Photo Gallery: Motorcycles put on quite a show Saturday night at Lemoore Raceway

Sunday, May 1, 2016 - 9:36am

Local residents and others were treated to a night of exciting racing Saturday night at the Lemoore Raceway, located just south of Lemoore’s industrial Park, where they watched motorcycles and quads take part in the California Flat Track Championships (CFTA).

Motorcycle flat track racing returned to Lemoore Raceway after a long absence. The California Flat Track Association (CFTA) and the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) partnered to deliver this exciting event.

Flat track is considered the oldest, longest-running and most traditional motorcycle racing in America. It’s also commonly referred to as “dirt track” racing, with roots dating back almost a hundred years. In recent years the sport has roared back in popularity with people re-discovering this bit of Americana motorsports.

The allure of flat track racing is its intensity, with riders racing mere inches apart, and sliding sideways (known as “backing it in”) through the corners. It’s not uncommon for riders and bikes to make contact. The result is truly a spectacle of uncaged man and machine.

The CFTA put on a good show Saturday night, showing off the talents of both amateur and professional riders, as well as youth riders as young as four, and veteran riders over 60 years old.

The CFTA promotes motorcycle flat track racing on the West Coast, and Lemoore’s event on Saturday was the second in a series of championship events, which will culminate on Oct. 22 when the series winds up, once again in Lemoore.

The series began in Prairie City, just east of Sacramento, where has a vehicular recreation area, as well as a track for motorcycles. Riders build up points throughout the season and a championship emerges later this season.

The competition featured several classes of motorcycles, from lightweight bikes to heavier motorcycles.\

All photos by Bill Burris of Photography for Kings County