Top Fuel bikes
- Thread starter Mike
- Start date
Nick Name
Nitro Member
If all of them showed up at a single event, probably about 6. Even if they did sanction the class, the guys that have them can't afford all of the travel and the expense of running them more than a couple of times a year.
It would have to be an IHRA type deal, an invitational with guaranteed money.
It would have to be an IHRA type deal, an invitational with guaranteed money.
mike
Nitro Member
In Australia we currently have four - Jay Upton, Chris Matheson, Leonard Azzapardi and Phil Parker. There are a few more out there, but they don't really run. In Australia at the moment there are not a lot of fuel bike rounds at all. There should have been one this weekend, however the track changed the line up.
Hogan/Alwine/Dryden are returning this year, along with Sam Wills. Both bikes will be ones to watch out for. You also have Chris Hand and of course Larry McBride.
Geoff Pollard from Canada will be returning this season.
Like Jay alluded to, if they did sanction a class, it would cost them a lot of money and not all the racers could afford it. The manufacturer's cup is possibly extending to three events this year, with one of the events rumored to take place at Indy (Not at the US Nationals) I've been told that McBride, Hogan/Alwine/Dryden get better money running exhibition passes...
Here is a video that may interest you...
THE MTC TRADE SHOW VIDEO - YouTube
Regards,
Mike.
Hogan/Alwine/Dryden are returning this year, along with Sam Wills. Both bikes will be ones to watch out for. You also have Chris Hand and of course Larry McBride.
Geoff Pollard from Canada will be returning this season.
Like Jay alluded to, if they did sanction a class, it would cost them a lot of money and not all the racers could afford it. The manufacturer's cup is possibly extending to three events this year, with one of the events rumored to take place at Indy (Not at the US Nationals) I've been told that McBride, Hogan/Alwine/Dryden get better money running exhibition passes...
Here is a video that may interest you...
THE MTC TRADE SHOW VIDEO - YouTube
Regards,
Mike.
Last edited:
mike
Nitro Member
Pippi,
He hasn't raced a round for a couple of seasons now, but he was out testing the bike a month ago. I would expect him to race the next round in Sydney in May. That bike as you very well know has a lot of potential. I still have a fond memory of watching him run a 6.10 at Santa Pod on a solo in 05, or maybe it was 06. Not the best the bike had run, but the quickest I got to see it in person. Awesome stuff.
NHRA pulled the Top Fuel bikes in 1984-85? Elmer Trett had an accident on the Starting line at Indy, not sure of the details! I'm sure Jay Eshbach nows more about it, but NHRA banned them for about 10 years because of it!
Replaced?? I thought they raced at the same event I mean on the old diamond P footage they have highlights of both classes at national events.
Could be William, maybe for a short time. It's been quite awhile. Now that I think of it, I remember being at Indy in the early '80s, and they had Funny Bikes in addition to TF bikes. George Bryce was actually riding back then. My dad tinkered with some fast street bikes in the '70s & '80s, and we actually knew a couple guys that ran Funny Bike at Indy, Jay may remember one of them: Eraldo Ferracci. Ferracci (sp) went on to run a factory road race team for Ducati.
Par....I was at Indy when ELmer was killed! Talkin 1984-85?
cdag
Nitro Member
Indy 1996
I was on the starting line at E-town when he ran an exhibition pass in 1994. First time seeing a TF bike going down track from behind; it was amazing how hard he worked to keep that thing in his lane. Also one of the most intense nitro clouds I have ever experienced. R.I.P. Mr Trett
Last edited:
Nick Name
Nitro Member
mike
Nitro Member
Did you know....(In my best Bob Frey impersination) that Elmer Trett and Jim Head were best buds?
Yep
and Jim learn't a lot from Elmer. It's sad that some Drag Racing fans don't realize just how smart Elmer was. One of the great nitro tuners of all time.
mike
Nitro Member
Four cylinders ain't bad either
And as far as sound, a high strung in-line four cylinder super charged engine on nitromethane is very hard to beat AFAIC.
Regards
PiPPi
Very true mate
I remember the first time I heard Charlie Karling's bike fire up here in Australia... Such a sweet sound. Pers 'The Beast' is another with a nice sound to it, and boy does it thump your chest when it comes to the line. Jaska's bike, well that is something special too.
Nick Name
Nitro Member
One of the most difficult things to do is burn nitro at high RPM. Nitro is such a slow burning fuel. that when you reduce the time allocated for it to burn you have an problem.
When NHRA instigated the rear gear rule in the fuelers, it meant that in order to faster, one would have to wind the motor tighter.
It was at this point that Jim Head and several others contacted Elmer, because he had figured out how to do it.
When Elmer was killed, Jim send his plane down to Georgia to pick up Elmers daughter Kelly and her husband and bring them back up to Indy.
The Winston people had a huge suite at the Omni hotel, and everyone moved out of it and Winston gave it to the Trett family the use.
Jim Head then flew his plane out to California for Blaines funeral then back to Georgia for Elmers.
When NHRA instigated the rear gear rule in the fuelers, it meant that in order to faster, one would have to wind the motor tighter.
It was at this point that Jim Head and several others contacted Elmer, because he had figured out how to do it.
When Elmer was killed, Jim send his plane down to Georgia to pick up Elmers daughter Kelly and her husband and bring them back up to Indy.
The Winston people had a huge suite at the Omni hotel, and everyone moved out of it and Winston gave it to the Trett family the use.
Jim Head then flew his plane out to California for Blaines funeral then back to Georgia for Elmers.
Joker
Nitro Member
I have been at a drag strip since I was born. In my 31 years on this earth, I have seen a million passes and the one that stands out the most to me I can remember like yesterday.
Houston Raceway Park. Baytown, TX. Oct 30, 1999. Larry "Spiderman" McBride. I had seen top fuel bikes before, but nothing like this. He left the starting line and carried the front wheel to the 1000 ft mark, had a 3 foot flame shooting out his azz it looked like, and then the numbers popped up on the scoreboard. 5.993 243.68. I remember the starting line guys going crazy, including Alan Johnson and the Winston team and the Star Racing guys.
I just thought, this guy is completely nuts.
Houston Raceway Park. Baytown, TX. Oct 30, 1999. Larry "Spiderman" McBride. I had seen top fuel bikes before, but nothing like this. He left the starting line and carried the front wheel to the 1000 ft mark, had a 3 foot flame shooting out his azz it looked like, and then the numbers popped up on the scoreboard. 5.993 243.68. I remember the starting line guys going crazy, including Alan Johnson and the Winston team and the Star Racing guys.
I just thought, this guy is completely nuts.
Similar threads
