Ted and his "Goldie"

"Flat Track" racing is a wild and crazy sport, and was even crazier and wilder back in the early 50's. High powered single cylinder 500cc motorcycles running on dirt oval tracks, racing against each other, all running in the dirt and mud counterclockwise - and, all hell bent.

Well today I met Ted Erickson - a true old time "flat tracker" of that golden era.  In his teens and in his later career, Ted often competed for those small stakes, racing in the "outlaw" circuits of southern Texas, western Pennslyvania and in his own home state of rural Virginia.

Today he still gets out and about, but barely.  Now retired at 80 something and still smoking, Ted now enjoys gettin' around on his "Rascal" motorized scooter.  Over the past several years, he finally finished restoring his old favorite - his winning BSA 500cc Gold Star - and a favorite of all those early 'trackers' back when.  "We all called them 'Goldies' back then - and she still is".