-over was able to connect with a representative of Globe Bikes who was looking to promote a “Bike In” screening of The Disposable Film Festival. The event became a double bill. Globe’s involvement meant a small budget to work with and more importantly, matching bikes to race. The bikes ended up being Globe Lives that 21st Avenue Bikes stripped down and built back up as the perfect modified stock speedway race machine. The bikes would have no brakes, flat pedals, a freewheel and an upright rider position. This was an equalizer as we drew racers from just about every cycling discipline imaginable. No one would have a distinct advantage, because no one had raced a bike like these.
After a week of cleaning out the space, building the boards (to keep the racers out of the fans, and the fans away from the racers, while still allowing a close proximity for both parties) and painting everything, Holeshot was a go. Aside from a bicycle sponsor, Blam was able to secure a 3-keg beer sponsorship, portable stadium lighting and a DJ. We started the evening off with a bicycle tractor pull featuring a green 1970’s John Deere brand bike to get folks warmed up, and moved right into the open track practice and getting people signed up to race.
With brackets for motos drawn up, racers wasted no time throwing elbows and hanging outriggers into the turns. It was pretty apparent everyone was there to have a good time, but some were there to also take a shot at winning. Aside from a noise complaint at 7pm, the night went as well as we could have hoped: Lots of folks raced, (both men and women) cycled through, had a drink, a few laughs and saw some great racing action. Quite a few folks hung out in the space for hours after the racing was complete, and the after party may have been even more fun than the race itself. It was great to just wander around and see some people from the polo scene mixing and swapping stories with mountain bikers who were talking with some members of the Dead Baby Bike Club who had come down from Seattle, WA to check things out.