/QrUjiCudCz0 ).

I thank you in advance for anything you can do to facilitate my participation in the 2014 PPIHC. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me at sidebike@aol.com or by calling my mobile number anytime (850) 445-8588.

Sincerely,
Doug Miller

Hello Doug,

I have done some research, and there is a side car professional license that can be obtained. I spoke to members of the committee about this, and we really cannot make an exception to this rule.

All rookie motorcycle riders must have a professional license. If you are accepted into the race and don’t have a license, the committee stated that each rookie rider must show proof of a professional license at registration during race week.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Best,
Megan
Megan Leatham
Executive Director
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
1631 Mesa Avenue, Ste. E
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: 719-685-4400
Fax: 719-634-5198
megan@ppihc.com
PPIHC is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization

5. Proof of expert license- Rookie riders only must submit an expert or professional license from a recognized motorcycle racing organization along with their application. Applications will not be “complete” until this is received.
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Doug Miller
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zentime



Joined: 22 Jan 2005
Posts: 837
Location: Massachusetts USA

PostPosted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 12:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

let's keep this post the most recent and bump it to the top
bump!
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will August ever come............
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Ralph



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 603
Location: Lexington, Ky

PostPosted: Mon Jan 06, 2014 10:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shocked
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Doug



Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 41
Location: Tallahassee, FL

PostPosted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 8:59 pm    Post subject: Update on Pikes Peak quest Reply with quote

Hello All:

Hello All"

It looks like running Pikes Peak this year is out but a trip to Ontario to obtain a SRA (sidecar racers association) race license in preparation to run Pikes Peak next year will be in the works.

Bea and I are a bit disappointed, but with Kasey's surgery at the end of this month and the many things required to get the bike and us ready, it may be for the best anyway.

Would anyone be interested in in joining us to run Pikes Peak next year. I know it would be difficult (impossible?) to be truly competitive with the true road race sidecars but it sure would be neat if a few of us showed up to run this storied event on our street legal outfits. Let me know if there is any interest.

Following this note are the correspondences with the Pikes Peak people and the Sidecar Racers Association if you are interested in seeing them.

Thanks to all that had suggestions and were rooting for use to find a way to make it happen this year.

Doug & Bea
Doug,

The PPIHC would recognize a competition license from the SRA and that would fulfil the licensing requirement. All entries will be screened by the competition committee after the entry deadline closes and riders will be notified as to their acceptance.

Thanks

Jim Vidmar
Assistant Director of Competition
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
www.ppihc.com
jvidmar@ppihc.com
(719) 648-4267


Hello Bill:

Thanks for the information. I too, think the requirement for a "professional" license is a little confusing. I have not confirmed it, but believe all they are looking for is a race license from an organization recognizing a rider's ability to race safely. The deadline for PP registration is January 31st so it looks like the possibility to run it this year is out.

I understand that your training / school is for road race prepped machines but from your note it appears that I would be able to complete it using my outfit. Is this correct?

Although a long haul, I would be very interested in attending the school in May. I have a passport but being a Florida boy, I would have to pick up some thermal underwear Please let me know if there is a web site that I could check out and register.

Thanks again for your help.

Sincerely,
Doug Miller

In a message dated 1/8/2014 11:12:16 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, bfd402@gmail.com writes:

Hi Doug
I read through your email but I am well familiar with the situation from talking with Bill Ballou. Im not sure what I can do for you in this regard. I don't know what "professional" license the lady is speaking of. Everyone racing sidecars in the US are club racers and definitely not pro's, or else our health insurance wouldn't support us.
Our particular training and school takes place at a track in Ontario Canada and is supervised and approved by the race organization staff at that track. This is for road race prepped machines. Although I trust Bill Ballou's assessment of your skills its not within my power to give out licenses or certifications. You would be welcome to sign up for the school in May in Canada but the actual certification is done by track personnel.
Let me know if you'd like to pursue this.

Good luck,
Bill Douglas


On Sat, Jan 4, 2014 at 2:03 PM, SideCarRacers Web Admin <webmaster@sidecarracers.com> wrote:
A user has sent a contact us inquiry via the Sidecarracers.com contact us page.
Note: All HTML tags have been stripped from the submitted message.
Ip Address: 71.229.6.243

Name: Doug Miler
Email: sidebike@aol.com
Message:

Hello Mr. Douglas

I would appreciate it if you could take a look at the note I sent to Megan Leatham (Executive Director for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb), her response to it and item number 5 of the registration procedure. I really would like to run the race this year, so it is my hope that you might have a suggestion to meet this requirement or know someone that might be able to help.

Thanks in advance.
Doug Miller

Dear Ms. Leatham:

It is my sincere hope that you will be able to assist me! If you can’t help, please refer me to the appropriate person within the PPIHC organization.

With great anticipation, and an untold number of sleepless nights from excitement, I waited for registration to open for the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Unfortunately, beginning the registration process I learned that proof of an expert motorcycle license is required and the application would not be “complete” until it was provided.

