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 2007 AMA/Prostar US Nationals Photo
Highlights
Atco Raceway, Atco, NJ
September 29th-30th
AMA/Prostar returned to its roots in late September with the 41st running of the
Orient Express U.S. Motorcycle Nationals from Atco, NJ. This event has
always been a quasi-homecoming for the organization that contested its very
first event there in 1989. A lot has changed within Prostar since that first
race nearly 20 years ago, however the tremendous fan support and dragbike
enthusiasm by the fans at Atco has remained unchanged.
The "Spiderman" Larry McBride locked up career championship No. 8 by winning his
sixth event of the year. He also lowered the Atco Raceway motorcycle ET
record to an astounding 5.87, backed up by a 5.88 in the final. The run
surpasses McBride's old track record of 5.98 from last season.
"I really thought we had a chance to run a 5.79 this weekend," McBride said.
"That's how great the bike was running and how great the track was."
Joe Bird, aboard long-time two stoke guru Bill Baxter's Kawasaki H-2 750, became
the world record holder for quickest naturally aspirated motorcycle under
800cc's with a stunning blast of 8.33. Along with many custom pieces the bike
features a state-of-the-art Athanas chassis.
"This one means a lot to me. We have been fighting this record for over 25
years," said Baxter of breaking the late Dave Schultz's record of 8.62 from
1985. "This bike has parts on it from all over the world. We used the best
components we could find."
Longtime AMA/Prostar sportsman standout Rob "The Gas Man" Schenz recorded the
30th national event win of his career with a victory in Super Comp.
"It's an honor but I have 22 to go to catch Bruce (Sauer)," Schenz said in
reference to his motor builder and friend Bruce Sauer's staggering career win
total of 52. "He's going to have to retire soon if I stand any chance of
catching him."
Bill Vose, the first man to put a Pro Mod in the sixes, turned in an impressive
performance riding the Fish's Customs Suzuki Hayabusa. In a field of almost
entirely GS-motored bikes Vose qualified on the pole with a 6.82 and finished
runner-up.
Vose would eventually be defeated in the final by No. 3 qualifier Jack Young,
who ran 6.75 to Vose's 6.82. It was his third win of the year and clinched
the Pro Mod championship for Young.
"Ashley Owens has given me one heck of a motor," Young said. "You just
have to surround yourself by great people. If you do things right long
before you pull into the waterbox, good things will happen for you."
Canadian Yves Giard, a longtime fixture in the Funny Bike category, scored his
first win of the season with several upset victories, after qualifying in the
No. 5 spot of the six-bike field.
"I am very happy to win. This is our most successful race in quite some
time," Giard said. "I broke my third speed and made my last two passes with only
two speeds."
A puddle of oil and a walk back to the trailer with his head down signaled the
end of the weekend for No. 1 qualifier in Funny Bike Mike Coulson. After
breaking the beam and shutting off the motorcycle during his consecutive bye
runs, Coulson was disqualified in the final for leaking fluids.
Head wrench Bruce Sauer is wishing the bike would have showed signs of a problem
during Coulson's pair of solo runs. Murphy's Law strikes again.
"The Professor" Paul Gast won Pro Stock and probably could have won Pro ET as
well. After qualifying on the pole with a 7.00, Gast recorded consistent winning
elapsed-times on Sunday of 7.04, 7.02, and 7.01.
"You don't know how bad I wanted to run a six. That's what I live for.
It's hard to run sixes with the extra 20-pounds of weight we have on the bike
this year. I was really happy to go 1.06 sixty-foots all day long.
The track at Atco is outstanding even though everyone knows it has a little bit
of a narrow groove, but it doesn't matter. If you stay in it, it's right,"
Gast said.
"The only problem I have with the win is that we need more competition out here.
I'm working really hard on putting in a final boost to this class. I think
we can easily rob at least 10-percent of the bikes from the NHRA, because they
simply cannot compete over there anymore. It's getting to the point where you
can't compete over there on a Suzuki. I have a lot of power and I can qualify
but even I can't compete."
"I'm going to put out some personal invites and try to get a full 16-bike field
for Gainesville. I want to get everyone in a real upbeat mood, instead of
this two-year downer that someone else started," Gast said.
Gast continues to improve his program. Last year his best run at Atco was
7.03, with 20-less pounds of weight on the bike.
