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Airdrie motorcycle road racer Chad Swain (right) battled from dead last after an on-track incident to finish 29th of 47 riders in the AMA SuperSport event at the Miller Motorsport Park in Tooele, Utah May 27.

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Airdrie motorycle racer fights back in Utah

Airdrie’s Chad Swain had an uphill battle in his most recent race May 27 at the Miller Motorsport Park in Utah.

After a close call in the first turn which sent Swain from 16th on the grid of 47 riders to dead last, the longtime motorcycle racer had a tough race ahead of him.

The Airdrie racer is currently running a handful of American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) SuperSport motorcycle races in the United States after competing in regional events in Utah during the 2011 season. The World Superbike races, coupled with the AMA races in Utah was Swain’s first chance at turning the heads of the American ranks of motorcycle racing for 2012.

“We had a horrible start,” said Swain. “On the second lap in turn one, I got hit from behind. I ended up running into another guy cause I had nowhere else to go. I rode off into one, and when I got turned around, I was in last place by two corners.”

Swain had an uphill battle for the 13-lap event, but was running times comparable to riders in the top-15, which for the frustrated Canadian, was a bright spot on a tough day.

“You see the pack going away from you. What can I do?” said Swain. “My lap times were comparable with the top 15. Knowing I was in those lap times, I was OK with that. You salvage what you can.”

Swain ended his race 29th overall. Swain competed for years in the Calgary Motorcycle Roadracing Association, taking to the now demolished Race City Motorsports Park, before heading south of the border in 2011.

Race weekends that include multiple professional racing series at one track make for great job interview opportunities, he said.

“I did a lot of PR stuff that weekend. We were talking to fans and other riders,” said Swain.

“I was talking about possible rides for next year. You have to have confidence because (the professional teams) can tell if you have that talent.”

While Swain is travelling the U.S.A. with the SF-Performance Kawasaki ZX-6R, he said he hopes that the Calgary area can again have its own race track.

“To me, it would be great for the community around here, the street racers, the track guys… it would be really good,” said Swain. “There are a lot of people stuck without a track, the car guys, the drag guys, they all have nowhere to go.”

Currently, Swain spends three out of four weekends a month in the U.S., and comes home to race mini-bikes at the small kart track that remains at Race City Motorsports Park.

For now, his next stop is Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama to try it all again June 23.