Tracker Flipside Freestyle Deck
Back in the day, "flipside" was a term used to describe the song that was on the back side of a 45 rpm single record. Each side had only one song on it; the hit single on Side A and usually a crappy song that no one wanted to listen to, on Side B (the Flipside). Each single measured 7" in diameter, which happens to be the width of this deck, but Tracker actually used a 12" LP for the Flipside graphic because singles were on the decline. Additionally, "Flipside" was a double entendre, referring to the flip tricks that had become ubiquitous with freestyle.[1]
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Photo: Tracker: Forty Years of Skateboard History Book, page 207.
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Photo: Tracker: Forty Years of Skateboard History Book, page 207.
Features
| Make | Tracker |
| Model | Flipside Freestyle |
| Width | 7" (178 mm) |
| Length | 26.25" (666 mm) |
| Wheelbase | 11" (279 mm) |
| BIS # | 7"-26.25"--∞----- |
| Nose Length | 4.875" (124 mm) |
| Tail Length | 5.125" (130 mm) |
| Nose Shape | Round |
| Tail Shape | Blunt |
| Kicktail | Single Kick |
| Rails | Parallel |
| Concave | Flat |
| Mounting Holes | Standard |
| Graphics | This classic graphic features a vinyl LP record in the center of the deck, over a single-color background. The record label has "TRACKER FLIPSIDE 33 1/3 RPM", "SIDE B - LONG PLAYING" printed on it. The original graphic was designed by artist Pete Finlan, which he initially airbrushed onto every deck by hand. Not long after, when airbrushing became too expensive and time-consuming, Tracker graphic artist Jamie Briggs created a line art version so that it could be silkscreened instead. |
| Colors | White |
| Artist | Pete Finlan (Original airbrush graphic), Jamie Briggs (Line art version) |
| Special Features | Slight Kicktail |
| Release Date | 1982 |
| Discontinued | ? |
| Retail Availability | 1982-? |
| Skated by | Per Holknekt, Tony Magnusson |
Although, the Flipside was 666 mm long, Tracker just couldn't bring themselves to call it the "666". This, being the number of the beast (or the mark of the devil referred to in the Book of Revelation), still carried too much social stigma at the time to be widely accepted. Interestingly, Iron Maiden released their "Number of the Beast" album the very same year.