Shirey Wins 75th Checkers' Check Chase
U
nless you're discussing the
ruins of Pompeii, the lifes-
pan of a California Redwood,
or something like the history of
aviation, 75 years is a pretty long
time—and more so when talking
about how long any particular
race has been around. But the
Check Chase has been a staple
in Southern California's AMA
District 37 since 1950, so at its
75th edition, it certainly qualifies
as one of the oldest races in the
USA, much less one of the oldest
desert races.
Put on by the Checkers Mo
-
torcycle Club (among the oldest
AMA-chartered clubs in District
37, if not the country, having
been formed shortly after World
War II), the Check Chase has
taken on several forms since
its inception, which practically
coincided with the club's gen
-
esis. It's been what was called a
field meet; it's been a 225-mile
point-to-point race ending in
Parker, Arizona; and it's been in
its current form as a multi-loop
hare and hound.
For the 75th annual Check
Chase World Championship Hare
& Hound, Presented by Fast
-
house and FMF, the Checkers
started planning last year. Not
only did they design a three-loop
race (with loops of 40, 40 and 20
miles for a true 100-miler like the
old days), they also had a CARB-
approved "smoke" bomb and
a single-row mass start—Pros,
Experts, Amateurs and Novices
all starting at the same time!
Based out of the same Means
Dry Lake that's the central point
of the upcoming King of the
Hammers event later this month,
finding challenging trails would
not be a problem. And only the
Experts and Pros would tackle
the final 20 miles, much of it in
Hammers canyons.
While single-row mass starts
used to be the norm in District
WIND
IN THE
P32
After recovering from a
poor start, Dalton Shirey
tuned up for the AMA
National Hare & Hound
series by winning much
of the $10,000 Check
Chase purse, becoming
only the second Checkers
MC member to win
a Check Chase race.
PHOTOS: MARK KARIYA
