5.79 E T, new Record

I hope AMA is "not still hooked" into there "old ways" about Motorcycle Drag Racing, which was small print and none.

The biggest star in Motorcycle Drag Racing and no mention.

Story on the Big Guy

There's a really good write up about "Spiderman" on Dragbike.com now. Maybe it just takes time for the writer to get to a computer and a cool beer.

Good Write up Dragbike.

Match Race

It was called Drag News then, sometime between 1966 and 1968.

Just a comment

The Cosmetics of Motorcycle Drag Racing in the Top Ranks is way out of proportion, and it probably needs to be for a prestige point alone. Some of those rigs that are used for hauling the Motorcycle around are big enough for a Funny Car. I’m sure they cost in the many Thousands. I don’t believe it’s necessary for the pit crew and rig for a Motorcycle needs to look like a Schumacher’s set up, it if does that’s a shame. Steve Gibb’s (NHRA) mention to me a year ago that Drag Racing had went from Fun to spending a lot of Money just to compete, shame that progress has turned it to such a thing. But that’s the way every thing is today, fifty dollars used to get you four or five bags of groceries now you are lucky if you get one full bag.
Just a comment,

Really Early Days

Back in the mid 50's there was a rider and bike that I use to have to leave early from home and drive to 2 or 3 different Drag Strips (back then there was that many and more) to look for this guy. His name was Dave Schultz and he raced a Knucklehead. That is me in the far lane and Dave in the near lane. We raced over the early years and he never won a race, used to always go to a track where he was hoping I wouldn't show up.

Manufactures

I whole heartily agree, all Manufactures are pretty much in the same mode when it come to Stock Street Motorcycles or Automotive sales. That hasn't change in all of Drag Racing History. That's how they make there profit off of Drag Racing. Which by the way is free advertisement for there industry. It would be a great Idea to get the Motorcycle Manufactures to start putting up a good size purse for the street bikes especially if they could care less about how they do it.

Entertainers

Drag Racing, yes it is a hobby for most of all entries simply because there is always only one winner in any class... Over the years it HAS been the street classes that have supported the sport on a weekly basics. But you have to admit on a regular basic on a regular night or day at the races the stands are empty. You can see it in a lot of the videos on youtube and a lot of personal videos; the camera is on the bike or car and in the back ground going down the strip the stands are almost empty. You could have 1000 entries of nothing but street bikes and the stands would still be almost empty. Ask your local track Owner/Operator how many Spectators it takes to make a profit. A spectator takes 18 inches of the seat he is sitting on, how many 18 inches do you see left in the stands. In the old days Bob Daniels of the NHRA could count the row of seats in the stands and tell you almost to the count how many spectators was in those stands because of those 18 inches. It’s not just the street bikes that have supported the races it’s also the street cars, you need those entries to keep the tracks open. The tracks make there real money when they have a big race that includes the Pro stuff, exhibition stuff, match races and especially the Fuel stuff. Why do you think over the years there has been so many different Associations that have disappeared, you don’t suppose it’s because there’s not enough 18 inches filled. NHRA, IHRA, all the big Racing Associations have depended on those 18 inches being filled enough times during the year to stay a float. Look how hard is to keep the Pro Stock bikes in the Nationals, how much is going on right now among those guys with rider changes and Sponsors. It’s a tough racket, Drag Racing has gotten so expensive it’s just plain hard to be a DRAG RACER.