Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By David Swarts

The Grand Bayou Festival of Speed begins Friday, January 10 and runs until Sunday, January 12 at No Problem Raceway at Belle Rose, Louisiana. The festival is scheduled to include road racing, drag racing, a stunt riding competition and assorted side activities such as live bands, fireworks and a trophy girl contest.

Road racing practice begins Friday, timed qualifying takes place on Saturday and the final races will begin — with LeMans-style starts — Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Promoters say that the top 40 qualifiers will receive free race entries and a refund of their $20 gate fee.

Six races are planned, in five classes. Lightweight Experts & Novices (125cc GP bikes, Yamaha FZR400s, Suzuki SV650s, etc.) will race against each other for a $3000 cash purse. Middleweight Novices (mainly 600cc machines) and Heavyweight Novices (750cc and up machines) will race for tires, brake pads, Sunoco race fuel and gift certificates. Middleweight Experts will also race for a $3000 cash purse. Heavyweight Expert will have two races. The first race will be 20 laps of the 1.8-mile road course for a $3000 purse. The second Heavyweight Expert race will run for 25 laps for a $3500 purse.

Purse payouts for all $3000 races are:
1st – $1000
2nd – $500
3rd – $400
4th – $300
5th – $250
6th – $200
7th – $150
8th – $100
9th – $60
10th – $40

The purse payout for the $3500 race is:
1st – $1200
2nd – $750
3rd – $450
4th – $300
5th – $250
6th – $200
7th – $150
8th – $100
9th – $60
10th – $40.

Races with 40 or more riders will also feature a $300 Holeshot bonus for leading the first lap.

All classes will be run under Superbike rules and technical requirements, as set forth by the Church of Speed, the organizer of the event. The Church of Speed’s Kevin Nolde told Roadracingworld.com that he will accept any license issued by a recognized racing organization in the past two years.

For more information, call Kevin Nolde at (225) 383-7743 days, (225) 675-5879 evenings, e-mail [email protected] or go to www.churchofspeed.us.