Want to go racing but don’t have the funds? Race your mates for glory rather than sheep stations? Then head down to a vintage dirt track meeting and talk to the Jerkyls – a crew who know how to get sideways.
Gareth ‘Scruff’ Hamill and Andy Baker aka Randy Faker are a couple of retro Sydneysiders who love going fast off-road – but without the serious faces and red tape associated with your average race meet. And they aim to look good doing it.
Along with like-minded old skool dirt bike riders, they formed the Jerkyls – short for jerks who ride around in circles.
Armed with a fleet of old – and mostly cheap – trail bikes from the 1970s, the Jerkyls adopted Nepean Raceway near Penrith as their home and started to run an event called Sunday Slide.
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Mainly so they could race each other around the track, but also so they could channel their inner Steve McQueen, listen to cool tunes and enjoy a fun day out with the aroma of Castrol R burning through the premix.
Get your fix
Sunday Slide is a celebration of aged two-wheelers. Long-forgotten brands Like Maico and Bultaco are dusted off and wheeled out to line up against a sea of DT, IT and XT Yamahas.
You might even see the odd Honda Elsinore, or the Dark Prince’s CB350 twin cylinder methanol burner. Scruff currently pilots a pre-unit Triumph Bonneville from the 1950s, and Randy has a highly modified DT250 and an air-cooled, twin shock CR250. And while the bikes – and riders – may be old, they are anything but slow.
Unlike most rider briefings, the pre-race announcements at Sunday Slide are highly anticipated. The safety spiel is delivered with theatrical zeal by Scruff and Randy who annoint newcomers with ‘holy methanol’ (actually water – methanol is expensive) and they even have a Jerkyl interpretation of the Lord’s Prayer.
They’ve been known to run mock baptisms when a new Jerkyl joins the crew, because the Slide happens on a Sunday – something to do with Christianity. So by all means Praise the Slide – but never take it seriously.
Around and around
A typical race day will see a wide variety of riders and bikes in various states of dilapidation front the start gate – right up to schmick big dollar top fuel speedway bikes. Fortunately riders are graded into novice or pro and set out at different times. Newcomers are welcomed and if you have a road bike you can see just how unsuitable it is on a dirt track by cutting a few laps. Just bring a smile and remember this is entertainment.
Walking around the pits is a full back to the 70s timewarp. Float bowls are removed between races, jets are swapped and points are adjusted. Do you need to be a legend on the tools?
Not really, because the bikes are simple to fix and there are plenty of experts willing to help. Parts and advice are offered to riders struggling by those with the knowledge, tools and experience – all part of the Sunday Slide experience.
If you’ve got an old chook chaser gathering dust in the shed, the message is ride it, don’t hide it.
It’s what they were designed to do. Just about any model will work – two-stroke or four-stroke.
But beware, sliding is addictive and you may find upgrades are required – as soon as you get up to speed, you need more speed.
So track down a pair of vintage leather trousers, grab that old footy jersey and get set to go sideways.