Larry “Spiderman” McBride Begins 36th Motorcycle Drag Racing Season with a 5.79

Top Fuel Dragbike legend and 12-time champion Larry “Spiderman” McBride began his 36th season of motorcycle drag racing in style.

In Friday night qualifying at the MANCUP Spring Nationals, April 11-14, from South Georgia Motor Sports Park in Adel, Ga., McBride posted low-elapsed time of the event with a near career best, 5.79 at 225 mph.

The run nearly matched McBride’s all-time best of 5.74, and surprisingly was far from flawless. The motorcycle dropped a cylinder four seconds into the run.

When asked for an explanation, McBride laughed, “Nitro is not your friend.”

The eighth-mile numbers were 3.77 at 205 mph.

“It felt really good. We had a 1.00 sixty-foot time,” McBride said.

McBride said the challenge for the rest of the weekend will be getting the motorcycle down the track in the heat without smoking the tire.

There are five Top Fuel motorcycles competing at the event.  Ian King is second with a 6.12, followed by Dave Vantine’s 6.15, Sam Wills 6.31 and Chris Hand’s 8.02.

McBride thanked his primary sponsors; Pingel Enterprise, Trim-Tex Drywall Products, Drag Specialties-Parts Unlimited, Red Line Synthetic Oil Corporation and Final Swipe Merchant Services.

 

“Joe Koenig is one of the best guys I have known in my life. He sells the best drywall products in the world.”

“Wayne and Donna are like family to me. I make the joke that I’m their oldest and youngest child. Pingel has by far the best quality in America. They have the top of the line, best engineered products and they are all USA made.”

“The Web Cam girls and Steve are the best. They are like family to me as well. Laurie Dunlap does so much to help the sport. They also make the best cams on the market.”

McBride added –

“Red Line is the best oil on the market or Alan Johnson would not be using it.”

“Drag Specialties is a great company that I’m honored to be involved with. They are the best people to deal with.”

“I really appreciate Final Swipe and Gary Baillio. He’s a great man with a great company.”

“There is not one sponsor that is not important.”

McBride thanked his associate sponsors and added, “Everybody is equally important. We couldn’t do it without each one of these fine companies.”

K&N Air Filters, Web-Cam, Vance & Hines Motorsports, PR Factory Store, Ferrea Valves, Kibblewhite, Precision Machine, World Wide Bearings, Vanson Leathers, Belt Drives Ltd, Simpson Race Products, Nitrous Express, APE, EK Chain, Arias Pistons, MSD, Protect ALL, Cometic Gaskets, B&J Transmission, Carolina Cycle, L.A. Sleeve, PJ1, Mickey Thompson Tires, Valco, Goodridge, Carlisle Belts and Gates Belts.