Samantha Doffo here with some updates on the 2022 race season! Thus far it has been exciting and definitely a growth opportunity for some of us. On the vintage side, Damian and I headed to Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California to race with AHRMA at the end of April. It was a journey to get there, since it is all the way up near Redding. Damian and I had never been to that track, so the first practice day was super exciting for us. The track itself has some elevation and big wide turns, making it a challenge as well as very exciting. This was the first time that just the two of us headed out by ourselves.
For me it’s exciting to be one of the very few women out for this race (I believe in my class at Thunderhill there were only three women). I was happy to meet one lady named Karen, who I ended up chasing on the track. She definitely makes me want to improve and catch her! This is the best part of racing with an organization like AHRMA: even though it’s competitive and we have old pros mixed with newbies, everyone is friendly and helpful. At the end of a race it is common to have other racers come over to your pit and give you a hug or feedback or just smiles and comments of how much fun it was to chase each other while trying to pass. Damian did fantastic in all his classes and came home with some trophies.
In July, we made our way up to the famous Weathertech Raceway at Laguna Seca. As a family, this is one of our favorite tracks and races of the year with AHRMA as it coincides with their Vintage Bike Fest. We made it more a family weekend with the kids and dogs in tow. I had the pleasure of driving with Damian’s and my kids while Damian pulled the trailer with the bikes accompanied by our Dad, Marcelo, and his wife, Maria.
We started off the practice Friday with some laps and getting a feel for the track again. Who doesn’t love the feeling of the legendary Corkscrew? You can’t help but have a huge smile on your face when you come off the track and share how you feel going into the corners. Saturday’s first race featured Dad, Maria and myself. Damian had to sit this one out because our Dad’s bike had some issues, so Damian gave up his bike so Dad could race. Dad always goes fast and kicks ass!
Maria and I chased each other around the track and were right behind our friend, Karen! You got to love a lady that just cruises; she doesn’t care to get her knee closer to the ground or what place she comes in. She races for fun alongside her husband, and Maria and I are blown away by how fast she is. It’s now our mission to catch her.
We had a great time racing and ended the weekend with Damian taking second place in one of his races. This was also the first race that we had Wine Club members attend! They drove all the way from Temecula to come watch us race! We are so appreciative that they made the journey and want to give a shout out to the Hunters for supporting the family.
We are now prepping for early Fall to join AHRMA in Alabama for a race at Barber Motorsports Park, home of one of the largest collections of vintage motorcycles and cars. Definitely a must-see if you have never been! We will let you know how we do in October, and in the meantime, keep drinking MotoDoffo wine and going fast…just not at the same time!