Motorcycle drag racing’s first five-second run, 21-championship titles, numerous world records and a near 25-year reign of dominance over the Top Fuel Motorcycle category in his 40-plus years of racing is about to be honored as Larry “Spiderman” McBride is set to take his place in the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame on Saturday, Feb. 17 at the Shriners Drag Racing and Hot Rod Expo at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.
It’s rare for a racer who is still active to go into any Hall of Fame, and with events on the horizon this year for McBride, the world-record holder has made it clear he’s not ready to call it a career anytime soon.
Nominating committee member Frank Spittle says the Hall of Fame’s founder, the late Jim Turner, who just recently passed, wanted to see McBride inducted.
“Even though he’s still racing, Jim felt Larry belonged in the Hall of Fame and we all agreed,” Spittle said. “It’s absolutely amazing that Larry is still out there racing.”
Spittle raced against McBride nearly 40-years ago early in McBride’s career.
Spittle says he recognized right away McBride was a great racer and had enormous potential but never dreamed he would go on to become arguably the greatest Top Fuel Motorcycle racer ever.
“I think if Elmer (Trett) was alive today he would tell you Larry is the greatest Top Fuel Motorcycle racer ever,” Spittle said. “I was at the end of my career when he was starting out and we could see he had the drive and was the perfect size, but none of us ever thought he would accomplish all that he did and he’d still be racing all these years later.”
Not only is he still racing at age 66, he continues his reign atop the sport with current world records of 5.50 and 268 mph. McBride’s recent transition back into the spotlight at NHRA National Events has garnered worldwide attention.
McBride is honored and humbled that he was selected for induction into the NC DRHOF.
“It really has not sunk in yet, I have to pinch myself. This accomplishment means the world to me. I just can’t believe it. To be in there with so many great people I looked up to as a kid while I was racing , it’s blowing my mind” McBride said.
McBride will join motorcycle drag racing greats Danny Johnson, Ray Price, Elmer Trett, Jim McClure, Bill Furr, Pete and Jackie Hill, and Jay Turner in the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
“It’s an honor that Mr. Turner wanted me in there. I started my career with him and his Southern Cycle Racing when I was just 18 years old,” McBride said. “It’s all come full-circle.”
Along with recent records established at Rockingham Dragway, McBride has certainly left his mark on the state of North Carolina.
Jim Turner also ran Piedmont Dragway and was often responsible for booking McBride for match races there and all over the state.
For nearly three decades McBride match raced in North Carolina with legends like Ray Price, Danny Johnson and his late mentor Elmer Trett.
“Jim would put on big races and really knew how to put people in the seats,” McBride said. “It was always a big deal to be involved in one of his races.”
McBride over overcame a crash at Piedmont in 1986 and successfully returned to quickly get back out on tour with his mentor Trett.
Last season McBride established a new 1,000 foot record at 4.82 at ZMAX Dragway in Charlotte, N.C. In 2019 McBride set a speed record at Rockingham Dragway at 265 mph, before bettering the record himself multiple times.
Clearly, McBride has accomplished a great deal in North Carolina and put on one heck of a show.
Now it’s time for North Carolina to say thank you.
McBride will take part in an autograph session from 12pm-1pm on Saturday before heading over to the induction ceremony.
It’s the first time, but likely not the last time the accomplished racer will be inducted into a Hall of Fame.
Join us Saturday afternoon at the Greensboro Coliseum to see McBride take his rightful place in the North Carolina Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
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