Damian Doffo (36R) leads Chris Akaydin (784) and Mitch Barnes (082) Photo: etechphoto
Small track, Big
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streets of willow @
2021 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series
The first West Coast AHRMA road racing national of 2021 featured a new track and new racers. The 2021 Bridgestone Tires AHRMA National Historic Cup Roadracing Series event April 17 and 18 at the Streets of Willow in Rosamond, California, was the first time AHRMA had visited the 1.6 mile-track located directly north of the “big” Willow Springs International Raceway. “Streets” was the perfect descriptor as the technical course included significant elevation changes and pavement quality similar to a rustic, SierraMichael Enns Nevada mountain Photo: etechphoto road.
The roadracing community welcomed almost a dozen new members who participated in the AHRMA Academy of Road Racing. Kat Diamond, from Los Angeles, CA, riding an almost stock Honda CB160 was new racer taking class with her husband Mitsuhiro Kiyonaga on a 1970 Honda CB750. “Originally it was my idea,” he said, “but now she loves it.” Jim Deckert, from Long Beach, CA, was full of enthusiasm, “This is my first time riding and it’s loads of fun.” Deckert picked racing with AHRMA, “Because of the class, we’re on the CB160 and I felt it’s a great starting point.” Samantha Doffo, from Temecula, CA, said she started racing with AHRMA because, “I had no choice, my Dad, my brother and the whole family race with AHRMA and if I wanted to race this was it for me. It was absolutely the right choice, and I had a blast.” Highlights from the weekend show how both new and veteran AHRMA racers responded to the Streets of Willow track. Race 1 Christopher Akaydin, Mitchell Barnes, Marcelo Doffo climbed onto the CB160 Exhibition race podium in that order on Saturday. Akaydin, from Louisville, Kentucky, said, with a grin, his secret to winning was, “To make sure I take the pass on the last turn, so I can get to the checkers first. That’s what I did on the last lap and the last turn.”
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WWW.AHRMA.ORG
AMERICAN HISTORIC RACING MOTORCYCLE ASSOCIATION
JUNE 2021
