Threatening to top the parity plot line this weekend, though, was the crash and return of MIRock star Jeremy Teasley. Riding Ken Edwards’ überpowerful “No Joke” turbo Suzuki Hayabusa, Rockingham winner Teasley’s carbon fiber real wheel broke apart at high speed just before the eighth mile. With no spokes whatsoever, Teasley rode the bike like a bull—hub-on-rim—for an amazingly long time before the ‘Busa finally pitched into a series of rollovers.
Running straight but wheelieing wildly, Teasley lost in Pro Street round 2 against Danny Cox on the Hampton Roads H-D/ HTP Performance nitrous ‘Busa. Cox then lost to April race winner Joey Gladstone on the DME Racing ‘Busa in the semi. Schnitz’s nitrous huffing HTP ‘Busa overpowered upstart Neal Riddle’s turbo ‘Busa in the other semi, putting Ryan in the final against Gladstone, with Joey getting lane choice.
Cox had lane choice in the semi and chose the right, putting Gladstone in the left. Joey and the DME crew had been avoiding the left lane because the first 60 feet looked better in the right, but when forced into it they found the left had a better top end and chose it for the final. They used that advantage to beat Schnitz, who led until 1000 feet when Gladstone used a fastest-ever 213.74 mph top end charge to drive around for the rookie’s second straight win. The 6.98 to 7.01 race at the home of the world’s first 6-second streetbike pass was undoubtedly the quickest side-by-side street tire race ever, and nitrous vs. turbo to boot.
Ronnie Procopio took over the Mickey Thompson Pro Mod points lead with a great 4.21 to 4.22 eighth mile final round win over fellow Legion of Doom racer Robbie Hunnicutt. “Another win for the Legion of Doom North Carolina Chapter,” Procopio quipped in the winners circle. He entered the event tied with Mac McAdams, who was timed out in round 1 against the broke bike of Eran Pielert.
Saturday night’s Afterdark Underground ran before a big crowd under a moonlit sky, and MIR’s famous bikini contest featured a lovely field—judged by the media to be the best ever—in bright sun on Sunday.
The Mickey Thompson MIRock Superbike Series races next June 30-July 1 at North Carolina’s Rockingham Dragway.
Find out more about the Mickey Thompson Performance Tires MIRock Superbike Series at http://www.mirockracing.com
This report was prepared by Tim Hailey. Enjoy everything there is to read, see and watch about motorcycle drag racing and more at http://www.eatmyink.com