By Michael Dapper
Victory Buzz Contributor

At Daytona Bike Week this year, an avid group of performance-minded Victory Riders went beyond Street Night at the dragstrip and rented the track during the day. They chipped in enough cash to rent the facility, cover insurance and have the required ambulance on hand so they could make numerous runs and evaluate performance tweaks and work on their racing techniques.

Next year, the informal get-together might become a larger event open to all comers. Georgia Victory Rider and drag racer Mike “Jethro” Pearce reports that the folks who rented the track this year are planning “Orlando V-Twin Day” at the track during Bike Week 2011.

The track in question is Orlando Speed World Dragway, which Jethro and friends rented this year on the Wednesday of Bike Week. That evening was Street Night at the track, when a small group of Victory Riders braved the citrus-numbing Florida chill to make several runs down the track.

Jethro said the group has spoken to track officials and tentative plans call for Orlando V-Twin Day to be held on the Thursday of Bike Week 2011. It would be open to riders of all America-made V-twins, so HD and Victory Riders would be welcome.

For the riding enthusiast, it would be a chance to plunk down a small bit of cash and make a run or two on a drag strip, just to say you did so. For the more hard-core performance addicts, it would be a chance to evaluate engine mods, setups and reaction times. There might be some bracket racing for modest prizes, and there will be a picnic atmosphere with a trackside barbecue going all day.

As Jethro noted, there is no corporate backing for this event. It is a rider-organized event, and anyone who chose to run would be signing a track liability waiver, just as they do on Street Night.

We’ll post updates about the event as details emerge. In the meantime, if you have questions, suggestions or want to contact the organizers, drop a line via the Victory Mailbag. We’ll forward messages to Jethro and the gang.


The Ultimate Road Trip?
There’s a note below about the Victory True American Road Trip contest, but consider this itinerary for the ultimate road trip of 2010:

• The VMC’s Southeast Victory Rally in Helen, Georgia, June 3-6.
• The Rocky Mountain Freedom Rally in Ouray, Colorado, June 18-20.
• The V2V Relay, June 21-July 4, from coast to coast, heading west to east this year.
• The Sturgis rally, August 9-15.
• The American Victory Rally in Spirit Lake, Iowa, August 20-21.


Road Trip Video Portal is AOK
Some of you who tried to submit videos for the Victory True American Road Trip contest might have had difficulty uploading your videos last week. The “submit” button has been repaired, so fire away by going to True American Road Trip.


Robb Report Coverage
Robb Report magazine, which for more than 30 years “has served as the definitive authority on connoisseurship for ultra-affluent consumers,” gave some exposure to the new Victory Cross Country recently. Go to the Robb Report website to see ”The 2010 Victory Cross Country Strikes a New Balance.”


Webhog on a Victory Vision
Congrats to Marty “Webhog” Piatkowski, prez of the esteemed Hurricane Alley Victory Riders of Central Florida, who recently traded in his Touring Cruiser and is now riding in style on a Victory Vision (below). That means all three HAVRCF officers (Marty, Calista and Lobster) are Victory Vision riders.

If you live in Florida, the Hurricane Alley cats are a good group of Victory riders to get to know.