It’s hard to tell which one is more famous, Clem Johnson the motorcycle drag racer, or his motorcycle, “The Barn Job.” Frankly, you can’t talk about one without disusing the other. Any way you look at it, they are both…
Remembering Jim McClure – Godfather and Master of the Nitro Harley Dragbike
On Friday, April 2nd, 2004, the heart of Jim McClure stopped beating ending his time on this earth. Yet his legendary exploits as a Harley Davidson Dragbike fuel bike pilot will live on for all time. This is the legacy…
The Dragbike Runs Heard Round the World – First V-Twin Fives!
On Saturday, August 25, 2018, at about 3:30PM, local time, at Tierp Arena in Sweden, Vesa Lipponen of Truku, Finland ran a 5.9205 elapsed time @ 350.65Kpm (217.88 mph) to officially run the first ever 5 second elapsed time in…
Pro Dragster – Top Fuel Roots Keeping the Lineage True to Course
It’s great from time to time, to look back on where a racing class originated from. A bit of historic perspective instills a sense of pride when heritage enters into the view upon looking back on one’s roots. Pro Dragster,…
Remembering: The Big Bang – Marion Owens and Elmer Trett’s Unforgettable Day
There are many memorable moments in motorcycle drag racing that racers talk about, especially when bench racing. Notable moments in time that everyone seems to know a little about, but not necessarily the correct story of what really happened. Remembering…
George Bryce’s Championship Wheel of Success: How to Roll-Over your Opposition
Have you, as a racer, ever wondered what it takes to win a championship? Do you know what it takes to roll over your opponents again and again? Are you out to win a championship in your class, or are…
Excitement Building for AMRA Jim McClure All Harley Nitro World Finals
On Friday October 11th, 2019, the 28th Annual Jim McClure Nationals, hosted by the AMRA will kick off with a test & tune from 2-8PM to kick off the weekend with the sounds and smells of Nitromethane in the air…
AHDRA Unlimited Bagger Class for 2020 Takes Shape With A1 Backing
Veteran Harley Davidson racer Michael Beland, owner of A1 Cycles.net, of Maiden, North Carolina, is proud to announce he will be sponsoring the new AHDRA class of Unlimited Bagger. “Imagine all-out Harley drag racing baggers, no wheelie bars, this is…
A Fresh Prospective – Thornley and Vreeland Team Up on Top Fuel Harley
Janette Thornley is familiar with the term “Beating the Odds” as throughout her life she’s faced many challenges. One of those has been competing in a sport dominated by male competitors. Thornley has beaten those odds and has won a…
Book Review: Pete Hill A legend on Two Wheels , by Jackie Hill
Cycledrag.com contributor Tom McCarthy offers this great review of Pete Hill’s new book – a great gift idea by the way! As of December, 2018, there is a new book out and available to the general public called Pete…
Man Cup World Finals 2018 – a Race to Remember
The Man Cup 42nd annual Man Hill Garage World Finals, presented by Kibblewhite Precision Machine, held at South Georgia Motorsports Park, in Adel, Georgia, from November 15-18, was a race to remember from the 2018 racing season. The event, attended…
A Look Back at A Thrilling NHRA Top Fuel Nitro Harley Season
On September 3rd, 2018, the NHRA Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley season concluded with the drama and performance we have all come to expect from the big thunder bikes. On the last pass during the last race of 2018…
Championship Alert: D-42 – What it Takes to Be a ManCup Motorcycle Drag Racing Champion
Winners win, that’s what they do, champions one and all. Every Man Cup champion in any and every class is a racer who shows up at the Man Cup events and races his or her heart out, because that’s what…
Good Times and Old School Harley Drag Racing in Bowling Green
The AMRA (American Motorcycle Racing Association) is “Old School” fun drag racing, as evidenced by the April 28-29, Spring Rally and Drags, held at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green KY. For the most part this is the last remaining…
A Look At Chris Hand’s More than 40-Year Journey to the Five Second Zone
Redneck Express Top Fuel bike pilot Chris Hand knew the importance and significance of a five-second time slip long ago. To the fearless veteran the feat meant everything. After decades of unrelenting labor, long nights in the…
Dustin Lee Reducing Travel Schedule After Third Straight National Title
Dustin Lee, a motorcycle drag racer from Morristown, Tennessee, started off his 2017 racing season in a polar opposite from how he’s approaching the new 2018 season. Here’s an example of that. During 2017, this is…
The Price of Greatness in Motorcycle Drag Racing
At the NHRA Lucas Oil Winter Nationals on the weekend of February 10/11, 2018, Tak Shigematsu, the 53 year old Top Fuel motorcycle pilot from Japan looked a bit rough around the edges on Sunday morning and he had every…
Pingel Top Fuel Twin Five Second Club Announced
ManCup is pleased to announce that longtime Top Fuel sponsor Pingel Enterprise will reward Pingel Top Fuel Twin riders with induction into Nitro immortality via the exclusive Pingel Top Fuel Twin five second club. Riders will have the opportunity to…
Motorcycle Drag Racing : A History – Book Review
Thinking of something for that motorcycle speed junkie in your life for Christmas? John Stein’s self-published, hardcover book, Motorcycle Drag Racing: A History hit the book stores in 2011. This enormous coffee table book covers the full range of…
DME Nationals at Rockingham Dragway: a Historical event Builds Excitement for IDBL World Finals, Nov. 3-5
The Man Cup 2017 DME Nationals, held at Rockingham Dragway, September, 23-24 2017, was a historical event to be sure. The race was full of great side-by-side drag racing at a first class racing facility and the on track performance…
Niki Zakrzewski Becomes First Female Motorcycle Drag Racer to Eclipse 200 MPH!
