Dirt Track Rider of the Month

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN FLAT TRACK?

I started dirt track racing in 1962.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT THE SPORT?

The life-long friendships that have been made over a 60-year span and the joy of the list of friends getting larger each year. Been down a lot of happy trails.

WHAT BIKE, MODEL, MAKE, SIZE DO YOU CURRENTLY RACE?

I ride a 1963 Triumph 500, ridden in the Brakeless class. I’ve had this bike since I was 15; I threw newspapers on the Triumph, rode it to school and raced it on weekends. During the offseason, the Triumph was also used for boondockin’ and a couple enduros. Currently, it is basically in the same set-up and appearance as it was in the ‘60s; it was uncrated and set up for racing by Bill Cleek—B&M Cycle Sales— in Shawnee, OK. In 2008, Johnny Isaacs of Total Performance Racers, restored and updated the bike to its current form, keeping it close to the original 1960’s set-up. Many a young racer got their start with Bill and Mona Cleek, and few can say they were fortunate enough to have both the Cleek and Issac families to assist them in pursuing a passion.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN RACING AND WHAT DISCIPLINES?

I started racing on a 250 HarleyDavidson Sprint H back when I was 14 years old. I’ve raced TT scrambles, short track, half-mile, and the mile.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE RACE/MOMENT OF DIRT TRACK?

Looking back over 60 years, wow, every race was a moment and has a story. I’ll have to break it up into three periods. In the beginning, my favorite moment was winning the Tri-State Championship TT Scrambles in 1964 at the legendary John Zink Ranch. 45 years later, a second-place finish on the 750 Triumph (AKA: “The White Buffalo”) at the historic Peoria TT. I had the lead, but missed a gear in the last lap. It was a painful loss. Most recently, my favorite moment was winning the Brakeless class at the Springfield Short Track.

DIRT TRACK RIDER OF THE MONTH

INTERVIEW WITH GARY MOORE BY RICHARD BRODOCK PHOTOS COURTESY OF GARY MOORE

WHAT CLASSES DO YOU RUN?

I compete in the Classic 500/750 classes and the Brakeless class.

WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2022? SAME BIKE, DIFFERENT BIKE, MORE RACES?

I have big plans for 2022. Big! I plan to continue riding the 500 Triumph competing in mostly AHRMA events in Heavyweight Brakeless/TT. Also, courtesy of Jeff Durand, I’ll be competing in Lightweight Brakeless aboard a 250 Harley-Davidson Sprint, one with a ton of history. Approximately 60 years ago, I started on a Sprint sitting on the line with Freddie Nix. My ride on the Sprint will bring back a lot of great memories of racing with one of the all-time greats. New deal: I am going road racing! I have always wanted to because Gary Nixon and Freddie Nix came off dirt, said they had a blast and that I should do it. Don’t try it, just do it. So, here we go at 74-years-old, going to do it, made possible by a young man in Tennessee who came out of road racing to dirt track. Without him, I would be clueless on bike selection, set-up, etc. (Oddly enough, he ALSO said “Just do it.”) I will race Topeka, Talladega, and Barber.

Thanks Richard! LOOKING BACK AT PAST RACES, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR DREAM TRACK TO RACE?

I rode Ascot in 1965 ‘‘twas everything you hear and more.” Springfield Mile and Houston Astrodome would be a dream to run dirt track. My 2022 dream track: Laguna Seca road race.