It is perhaps the biggest announcement in the history of Top Fuel Motorcycle drag racing.
With the addition of Pingel Enterprise as a class sponsor, Top Fuel Motorcycles will officially compete for championship points at four NHRA Mission Food National Events in 2024.
For this group of fearless crowd-pleasers it’s been a long road to the “big show.”
Larry “Spiderman” McBride and Dave Vantine appeared on the NHRA tour in 2022 as an exhibition act after more than a 20-year hiatus for the nitro, four-cylinder bikes from the NHRA.
In 2023 the number of exhibition motorcycles increased to four and the thought of creating a legit championship racing series was born.
The difficult part is it would take a lot of funding to make the dream a reality.
With the signature of motorcycle drag racing ambassadors Wayne and Donna Pingel on a contract this past week the NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycles have officially elevated their status from exhibition to a full race class.
What this means is the race will be open to any Top Fuel Motorcycle or supercharged Nitro Harley with the proper safety modifications, the class will have purse money, championship points will be awarded with a class champion crowned at the end of the season, Wally trophies will be given out, and the final rounds will be covered on the NHRA Fox Sports broadcasts. Racers a great deal to sell to potential sponsors.
In short, it’s the best thing that has happened to Top Fuel Motorcycles in decades, maybe ever.
It was all made possible by the strong support of Pingel Enterprise assisted by a team of generous and astute business people, Joe Koenig, CEO of Trim-Tex Drywall Products, successful businessman Jimmy “The Hulk” Brantley and the savvy Dave Vantine of Vantine Imagining.
NHRA’s Brad Gerber and Ned Walliser were also key components to making the deal a reality.
This team has created an opportunity for Top Fuel Motorcycles that could spur growth and pump new life into an aging class that has the potential to go to the next level.
Watch the official announcement here
Any racer with questions about this new 1,000-foot series should contact Larry “Spiderman” McBride at Cycle Specialist in Newport News, Va. McBride is working closely with NHRA on official rules, which primarily has to do with safety requirements.
If you are a racer or a fan who loves Top Fuel Motorcycles save these dates!
2024 NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Schedule
Chicago – May 17-19 – Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL
Virginia – June 21-23 – Virginia Motorsports Park, Dinwiddie, VA
Brainerd – Aug 15-18 – Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, MN
Charlotte – Sep 20 – 22 – ZMax Dragway, Concord, NC
Just some of the expected participants
And who else? Several younger riders have expressed interest and this could be just what the class needs to grow. See you in Chicago.
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