Race Programs 1949 - 1951

Mike Coski was kind enough to let me page through these race programs he rescued from a swap meet several years ago. I always really enjoy chatting with Mike. He's somewhat the classic biker persona that is now all but extinct. Mike is a very sharp guy, much more intelligent than the stereotype might suggest. His daily rider is a Shovelhead he refers to as the "Hall-of-Famer." I recall him once mentioning that the bike has over 400,000 miles on it. Fuck patina, that whole bike is just "worn." It's the sort bike that has been built over and over again from parts too.

 Mike's dad, Bernard Coski, was a rather notable local racer and Tacoma MC "Ducks" member. Mike mentioned that he loaned one of the programs to his father years ago and his Dad later claimed he thought it was lost in a building fire. After Bernard passed away Mike found the program on a bedside table. One look at the photo of Bernard in that program and it's pretty obvious why he so cherished it. I too rode and raced in an era before cellphone cameras and Go Pros. Those sorts of mementos are surprisingly scarce later in life.

I noticed a few months ago that some of Bernard's ashes and a memorial sticker reminding us to "Try to keep it under 90" still ride along on the "Hall-of-Famer." All-in-all a pretty cool legacy.

Dewey's Triumph Ad 1949

I'd kill to see what Deidrick's was calling antique in 1951

Tacoma Ducks Race Program 1949

I absolutely love this Velocette racer

Hi-Hat - Where the Ducks hang out

Lenny's such a BAMF he has to run Roman Numerals

You think the proof-reader had any idea this ad would still be kicking around 60 years later?

Bernard Coski hanging it out. Based on handwritten note he must have found a way around #22