Check out my boy KURTIS!
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Milroy Image of the Month
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08-07-2008
It's August and fall is coming fast.. what more can I say, the past three months have gone by fast, and I haven't been at the racetrack as much as I would have liked to. I've at least been to Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas once a month teaching with Visionsports Riding Schools and I was able to make it to Mid America Motorplex this past Sunday during a NESBA event.
Some of the most fun with a school I have had this past summer was the Visionsports Riding Schools Racer Univercity. Helping current racers to go faster and helping them set up their equipment. It's a different kind of enjoyment passing along some of those specialized skills. Although, don't get me wrong, every school is fun! The smiles we get from those who have never been to the track before are never ending. I look forward to the rider schools each month for that reason.. helping others enjoy the fun of the racetrack and seeing those neverending smiles.
Finally, I've made my way back to MAM for the first time in almost two years. It was the hottest day of the year though.. nearly 101 degrees.. but well worth it. It seemed like everyone there had been through one of my past schools, it was like a big unplanned class reunion. Nice to see everyone is still enjoying the track and riding their hearts out. People were coming out on to the asphalt to say hi, and it was great to get a group of riders from the Midwestmotorcycles.com forum together at the racetrack for once.
Next up for Milroy Racing is August 15 -16th at HPT for some racing action, I can't wait! And everyone head to www.vivamotorsiklo.com and order some photos from them, they've got some great shots!
-->JimmY
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05-06-2008
"Racing is living, everything else is just waiting." Oh for the love of racing... Heartland Park was my first race in a year and a half, and I remember why I love to race more than ever now. It was a great weekend April 25-27.
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Sure I've been teaching a few classes hear and there, but it's just not the same as going head to head pushing the limits. Friday was practice only for me and all went well except for a fogging face shield. The new Penski shock was working well and I was getting comfortable with the bike in race mode. Saturday I signed up for the middleweight grand prix and heavyweight superbike. The gp race was going extremely well for my first race back in the saddle except for the fact that now I had new Michelin tires on and they were working excellent. My problem is that I had been practicing on old tires and they must have been sliding a bit because now they were hooking up and that brought on some suspension problems. Did I say I was doing back to back races for my first time back?! So I rode conservatively to finish the race and make a quick adjustment before the next race started asap (thanks for the help Mike Casey and Meghan Stiles) MWGP 9th. Well, to make a long story short, the next race went pretty much the same as the first one especiallysince I went the wrong way with my shock adjustment and made my problem more profound. I rode a little harder anyway since I knew I would be done for the day. HWSB 4th.
Sundays races were big ones for me, unfortunately they were over quickly for MilroyRacing.com. Middleweight Supersport and Heavyweight Supersport were both Suzuki Cup Races and I wanted to win! Hopefully with the rear end finally adjusted in the right direction everything would be working smoothly. Starting from the back of the grid is always a challenge, and I got a great start passing several bikes heading into turn one. From there I passed one more rider entering turn three. Exiting three entering four I was making loads of time on the three bikes grouped ahead of me. As I entered turn four I was already planning on passing all three on the brakes going into turn five when the the front tucked (turn four). I held onto the right bar so the bike would pull me off the track and as I slide around I looked up and saw four white number plates taking evasive action as to not run me over (thanks guys!!!). My self and my bike came out ok, except we were both a ball of mud. You see, it pored rain the night before. The track was green again from the rain, and the inside of some of the turns were still a bit damp. Hey, that's racing, and not my first dance with the track.. and probably not the last. Either way I missed out on the days Suzuki Money and I'll say it was down to rider error, trying to hard to soon --> Jimmy
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03-27-2008
It is that time of year again, time to start thinking RIDE! The weather here in Nebraska is finally breaking into the 50's regularly now and that means to me it's time to ride. When I say ride the first thing that comes to my mind is racing.. and with gas prices these days it also means dust off the 400 Bandit and start riding to work and saving gas money.
The 2008 Milroy Racing Machine
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The new race bike has come to reality and has taken shape. I think now is the time to make mention of those who have really helped put together the new bike. I'll start with Dave Rosno and the Visionsports Riding School. Without his rallying and help this upcoming season may well have been in the gutter before it even started. Clifford Cycles for everything they do and provide. Woodcraft -cfm (engine guards, clip-ons, rearsets, levers, stands), Triangle Body Shop in Omaha, Nebraska for the great paint job, Penski Racing shocks, Michelin Tires, DP Brakes, and of course MILROY (that's me, the one who spends countless hours working, wrenching, building, and detailing everything - a one man do-it-yourself wrencher-and-rider), and my family who put up with all of my antics.
The plan for this year is to first teach skills to the students of the Visonsports Riding Schools, and second to attend and win as many races as possible (Union Pacific, I really need that extra week of vacation sooner then later.. lol). April 14th is the first rider school at Heartland Park Topeka. April 26-27 is the first race weekend also at HPT.
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11-12-2007
This is it, the first test page of the new James A. Milroy Jr web site. After racing for nearly 20 years I have finally designed my personal web site for the public to see. Yes I have had other web sites, but non devoted to me personally. Me, Me, Me.. Is that bad? Who cares. It's all about having fun anyway.
Racing motorcycles has been my passion for a l-o-n-g time. I first got interested in racing in 1988 watching Fred Merkel winning the first World Superbike series on ESPN. I've still got most of that year on VHS! Way cool to go back and watch.
Raymond Roche's Ducati
1989 BIR WSB
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Then my very first real live racing experience in person was the 1989 Brainerd International Speedway World Superbike Event. My buddy Troy and I drove his brown pickup truck right to the middle of the World Superbike Paddock (unquestioned mind you), parked, set up our red and white covered wagon looking tent in the bed of the truck and began to enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of the racing community. I remember waking up after the first night in the bed of the truck (in the WSB paddock!) listening to european voices commenting on our tent (they liked it by the way). Then a huge roar as the sound of my first Ducati filled my eardrums. I got up quick, grabbed my camera and took this picture.
The BIG10 Covered Wagon
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Our new friend and first known racer buddy was competing in the AMA races that weekend as well, Dave Rosno. He actually talked us into going to the races, and I'm glad he did. Next for us that year was the Road America AMA races and the California Superbike School following the weekend. There was no such thing as a track day back then and that's where I got my road racing license and it all began. A month later we drove to Hallet Raceway in Oklahoma and started racing. That's the short story of how it all began.
Of late I have been doing more instruction than racing. This began in 2000 when I started taking part in Dave Rosnos' Visionsports Riding Schools program. Then in 2002 I started out on my own with my MAM Rider School. I had a wonderful school going until the end of 2006. In 2007 the local track cancelled its weekly riding club and that was that. Late in 2007 Dave and I ran across each other again late in the season and I was able to lend a hand again with two of his schools at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kansas.
It's been a long journey and there are hundreds of great stories and people I've met along the way, but I'll save that for another time. Welcome to my place and enjoy. ---> Jimmy |
