Zach Sets a Lap Record At NOLA Motorsports Park (on the dirt)

I just could not wait any longer….I had to get a bike on the track at NOLA Motorsports Park.  Set to open late this summer, NOLA invited me to do some laps on the north track before asphalting began.  We had two perfect machines for the job, the Ducati Multistrada and Tiger 800XC. 

Prior to this experience I had only been on the dirt once before during my trip to Arizona to ride the Tiger. This was a little unnerving.  Especially because my father (the boss) wasn’t to keen on the possibility that I could throw a new bike down the dirt. I spent most of the time on the Multistrada while my dad made much slower laps on the Triumph.

Click here to see the video!

After suiting up in my normal track day attire, the camera crew attached a helmet to my helmet and chest. The sighting laps were a little scary. While the surface on the backside of the track was compact, the front (including the straight) was very soft. Once I got comfortable I had the track record of 4:07 (held by a Jeep) in my sights.

The Multistrada was fast, and handled the compacted part of the track well. The softer sections of the track were better on the Tiger with its taller, narrower front wheel. In the end the Multistrada took the fastest recorded lap of 3:53, and the Tiger was able to achieve the top speed of 97mph.

Lucky for me this will be the only recorded motorcycle lap on the unpaved track! Enjoy the video!

Click here to see the video!