AMA Dragbike XXX Racing Fuel National Finals at South Georgia Motorsports Park
South Georgia Motorsports Park hosted the final 2009 AMA Dragbike series event on November 13-15.
Series champions were crowned, and records were smashed.
Headlining the event were the top fuel motorcycles. Korry Hogan qualified number 1 on Friday night with a tremendous blast of 5.889. On this run, Korry scraped the wall on the top end, and on Saturday he announced his withdrawal from the event and his immediate retirement from Top Fuel racing. Korry will be missed, and everyone wishes him a great future. Qualifying Number 2 was Larry “Spiderman” McBride, perennial champion and crowd favorite. The Spiderman ran a 5.956 at 222.02 on his first attempt on Saturday. On his second run, McBride suffered a massive blower explosion, but was back in action on Sunday. Completing the field was Geoff Pollard at 5.963 and Chris Hand at 6.19 at the fastest qualifying speed of 236.22. In round one, Chris Hand received the bye when Hogan withdrew. Hand ran a fine 6.14 at 244.12 (top speed of the meet). Geoff Pollard defeated Larry McBride when McBride’s ride developed a fuel leak and was shut off on the line. Pollard would have been hard to beat with his 5.932 at 241mph. In the final, Chris Hand defeated Geoff Pollard with a 6.76 at 170 when Pollard slowed to an 8.75.
In Funny Bike qualifying, Joey Sternotti made big noise when he rode the Ray Price Harley to an amazing 6.144 at 234.37 mph late on Saturday afternoon. This run was two tenths below the current national et record and faster than the current miles per hour record, and led second place qualifier Travis Davis by .336 seconds! Sternotti then won rounds one and two with relatively slow times, but stepped it up in Round 3 to run a winning 6.49 at 199 to defeat Perry Hollie. In the other semifinal, Travis Davis defeated Ashley Owens with a 6.502 to the losing 6.553. In the final, Sternotti was not to be denied. He ran a very fast 6.287 at 233.76 to defeat Davis’ troubled 7.774 at 117.
Eric McKinney led Pro Mod qualifying with a sub-record 6.61 at 199.17. He ran 6.628 in the first round and 6.69 in the second to advance to the semifinals. Paul Gast was the only other rider in the 6.60s. In the semifinals, McKinney dipped into the 6.50s with a great 6.577 at 202.48 mph to defeat Paul Gast’s slowing 7.16 at 153. In the other semifinal, TT Jones defeated Terry Wynn with a 6.751 at 196 mph to Wynn’s losing 6.860 190.51. In the finals, McKinney reset the record with a great 6.553 (201.58mph) to defeat Jones’ 6.732 at 193.60.
Rob Budgell led Pro Street qualifying with a sub-record 7.159, and Mike Kovacevich ran a near-record 206.51 in his fifth place qualifying effort. Budgell was ousted in the second round by Keith Brooks. In the Semis, Kovacevich defeated Brooks, 7.345 to 7.351, and Victor Gotay defeated a broken Barry Henson. In the finals, Victor Gotay ran a 7.28 to defeat Kovacevich’s 7.37, but Kovacevich ran a record 207.50 mph in his losing effort.
In SuperSport, Rickie Gadson led the way at 8.938 closely followed by Jeremy Teasley at 8.945. These two best qualifiers met in the finals, with Gadson winning on a holeshot with an 8.964 to Teasley’s 8.958.
In the Super Street class, Stacy Smith led qualifying with a fine (and sub-record) 7.822 at 195.99. In the finals, John Fernandez ran 7.843 at 186.33 to defeat Stacy Smith’s 7.948 at 168.41.
Jeremy Teasley led Real Street qualifying with a 7.980 at 187.91. In the finals, Teasley defeated Coby Adams, 7.93 to 8.09.
In other action, Mike Konopacki won Top Gas, Andy Baumbach won Super Comp and Sunday’s Street ET race, Dave Page won Street Fighter, Dennis Steward won Pro Street on Sunday, and Dustin Burchett won Street ET on Saturday. Jeff Kerridge made an amazing exhibition run in his Sled/Snowmobile at 7.598 176.26 mph.
