AHDRA Returns To The Rock

Story and photos y Alan Dockery

es, it was

hot the first weekend of August. But fans and racers were at Rockingham Dragway, NC, for the long awaited return of the All Harley Drag Racing Association and the delayed Nitro Spring Nationals. Originally planned for mid-May, folks were glad to see the race go down safely even if it was hot.

This also marked the return of the All Harley Drag Racing Association to action. Now owned by Pulse Marketing and run by veteran drag racer Bill Rowe Jr. and family, AHDRA was a well-known sanction by Carolina Race Fans for many years. I saw former owner, Craig Tharpe, who ran the association from North Carolina back in the day,

at the starting line Sunday with a big smile.

The camping crowd was down. I expect between that Bitch Rona wiping out folks’ budgets and the fear of big events, some folks didn’t come for the weekend. That left some open field for the kids riding dirt bikes and minibikes to have fun. I got photos of Craig’s boy, Gavin 12 years old, riding Dad’s Hardtail Sportster solo for the first time. Shade was available and campers were hanging out and having fun at the strip. It was cool and comfortable at night to visit.

There was a good ride and drive in crowd of fans on Saturday who needed that fix of Harley Thunder and some nitromethane in the air. Several vendors with some cool event shirts and old bike parts were at The Rock. Saturday afternoon there was a bike show and sound contest in the pits.

With no major issues on the strip during the day, qualifying was done before sundown. Racing at The Rock in MidSummer had my internal clock off a little since the sun is up longer. But it gives folks a little more light for hanging with old friends ain’t seen lately.

And I made some new friends in front of the tower. Mitch Dibble told me a couple times Saturday that he was marrying Kim after qualifying. As the sun set down the famous Rockingham Dragway, two Top Fuel Harleys rolled into the Winner’s Circle. Mitch and his buddies gathered around. Then Kim arrived on a Harley chariot piloted by Paul Watson. A bunch of us witnessed the racetrack wedding.

“Thanks to Bill Rowe and the Rock crew for helping us get married,” Mitch said. “Also a very special thanks to Dan Grinde and Rich Vreeland for bringing their beautiful bikes to be in the ceremony. Jim Doyle and Carl Mogilka Sr. thanks for standing up for me. And Rich Vreeland for performing the perfect ceremony. Thanks to Susan Jerrries Bartlett for standing

with Kim. And for race bikes either. Paul Watson for As the sun went bringing Kim in down and the track on the chariot. and air cooled, Mike Thank all of and his crew watched y’all for making for just the right in Kim’s and my conditions to make heart the perfect a record pass. There racers wedding. are a few real quick Thank you all machines in the Exagain.” treme Bagger Class

The dragstrip across the country stayed active for and they have all a couple more been bustin the hours for grudge records. Mike picked matches and the right spot on the just running and track for a hooked racing for fun. up and straight pass. One team that 8.477 seconds at took advantage 166.01 miles an hour of having the Sam White showed on the timquarter mile strip open to race was A1 Cycles from Maiden, ers. Mike had the quickest ET slip again. NC. Mike Beland owns and rides the machine know as Meth What makes his passes so impressive is that Meth Beth is Beth. They race in the Extreme Bagger Class and had posted more street bike than most of the quickest Extreme Baggers. an impressive 8.563 second qualifying pass. That was in the Mike’s bike has Harley cases, heads, transmission and other heat of the day when the air and track weren’t the best. If the stock castings and parts. Anyone can copy his combination or air is tough on us old guys, hot and muggy, then it ain’t good he will build you a race bike to competitively run the class. After qualifying, the Straightwire Band played down by the main gate. Before I headed to my camp and removed shoes for the night, I hung out for one beer at the band since I was hot and tired by then. Sunday was time to get down to eliminations.

Eliminations and Winners

Eight Top Fuel Harleys qualified for the AHDRA field at The Rock. Larry Stanley, Laurinburg, NC, sure has lots of years on those machines and we still cheer for him. Tyler Wilson, Walnut Cove, NC, and Jay Turner, Julian, NC, made the field. Tii Tharpe, East Bend, NC, is the two-time reigning National Hot Rod Association Top Fuel Harley champ, but his bike had serious mechanical issues and wasn’t going to race that weekend.

