Vintage Motorcycles to Hit the Track

The seventh annual Outlaw Vintage Short Track Motorcycle Races will be held at the Ventura Raceway on Saturday.

Beginning at 6 p.m., racers will compete in 15 heats on motorcycles dating to 1917. The showcase race will be the professional 600 cc class sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Assn. It carries a $2,000 purse.

The pits will open at noon to racers. Practice sessions will be from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Racers can enter in more than one class. Fees for entries are $40 for the first class and $20 for each additional class.

Ventura Raceway track manager Cliff Morgan said 102 motorcycle racers have registered, and that at least 175 are expected on race day. Most of the entries will be pre-1974 cycles.

Unusual events will include a 1935-and-earlier race and the dinosaur race, for motorcycles built in 1951 and earlier. Another race features nothing but 1949 Indian Arrows.

General admission is $15 for adults; children 12 and younger get in free. Pit passes are $20.

For motorcycle enthusiasts, the races aren’t the only attraction this weekend. On Sunday, the 12th annual San Buenaventura Motorcycle Show and Exchange will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the fairgrounds. More than 125 motorcycles will be on display.

Admission is $5 for adults; free for children 12 and younger. “The show has grown by leaps and bounds,” promoter Dave Hansen said. “The antique motorcycle experience has become very popular in recent years.”

For more information on the races or the show, call 650-6777.