Flags flying over the Bonneville Performance factory Triumph Team pit area: Navy, Marines, USA and Army Airborne.

Bonneville Performance team pit area, with the Latus Racing team next door.

Bill Gately has just finished unfurling the 4 flags flying over the Bonneville Performance pit area, while Eric Whitnable of VETMotorsports and Yve Assad of Triumph America attend to their social media duties.

David is a member of VET Motorsports (VETM), a non-profit program that supplies vets to help with racing pit crews. Here he is assisting Steve Gately in the pit area.

Team owner, Bill Gately talking with some guests in the pit area.

The photographer’s parked Bonnie between the Bonneville Performance team truck and the Latus Racing team truck. This 2008 Bonneville features 3 of the products available from Bonneville Performance: The Mikuni Carb Kit, the Oil Cooler Kit and the Oil Pressure Gauge Kit. We think she looks right at home.

We couldn’t do this without our sponsors. We have some great sponsors… Castrol Racing being an important one!

Bikes get very dirty at the Lima track because of its loose dirt and pea gravel composition. It cakes on and is tough to remove… almost like cement!

To help with the extreme dirt issue, portions of the bikes body and frame were covered with protective film, including the graphics on the gas tank

The hubs and wheels used on Bonneville Performance Super Trackers are designed to allow flipping the wheel/tire easily between races, to get the most use out of each set of expensive racing treads.

Closeup of the measures taken to protect the carbs and air flow intake from the dirt produced at the Lima track.

To keep bike weight down, flat track racing bikes do not carry onboard starters. Instead the engines are started at the beginning of each race with an external starter by a crew member. This is the battery powered portable starter used by the Bonneville Performance team. The protruding shaft of the starter (a half-inch socket extension) is inserted into a square hole on the end of the crankshaft… see next photo.

Here is the protruding end of the crankshaft with the square hole used to start the engine with the external starter. The marks indicate when the crankshaft is at top dead center at maximum compression.

A closeup of the Golden Tyres tread pattern of the tires used for flat track racing. Also, fork protectors are plastered with sponsor decals among them being: Triumph, Wiseco and Castrol Racing.

More sponsors including: Barnett Clutches and Cables, Cometic Gaskets and Vortex.

Every flat track racer that passes technical inspection and that could potentially be raced during the event is given an official timing sensor by the AMA officials. This sensor is mounted on the left front fork down tube so it can be read by the official AMA track timing devices. This is the key system that determines fastest lap times which in turn plays an important role in rider positions in the final main event races, and heavily influences the outcomes and winners. That little red box is a very important piece of technology!

Our pit area neighbors: The Latus Motors Triumph ridden by Shayna Texter, #25A.

Mikey posing for a photo with a fan during open paddock.

Our neighbors in the pit area are the Triumph team from Latus Motors, and rider Shayna Texter #25a. Here Shayna interacts with a well-wishing fan during the open paddock time.

Mikey Martin #91 entering turn 1 at the Lima Half Mile track, where he posted a 28.2 sec. best lap.

Mikey Martin #91 and pit crew chief Steve Gately conferring after a heat race.

Mikey Martin #91 getting a well-deserved drink after his heat race. In 80+ degree weather in full leathers it is important to stay hydrated.

Bonneville Performance Team Owner, Bill Gately reviewing results of Mikey’s heat race.

Oh, and the riders get very dirty as well!

Here is Shayna Texter #25a on a Triumph entering turn 1 on her winning GNC Twins heat race.

The 2014 Bonneville Performance official Triumph Racing Team shirts design… pretty cool!

Air hose

Anybody need a sprocket?

The AMA decided to grade the track before each expert race, and just before the main event they also watered down the track.