K&N’s Jeremy Templeman Notches First Podium Finish at Perris Flat Track Round 4
- Jun 7, 2013
"I've been riding motorcycles since I was three-and-half, but I didn't start doing any kind of racing until around the time I began working at K&N in 2004," reported Templeman. Since working at K&N Templeman has sampled a variety of motorsport flavors and experiences, he's raced off-road Grand Prix motorcycle events, Hare Scrambles in the desert, even a 24-hour race as part of a six member team riding a 50cc Honda two-stroke motorcycle. That event was held on the Willow Springs Kart Track as part of the M1GP race series. "M1GP is dedicated to racing mini motorcycles," said Templeman. "I spent several years focusing on racing mountain bikes, and road cycles too. That's where I encountered burn out from training, traveling, and the expenses involved." At the beginning of 2013 Templeman honed his focus to flat track racing. He enrolled in a training course in northern California and went old-school, riding small displacement bikes on small tracks in an attempt to perfect his technique. "I'm learning that a lot of what I was taught in this school isn't how people ride modern "DTX" bikes. DTX bikes are motocross bikes converted to dirt track, as opposed to the more traditional "framers". Framers are custom built frames/engine combinations for the purpose of racing flat track. So far I'm planning to stick to racing at Perris because it's close and doesn't involve hours of travel or overnight stays. The next closest series has a couple of events at Willow Springs. But that's a few hours away. Northern California is a hot bed of flat track racing as well as other parts of the country. But I've found that traveling to race is an easy way to over spend and burn yourself out." Been there, done that, adds Templeman. In round 4 of the Southern California Flat Track Association series contested at his home track Perris Raceway in Perris, California, Templeman's diligence paid off with a 3rd place in the Open Novice class main event. And it doesn't make any difference whether you've been racing for three months or thirty years, finally getting it done tastes real sweet. "I started from the pole position because I took the hole-shot and led my entire heat race to take a win. The heat race decides your start position in the main event. I settled into 4th place in the main event going into turn-three for the first time. With about two-and-a-half laps to go, the third place rider crashed, and the officials threw out the red flag. With only two laps remaining they restarted the race single file, with the person who crashed going to the back. I restarted in third and protected my position through the checkered flag." Templeman missed the first round of the SCFTA series because his bike wasn't ready, admitting that he's still going through a rookie learning curve. Round 1 was on Saturday and round two the following day. "I took 5th place in round 2 on Sunday because someone crashed and I moved up a position," he said candidly. "I took 5th place in round 3, but at least I earned it. It was a race long battle between me and another racer for 5th and 6th position. I got him in a tight drag race to the finish line." "Round 5 was two weekends ago. I finished 6th because of a near crash that sent me back to last, or near last place, and I spent the rest of the race trying to regain positions. I passed a few guys, but I was stuck behind two racers battling for 5th. I couldn't get around them either in, or outside." Spoken like a full-blown racer. Another sure indication that Templeman continues to move closer towards the racing light is the way he's sharing the love with his son, who is exactly the same age Templeman was when he started. Zach started just two weeks ago, racing the 50cc beginner class on his CRF50F (with training wheels). "Round 5 was his first race," said the proud dad. "He had a blast and finished last, but there were only three kids in his class, so he got third. He's little, so the concept of finishing last is beyond him, and he thought he won. He had a blast." |
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| Related K&N News Articles about Jeremy Templeman: K&N’s Jeremy Templeman Wins the 2013 SCFTA Open Novice Championship |  |
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