Normally in our “Caption this Photo” series we just fire up a provoking picture, drop-in a photo credit, and let you the readers haver your way with it in the comments section; but for today’s photo, I thought our selection deserved a little background story, since not everyone is familiar with what Chip Yates and the SWIGZ.com Pro Racing team has been up to this past year.
Having a day of testing in the desert outside of Victorville, California, the SWIGZ crew have been practicing with Larry Kleinschmidt to hone Chip’s dirt-riding skills, as the team is set to compete in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb later this year. Yates is an accomplished road racer, but his dirt racing experience stems from four-wheeled endeavors, not two — hence the coaching from Kleinschmidt to help tackle the 2.6 miles of dirt road that still remain on the Pikes Peak course.
Chip is a good friend of the site, and we think his approach of competing against ICE motorcycles on their own turf is the right direction to take electric motorcycle racing. It probably also helps that Chip’s motorcycling philosophy is like our own: that this sport/industry centers around having fun. The last time I talked to Chip, we both agreed we’d quit what we were doing the day it was no longer bringing us enjoyment, which isn’t likely to happen anytime soon.
So when Chip sent us a photo of him getting more than a knee down in the dried lake bed, complete with the title ‘Learning Process’ we couldn’t help but give the “The Fastest Pizza Delivery Bike” rider a gentle ribbing. There surely must be a learning curve that comes with riding in the dirt with a 194hp speed machine (I’d probably kill myself doing what Yates is undertaking), and Chip and his team will again be back out in the middle of nowhere practicing outside of Victorville this weekend. Until then Chip will be icing up his sore ankle from the tip-over, and I’m sure he could use some humorous “rephrasings” of his tumble while he heals up for the weekend. Do your best…or worst…in the comments section.
Photo: SWIGZ.COM Pro Racing
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