2016 was a momentous year for Ian King and his King Racing – Gulf Oil Drag Racing team. Another record setting 10th FIM European Championship was won, and in doing so Team Principal and rider Ian King became the most successful rider in European drag bike racing history by accumulating more championship points of any rider in any class over the two decades since he began competing in the championship. At the end of the season he diversified his sporting focus by using the very same championship winning machine for a successful attempt to set a new FIM World Land Speed Record on a track and in conditions totally at odds with the environment in which he had been so successful over his ten European drag racing championships.
So, what for 2017? Following his successful one off race in the 2014 USA National Championship opening round where he not only won the event but became the final and permanent member of the prestigious MTC Top Fuel 5 Second Club, invitations to race the entire USA National Championship by the organizers and the hopes and desires of his many fans across the globe were compelling and so he and his team have been working on a program to see if Ian could become the first European rider to do so since the late Brian Johnson more than three decades ago.
Since then the team has been working feverishly on a program to race the entire season in the home of drag racing in the USA Championship.
The plan is financially demanding, but some notable supporters have already stepped up to the plate to assist. However, the team are still some way short in reaching the necessary budget required for such an undertaking and as such are reaching out to the wider drag racing community for help in supplementing the budget already raised to make the plan a reality. King is extremely grateful for the outstanding support for his endeavors and hopes that competing in the US Championship will be possible in 2017.
King can be reached on Facebook or by email at ian@kingracing.com