Qualifying times and speeds were way down, but a few of the racers got it dialed in Sunday for eliminations. Jay “The Bulldog” Turner called on the experience he has from many years of Top Fuel Harley racing. The Bulldog won the International Hot Rod Association championship in 1999 and 2000, plus the NHRA Titles in 2015 and 2016.

The Bulldog faced Ryan Perry, Milford, OH, in the final. Perry had been running better than anyone that weekend and laid down a quick 6.639 at 206.45 miles an hour, but the Bulldog beat him to the finish line by a paw running 6.614 at 201.10 mph.

Sam White, Chapin, SC, was riding that old Hawaya Racing School Bike from back when Johnny Vickers taught Nitro

Mike Beland Was Busting Records In Extreme Bagger

Harley School. Oh Man that Pro Dragster machine has made lots of pass. Sam added to the win list when he beat Florida’s Preston Bartlett running a 7.426 at 160.75 mph to Bartlett’s 7.517 at 169.44 mph.

Jay Beasley, Winston-Salem, NC, was riding Bobby Hoover’s bike and making good passes. John McConnel, Darlington, SC, also competed in Pro Dragster.

Richard Boone, Mint Hill, NC, ran his pretty blue and silver bike in the Pro Mod Class. Ryland Mason, Carolina Beach, NC, was the only one running the Street Pro Class. Keith Browne, Semora, NC, made some quick passes on their big turbo bike In the Extreme Gas Class. Man I love seeing that machine perform well. I wish there were many more bikes in those three classes. I dig big motor gas bikes roaring down the strip.

Mike Beland was busting records in Extreme Bagger. But it was rookie Greg Quinn, Fountain, NC, who took the win over Chris Wood, Goldsboro, NC. Greg was riding what was formerly Tii Tharpe’s ProCharger street bike.

A bunch of Carolina Boys fought it out in the Draggin’ Bagger Class. Chris Wood defeated David Minton, Trinity, NC, in the final round. Brannon White, Winston-Salem, NC, qualified the Vanilla Gorilla at the top of the field. Joe Gladden from Gastonia, NC, Travis Goff, of Hopkins, SC, and Greg Quinn also competed in Draggin’ Baggers.

David Minton also raced in the 9.70 Index Class. Rick Medford, Cherokee, NC, Chris Wood and Greg Quinn ran the 10.30 Index Class. Rick Medford also competed in the 10.90 Index Class along with Craig Burch, Chapel Hill, NC, Paul Watson, Greensboro, NC, and Todd Hayworth, Mount Pleasant, NC. The 11.50 Index Class saw Jeremiah Cullen, Ayden, NC and Brian Peterson, Archdale, NC, in competition. The AHDRA runs a couple classes where bikers can just have fun racing their street bikes or old race bikes. Vic Allen, Southern Pines, NC, won the Trophy Street Class one day. Jeremiah Cullen, Tyler Shearin, Roanoke Rapids, NC, and Justin Cook, Ocean Lake Beach, NC, also ran the class. They ran a couple Dial In ET Class races at The Rock with elimination rounds on Saturday and Sunday. Another class where you can come to the track with your bike and gear and race. The Carolinas’ Full Throttle Magazine presents A Big Check and $200 Cash to the Number One Qualifier in the Eliminator Class. That is determined by the best reaction during Saturday qualifying. The heat had folks a little slow, but Jeremiah Cullen posted a .009 reaction time and took the Big Check home. June Bug Ledford, Cherokee, NC, Chris “Fast Lane” Rasile, Greensboro, NC, Wes Handy, Wilmington, NC, Todd Hayworth and Justin Cook also ran the Eliminator Class.

It sure was nice to be at The Rock for the first time this year. Good to see some old friends and racers. I also talked with more first time fans at the Harley Drags. Hope to see the AHDRA back and running strong and more of y’all in the campgrounds and stands when they come back to North Carolina.

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