This weekend is the 11th (?) annual Vintage TT at Atlantic Motorsport Park. They may not be as fast as the Superbikes, and they're kinda smelly and loud :P , but you get to see a lot of awesome old bikes you might never see otherwise. People come from all over Canada and the US to race this thing. There's OLD (40's/50's) bikes, sidecars, as well as (hopefully) a 125GP class. Plus if you take your bike up on Saturday, there's a ride along memorial parade that night in memory of Jack Canfield (The reason we have AMP at all). I've only missed one since I was 3 years old, it's definitely a good time for anyone that cares to drive up!
every year i am offered the chance to be a monkey (side car pilot lol) and every year i miss it. wish my hand was better, i'd borrow a bike to do the ride for jack. i miss that old fucker, he always made my day. "drop them leathers boy!" "why?" "I gotta see them steel bals you got, going through one like that every lap." my rear shock lost all it's nitrogen and was bouncin like pogo stick.
yeah I think everyone that knew him misses him, it's still weird going to the track and him not being there. I think my favorite Jack story is the one about him driving an entire race holding his pipe to keep it from falling off. Everyone that's ever been to AMP owes so much to that guy.
think my fav was whenwe talked him into trying to hang off his bike. "You fuckers, i tried it in turn three took me till the back straight to get back on." yeah we broke out laughin
haha first time I've heard that one, not surprising though. John Doherty's got dozens of 'em, and really likes to tell them :P
Jack I first met Jack in 1983, went to see my first race, I was hooked! Started racing bikes in 84, Jack was always there for help and advice. Switched to cars in 1989, Jack thought this was great as he raced both cars and bikes over the years. I was having trouble getting by a certain Capri Turbo rally car in the corners, he was way fast on the straights, but I was all over him in the turns. Jack comes over and say's it like only Jack could. Puts his hand on my shoulder, says, this much pressure and gives me a light shove. Just give him a push going into corner three he says, he'll go off line and around ya go! Damned if he wasn't right.