Velocity Racing's Darren Burnett lights up the tire, prior to his 8.05 No. 2
qualifying effort in Super Street. Burnett was eventually defeated in the
semifinals Victor Gotay.
Hometown racer Mike Slowe perpetuated his dominance in Pro Street, winning the
event with a 7.47 in the final to secure the 2007 championship. It was Slowe's
fourth Prostar win of the season, and fifth overall including his win at an
independent race in Milan, MI.
"It was a tough weekend. We were blowing the tire off on Saturday and I
was kind of lost," said Slowe, who qualified fifth with a 7.80. "It took me two
bad passes to realize I needed to step back and turn it down and turn this thing
into a 7.40 bracket bike."
Always a crowd favorite at Atco, McBride takes time to sign a few posters for
his fans.
"It's always great to come back to Atco," McBride said. "We have been
coming here for so many years we have a ton of friends here."
Defending Pro Stock champion and No. 2 qualifier Dean Frantz ran into mechanical
problems and was forced to concede the victory to Paul Gast in the waterbox.
Fresh off of his first career victory in Top Fuel at Indy, Korry Hogan advanced
to yet another final. After damaging his only healthy engine during his first
round victory, Hogan and his team were unable to get the bike back intact for
the final.
"We were on our best pass ever. The bike had a 1.03 sixty-foot, 2.65 in
the 330, and a 3.96 in the eighth, which is the beginnings of a five second
run," Hogan said. "The bike dropped a hole on the big end. We
totally disintegrated a motor on Saturday so we were out of bullets."
After returning to action in Indy for the first time since his devastating crash
at the top end of Gainesville Raceway at the 2005 World Finals, Chris Hand had a
strong showing at Atco. He qualified in the No. 2 spot with a 6.40 after
chopping the throttle at the 1,000-foot mark. Hand was defeated in round
No. 1 of eliminations by Korry Hogan with a 6.20 to a 6.38.
2003 US Nationals winner and double-amputee Reggie Showers made a surprise
appearance at his home track of Atco. The event was Showers' first since
the 2003 NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif.
Showers qualified in the No. 3 spot with a 7.20.
Former NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion and dragbike legend "Pizza" John
Mafarro made an appearance and made sure to reminisce on the old days with his
longtime buddy Paul Gast.
Multi-time Pro Street champion Kent Stotz struggled in Atco with a qualifying
run of 7.87 to land the No. 8 spot. Stotz was defeated in round No. 1 on a
holeshot by Travis Smith.
Hometown favorite Rickey Gadson, aboard his Monster Energy Kawasaki ZX-14,
received several cheers from the fans as he added yet another Atco win to his
resume with an 8.075 to an 8.075 holeshot victory over Victor Gotay in the Super
Sport final.
Robert Cassar of Melbourne, Australia, made it to Atco to take a seat on Bruce
Sauer's famed "ATM Machine" Kawasaki KZ. This is the bike Sauer bought off the
showroom in 1976 and went on to win five championships with. The motorcycle has
evolved into a 1425cc dragbike with an MTC slider clucth.
"We met at Indy about four years ago and became email friends," Sauer said.
"We sold him Mike Coulson's old Funny Bike. We were able to teach him a lot
about riding style this weekend."
"Bruce offered me the ride and I couldn't turn it down," Cassar said. "The
crowds and the amount of competitors over here are huge. I like it how
everyone helps each other."
Cassar won two rounds in Saturday's Pro ET.
The first man to put a street bike in the sevens, Brock Davidson, debuted one of
the brand new 2008 Suzuki Hayabusas.
"It's very fast. There is no comparison between the old Busa and the new
Busa. they look like the same bike, they act like the same bike, but the
new Hayabusa does everything better," Davidson said. "It makes more power
everywhere."
With no major modifications, except a strapped down front end, Richard Gadson
was able to record a stunning 9.32 on the bike. Welcome to 2008.....
The arm wrestling contest was ultra-competitive and a big hit with the fans.
Here referee Del Florres makes sure both competitors have a fair start. Did Del
clone himself for this competition? Look at the resemblance between him
andthe man in the white shirt.
The DJ that used dragbike metaphors to describe nearly everything was
entertaining as well. At one point he compared a young lady's rear end to a 260
Hayabusa tire.
Related Content
AMA/Prostar Photo
Highlights Vol. 2
McBride Locks Up Championship No. 8 with Atco win
2006 AMA/Prostar US Nationals
Results
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10/5/2007 |
