Henry Wiles leads Shaun Russell during an AMA Grand National Championship heat race at Bedford (Pa.) Speedway on June 27, 2008. Wiles made the main and finished seventh that night on the Aprilia flat track bike. Wiles had some strong finishing on the Aprilia, including just missing by a hair's breadth of winning the national in Lima, Ohio the night after this race in Bedford. (Larry Lawrence photo)
Rider Files 
Great photo! Love to see different brands getting sideways on the dirt.
Dirt track racing should thrive; the facilities already exist (in abundance) and new brands are coming in to play. You can see the all of the action from your seat in the grandstands. The racing is close and the bikes all showcase the different personalities of both riders and tuners.
Unfortunately, nearly every event that I’ve attended has suffered from horrible mismanagement. The programs are often delayed, with main events often not getting underway until the bewitching hour. I understand the importance of track prep. But asking fans to continue to wait, wait, wait…? How many NFL buffs would sit patiently while the grounds crew mows the field?
Let’s encourage the AMA to energize and (properly) organize this discipline, the oldest form of motorcycle racing.
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I wonder how Henry felt when he won Lima this past June, lapping Joe Kopp on the Lloyd Brothers Ducati as he was taking the checkered flag… I am thinking there was a little bigger smile under his helmet at that moment.
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