On any given Sunday, hundreds of thousands of race fans are watching NHRA, NASCAR, IMSA, IndyCar, Formula 1 and just about every other form of motorsports imaginable other than grassroots racing. Big teams, big budgets and professional drivers battle for trophies, championship points and sponsor dollars.
But some people aren't satisfied just watching.
They want to turn the wrenches. They want to make the changes, test the setup and find out whether it actually works. Most of all, they want to line up and race.
That's where grassroots racing begins.
Racing Without the Big Team
Grassroots Racing happens at local tracks and regional events, where racers are often the builders, mechanics, test riders and drivers all rolled into one. Instead of a trailer full of engineers and spare components, you've got your own tools, your own experience and hopefully a few friends in the paddock willing to lend a hand.
It's racing built around self-reliance, experimentation, competition and camaraderie.
And it's where a lot of Burns Stainless customers live.
One of those grassroots racers is Chase French.
From Track Days to the BRL Podium
We first met Chase at the Bagger Racing League finals in Las Vegas. After years of testing and tuning his Harley-Davidson Softail at track days, Chase decided it was time to try sanctioned racing.
His first race?
Second place.
Not a bad way to introduce yourself.
Burns Stainless was at the event sponsoring grassroots racing with the BRL Tech Garage, giving us an opportunity to see firsthand how racers like Chase adapt equipment to solve real-world problems. Chase, for example, runs a modified mid-control setup on his '22 Harley-Davidson Low Rider ST 131cid wtih 4-over front end, and 15" rear shock, which required changes to the rear head pipe of our Low Rder S/ST (LrS) Performance NhB Exhaust, to accommodate the control location.
That's grassroots racing. Build it. Test it. Change it. Race it.
One Racer. Two Harleys. One Busy Season.
Now Chase is wrapping up his first full season of Bagger Racing League competition, and with the Las Vegas finals approaching, he's preparing not one but two Harley-Davidson race bikes.
His M8 Low Rider competes in the Air-Cooled class. Chase was leading the overall points until racing delivered one of those reminders that mechanical parts don't care about championship standings.
A valve decided it would rather visit the other cylinder.
The resulting engine failure cost Chase an entire race worth of points and dropped him into second place. Heading into Las Vegas, the math isn't particularly friendly: Chase needs to win both races while his primary competitor needs to finish at the back if Chase is going to regain the championship lead.
Nobody said racing was easy.
Stepping Up to Pro Stock
Chase is also developing a second-generation 2024 Harley-Davidson M8 Road Glide 131cid with GP Suspension and full carbon body parts for the BRL Pro Stock class. He is running Burns Big Momma (BbM) Performance NhB Exhaust which he had fully chromed!
Normally, a racer might work through Super Street first, but Chase wanted the greater flexibility of Pro Stock. That also gives him a motorcycle he can take to track days and run alongside sport bikes without dealing with the same restrictions.
Of course, greater freedom doesn't mean fewer problems.
The Road Glide's rear controls came from another racer, but their position was so high and far back that Chase had difficulty getting off the motorcycle and positioning himself properly through chicanes and corners. Add wiring problems, mechanical gremlins and the constant challenge of keeping a race-prepared Harley together, and there's been no shortage of work between rounds.
As Chase has discovered, Harley's seem determined to rattle themselves apart. All this can't be done with a little help, and Chase relies on Burns Stainless, Speed Dealer, Memphis Shades, Bumpus Harley-Davidson, Impact Wiring Solutions, Lyndall Brakes, and GP Suspension.
Why Grassroots Racing Matters
The machinery is only part of the story.
Walk through a grassroots racing paddock and you'll quickly discover something that's harder to see from the grandstands at a major professional race: competitors helping competitors.
Chase summed up that attitude perfectly:
“I want to win against someone who is running their best.”
That says a lot about this level of racing.
The person you're trying to beat might also be the person handing you the connector, fitting or tool you desperately need ten minutes before tech inspection. Everyone wants to win, but nobody wants to win simply because another racer couldn't get their motorcycle back together.
There is one important rule, though.
Bring two of every specialty connector, fitting and tool you think you might need.
And zip ties.
Lots of zip ties.
Apparently, you can never have too many when you're trying to get a race bike through tech.
Supporting the Racers Who Actually Use This Stuff
At Burns Stainless, racing has always been more than advertising. Competition puts exhaust design, fabrication and performance into an environment where weaknesses show up quickly and improvements actually matter.
Racers like Chase build, modify, test, break and rebuild their motorcycles. What happens at the track becomes knowledge that can ultimately make the next combination better.
That's also why we've created the Burns Stainless Partnership Program, giving qualified racers and enthusiasts an opportunity to earn back up to 100% of the cost of their exhaust system by sharing their builds, racing, wins and real-world experiences.
If you're building it, racing it and putting it to the test, we want to hear about it.
Learn more and apply at the Burns Stainless Partnership Program website.
And as for Chase?
He's got two motorcycles to prepare, a championship battle ahead of him and, hopefully, enough zip ties to make it through Las Vegas.
We'll see what happens when the green flag drops.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is grassroots motorcycle racing?
Grassroots motorcycle racing is amateur and regional competition where riders often build, tune, maintain and race their own motorcycles without the large budgets and engineering teams found in professional motorsports.
What is the Bagger Racing League?
The Bagger Racing League is a motorcycle racing series featuring performance-built American V-twin motorcycles, including Harley-Davidson baggers and other race-prepared platforms.
Can a Harley-Davidson Softail be used for track racing?
Yes. With the right suspension, controls, tires, brakes, exhaust and chassis setup, Harley-Davidson Softails can be prepared for competitive track use.
What motorcycles does Chase French race?
Chase races an M8 Softail in the Air-Cooled class and a second-generation M8 Road Glide in Pro Stock competition.
How does Burns Stainless support grassroots racers?
Burns Stainless supports racers through performance exhaust development, involvement in racing events and its partnership program for qualified racers and enthusiasts.