Photos and text by Marvin T. Smith.
Series champions were crowned, and records were smashed.
Headlining the event were the top fuel motorcycles. Korry Hogan qualified number 1 on Friday night with a tremendous blast of 5.889. On this run, Korry scraped the wall on the top end, and on Saturday he announced his withdrawal from the event and his immediate retirement from Top Fuel racing. Korry will be missed, and everyone wishes him a great future. Qualifying Number 2 was Larry “Spiderman” McBride, perennial champion and crowd favorite. The Spiderman ran a 5.956 at 222.02 on his first attempt on Saturday. On his second run, McBride suffered a massive blower explosion, but was back in action on Sunday. Completing the field was Geoff Pollard at 5.963 and Chris Hand at 6.19 at the fastest qualifying speed of 236.22. In round one, Chris Hand received the bye when Hogan withdrew. Hand ran a fine 6.14 at 244.12 (top speed of the meet). Geoff Pollard defeated Larry McBride when McBride’s ride developed a fuel leak and was shut off on the line. Pollard would have been hard to beat with his 5.932 at 241mph. In the final, Chris Hand defeated Geoff Pollard with a 6.76 at 170 when Pollard slowed to an 8.75.
In Funny Bike qualifying, Joey Sternotti made big noise when he rode the Ray Price Harley to an amazing 6.144 at 234.37 mph late on Saturday afternoon. This run was two tenths below the current national et record and faster than the current miles per hour record, and led second place qualifier Travis Davis by .336 seconds! Sternotti then won rounds one and two with relatively slow times, but stepped it up in Round 3 to run a winning 6.49 at 199 to defeat Perry Hollie. In the other semifinal, Travis Davis defeated Ashley Owens with a 6.502 to the losing 6.553. In the final, Sternotti was not to be denied. He ran a very fast 6.287 at 233.76 to defeat Davis’ troubled 7.774 at 117.
Eric McKinney led Pro Mod qualifying with a sub-record 6.61 at 199.17. He ran 6.628 in the first round and 6.69 in the second to advance to the semifinals. Paul Gast was the only other rider in the 6.60s. In the semifinals, McKinney dipped into the 6.50s with a great 6.577 at 202.48 mph to defeat Paul Gast’s slowing 7.16 at 153. In the other semifinal, TT Jones defeated Terry Wynn with a 6.751 at 196 mph to Wynn’s losing 6.860 190.51. In the finals, McKinney reset the record with a great 6.553 (201.58mph) to defeat Jones’ 6.732 at 193.60.
Rob Budgell led Pro Street qualifying with a sub-record 7.159, and Mike Kovacevich ran a near-record 206.51 in his fifth place qualifying effort. Budgell was ousted in the second round by Keith Brooks. In the Semis, Kovacevich defeated Brooks, 7.345 to 7.351, and Victor Gotay defeated a broken Barry Henson. In the finals, Victor Gotay ran a 7.28 to defeat Kovacevich’s 7.37, but Kovacevich ran a record 207.50 mph in his losing effort.
In SuperSport, Rickie Gadson led the way at 8.938 closely followed by Jeremy Teasley at 8.945. These two best qualifiers met in the finals, with Gadson winning on a holeshot with an 8.964 to Teasley’s 8.958.
In the Super Street class, Stacy Smith led qualifying with a fine (and sub-record) 7.822 at 195.99. In the finals, John Fernandez ran 7.843 at 186.33 to defeat Stacy Smith’s 7.948 at 168.41.
Jeremy Teasley led Real Street qualifying with a 7.980 at 187.91. In the finals, Teasley defeated Coby Adams, 7.93 to 8.09.
In other action, Mike Konopacki won Top Gas, Andy Baumbach won Super Comp and Sunday’s Street ET race, Dave Page won Street Fighter, Dennis Steward won Pro Street on Sunday, and Dustin Burchett won Street ET on Saturday. Jeff Kerridge made an amazing exhibition run in his Sled/Snowmobile at 7.598 176.26 mph.
Photos and text by Marvin T. Smith.
posted by David @ 2:24 PM
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