David Aldana to race in Oxford shorttrack

David Aldana, one of the legends from the greatest motorcycle film ‘On Any Sunday’, has confirmed he will race in UK again.

Aldana is well-known from road racing in the UK with his skeleton leathers and the big ‘A’ on his helmet as his trade mark.

He will ride at the first round of the Grand National UK Flatttrack Championship, at Oxford Stadium, Cowley on May 6th Friday evening 7pm.



Aldana started flat track racing in late 60’s and early 70’s and became a works BSA rider alongside Dick Mann, Jim Rice ad Don Emde when the film ‘On Any Sunday’ was filmed.

Aldana won many flat track races all over the States but never quite managed to grab the Number One plate.

By the mid 70’s he had become an excellent road racer and was part of the Transatlantic, initially on a BSA triple and John Player Norton but later on Suzuki two-strokes in the US team that travelled each year to race against the best UK riders.

He was a works rider with BSA, Norton, Suzuki, Kawasaki and Honda and was team-mate to many world Champions including Barry Sheene, Eddie Lawson, Gary Nixon, Freddie Spencer and John Kocinski.

Aldana also rode in world endurance events including the great Bol dOr 24-hour race (initially on an Elf before becoming a works Honda rider) and won the Suzuki Eight Hour race with Mike Baldwin on a factory Honda.


This isn’t first time he has raced flattrack in the UK. In 1979 he came over with Kenny Roberts and raced at a trotting track at Haldon, near Exeter, Devon on 750 Shell Thuet Yamaha.

Kenny won the final and Aldana was with him all the way until his cut out came out and he was passed by Brit Chippy Moore who was also on one of the big Yams.

Aldana finished the race in third spot by holding the cut out with his left hand while still drifting around corners for the remaining two laps.


Aldana is now 62 years young but still races in Californian vintage flat track races. He will land on English soil on May 4 and will be giving a fascinating talk about his career at a Sideburn evening in Oxford (venue to be confirmed) that evening.

The following night he’ll be riding a C&J 450 Suzuki, hanging out with the fastest flat track racers in the UK at Oxford Speedway Stadium on Friday night.


Racing Starts at 7pm, £12.50 Adults,OAPS £9,Child under 16 £6.
Oxford Stadium, Sandy Lane,Cowley,Oxford,OX4 6LJ


More info go to www.shorttrackuk.com or call 01673878426