Although a lifetime AMA member with a successful race history in FTR, SETRA and AMA National Enduros, Hare Scrambles, and ISDE two day qualifiers, I no longer race. In 1981 while first in class and second overall in the FTR Enduro series a non-motorcycle related incident left me a paraplegic. From that time forward I have been both riding and building sidecars; some of them from scratch. During that time I have progressed from what is considered “a typical sidecar” to “high performance sidecars” with my last three imported from France. My current outfit is a Suzuki Hayabusa with RDS sidecar that features center-hub front end, low profile high performance car tires on all three wheels, sidecar wheel steering and an anti-sway bar. Although a different brand, this outfit is comparable to the two sidecars that were shipped over from France for the 2013 Pikes Peak Race finishing third and fourth in the sidecar class.

Even though I am a paraplegic, it in no way affects my ability to pilot a sidecar outfit at race pace. My greatest disappointment is that there is no race series in the USA for sidecars like mine as there is in Europe. Because of this, there is no ability for me to attain the required expert license from a recognized motorcycle racing organization.

It is my sincere hope that an exception might be made allowing me to compete. I am confident of my ability to qualify and safely compete, but if for some reason I am not able to attain 115% of the fastest time in my division I will gladly step aside forfeiting my entry fee. I am a racer with the heart of a racer that if allowed the chance to compete in this storied event it would fulfill a lifelong dream. Besides the personal fulfillment that participation in the PPIHC would provide I believe my participation would be an inspiration to many. I am confident that the back story of me being a paralyzed ex-racer and my “sidecar monkey” wife who is a Presbyterian Pastor would be of interest to spectators as well as possibly motorsport publications and televised media.

I am attaching a few pictures of my Hayabusa / RDS sidecar that would be competing at Pikes Peak as well as pictures of my dual sport sidecar. The dual sport sidecar is based on a Yamaha FZ1 and all fabrication of the leading link front end and sidecar frame was completed by me in my home garage (a video of me playing on this bike on some local dirt roads can be seen on YouTube by clicking on the following http://youtu.be/QrUjiCudCz0 ).

I thank you in advance for anything you can do to facilitate my participation in the 2014 PPIHC. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email me at sidebike@aol.com or by calling my mobile number anytime (850) 445-8588.

Sincerely,
Doug Miller

Hello Doug,

I have done some research, and there is a side car professional license that can be obtained. I spoke to members of the committee about this, and we really cannot make an exception to this rule.

All rookie motorcycle riders must have a professional license. If you are accepted into the race and don’t have a license, the committee stated that each rookie rider must show proof of a professional license at registration during race week.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Best,
Megan
Megan Leatham
Executive Director
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
1631 Mesa Avenue, Ste. E
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Phone: 719-685-4400
Fax: 719-634-5198
megan@ppihc.com
PPIHC is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization

5. Proof of expert license- Rookie riders only must submit an expert or professional license from a recognized motorcycle racing organization along with their application. Applications will not be “complete” until this is received.
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Paul



Joined: 27 Jan 2005
Posts: 182
Location: Utah

PostPosted: Thu Jan 16, 2014 8:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you're going to go to the SRA course - you'll need to make very certain you meet their technical requirements:

http://sidecarracers.com/pdfs/SRA%20Rules%202013%20Edition.pdf

It's the usual track stuff about safety wiring, coolant, and so forth - but there are a lot of little details to attend to. You'll undoubtedly need all of this stuff to get on the Pike's Peak course anyway, so it isn't wasted effort.


I wonder if Pike's Peak just needs a racing license? If so you could just join a local racing organization like WERA, get your license ($110), and race.

http://maps.wera.com/fees/?x=1098
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bruce_in_pa18015



Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 99
Location: Bethlehem, PA. USA

PostPosted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 2:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
"Would anyone be interested in in joining us to run Pikes Peak next year. I know it would be difficult (impossible?) to be truly competitive with the true road race sidecars but it sure would be neat if a few of us showed up to run this storied event on our street legal outfits. Let me know if there is any interest".


Hi Doug,

Louise and I would be interested in joining you, not as a competitor, but as part of your support team. We are always looking for an excuse to get out of Pennsylvania and see new parts of the U.S.A. and spend time will old friends with sidecars.

Bruce.[/i]
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SIDEWISE



Joined: 22 Jan 2013
Posts: 25
Location: Winslow Twp. NJ, USA

PostPosted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 1:39 am    Post subject: Pikes Peak Reply with quote

Doug,

Perhaps contacting John Wood driver of Johnny Killmore Team www.johnnykillmore.com as he has actually run Pikes Peak and may share some insight on how to get approved for racing.

I also do recall two French Hi Perf sidecars that ran the hill. Some searching on the internet should be able to locate them. They might be able to help.

Good luck in your endeaver, I cheer you on!

Ed
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