Flat Out Mama in Milwaukee

Winter Fun Indoors in Milwaukee

Milwaukee, Wisconsin – February 17
By Gordon Lunde

What to do on a winter night in mid February? Go to a motorcycle race, what else? But these races would be held indoors on a Dr. Pepper soda syrup sprayed track in downtown Milwaukee, WI.

The 2017 version of Flat Out Friday indoor motorcycle racing and The Mama Tried custom cycle show once again proved to be the hot ticket for enthusiasts from around the country. The events started Friday afternoon with practice for the indoor races. The BMO Harris Bradley Center is the home of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team and a convention or concert venue most days. This night it was turned into an indoor, oval race track.

Live music filled the atrium entrance to the center along with vendors and a peek at the cycle pit area that was brought out for the spectators to get close up views of some of the bikes and riders.
As the music blared in the atrium, the braaaap! sounds of bikes echoed from inside the arena. Racers aboard all form of machine slipped and slid around a very tight race track. A lot of these riders had never ridden on this type of track surface before and needed a lot of practice to perfect their form and strategy for the evening’s show.

Over 220 entries were entered in eleven classes. Youth, amateur, vintage, pro and “hooligan” classes were among these. These racers hailed from as far away as Tokyo, Japan, along with others from across our country. The ages of the racers spread just as wide with youth racers in their early teens to a local rider, Chuck Dickenson who is still actively racing at the age of 75!

In all, the entire weekend was a cycle riders fantasy land. Great racing, a super cool show, camaraderie and great weather all combined to make for a spectacular event.

Keep your calendars open for next winter’s races and show. Flat Out Friday/ Mama Tried will be back with bigger and better events to relieve your mid-winter dull drums.

Full Story and more photos in the April issue!