Niki Taube Zakrzewski carved out her place in motorcycle drag racing history, by running a stunning 6.51 at an historic 200.65 MPH, Sat., Sept. 23, at Rockingham Dragway. This is the first time in motorcycle drag racing competition that a…
Joe Ferraro Claims New England Dragway Motorcycle Masters Championship
On Saturday, August 12th, 2017, Joe Ferraro, of RI won the New England Dragway Motorcycle Masters contest on his first try. Considering he was in competition against the best of the best at New England Dragway, that’s quite an accomplishment. …
New Team Entry for the 2017 NHRA Mello Yellow T/F Harley Dragbike Series: Horne/Romine/Scott Racing
Mike Scott Racing is pleased to announce the formation of a new Top Fuel Harley team that will enter the 2017, NHRA Mellow Yellow series at the next race. They will compete in the remaining six events of the NHRA…
All Harley Drag Racing Alive and Well with the AMRA
On October 15 -16, 2016, I had the pleasure of attending the 25th Annual AMRA, Jim McClure/Ray Price, Nitro Nationals, as sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Racing Association. This was my first attendance to an AMRA event and I hope…
Shield Bright Coatings Top Fuel Harley Team Optimistic First Outing
The Shield Bright Coatings, Top Fuel Harley Team, had an optimistic first outing on April 8-10, at the MANCUP Exoticycle Roaring Toyz, Spring Cup race. The event, held at the prestigious South Georgia Motorsports Park near Valdosta, Georgia is the…
Larry McBride’s New Leathers – Epic Epidermis Ready for War
With the season opening Exoticycle, Roaring Toyz, 2016, MANCUP, event presented by Vance & Hines Racing, less than a week away; Larry McBride will be relieved to know his latest leathers are race ready. This epic new epidermis for America’s…
Mike Beland to Race Nitro Harley with Don Johnson sponsored by Shield Bright 2016
Nitro Harley Top Fuel pilot Mike Beland will race in all the 2016 MANCUP races sponsored by Shield Bright, of West Palm Beach, Florida. Mike has inked a deal with Shield Bright and will pilot DJ’s T/F bike for all…
Did You Notice? Dragbike Observations at the MANCUP World Finals
Here’s a few observations from my various wanderings about the track and grounds of the South Georgia Motorsports Park during the MANCUP World Finals, presented by Kibblewhite Precision Machine and the Mann Hill Garage on November 12/13/14, 2015. Please note…
Jim Doyle Injured in Top Fuel Harley Crash
On Sunday, Sept. 20, just after 2:30, Jim Doyle of Springfield, Mass. was injured when his AMRA F/B Fuel Harley crashed at New England Dragway in Epping, NH. Jim was at the track testing in preparation for some important races…
New England Dragway Motorcycle Masters Scott Levasseur Poised to Defend Title
In this the third year of the New England Dragway Motorcycle Masters championship racing, Scott Levasseur, of New Hampshire, has won the event two out of three years. That’s mighty impressive considering a racer has to go into round one…
A Bit of Indy Car Comes to Nitro Harley
A bit of Indy car comes to Nitro Harley Some say necessity is the mother of invention. Not a bad train of thought for John “Red” Rhea, of Nashville, Tennessee, when it comes to his drag bike’s necessities. John…
Remembering Top Fuel Motorcycle Legend Brian Johnson – 1948 to 2015
It was with a large measure of sadness that on April 13th, 2015 I read of the passing of British Top Fuel motorcycle drag racing legend Brian Johnson, via social media. I had to read and re-read the posting to…
Motorcycle Drag Racing: What is it?
Fans and racers alike flock to drag strips annually to see and hear the spectacle known as motorcycle drag racing. But what is it really this so called sport devoted to motorcycles locked into side-by-side acceleration contests, what’s it actually…
South Georgia Motorsports Park Changing Hands
The rumors are true, the South Georgia Motorsports Park racing facility is changing hands. The winds of change have arrived at SGMP, located in Adel, Georgia and the much vaunted “Valdosta” race track is changing ownership at this time. …
Why Some Dragbike Pros Burnout Across the Starting Line
A racer recently, in social media, posed the question “Why do some professional dragbike racers do burnouts across the starting line?” An interesting question with a lot of merit in 2014, when now drag bike parts cost more than ever…
Excitement Aplenty for MANCUP Dragbike Finals
Yes it’s true, a few dozen racers showed up early the SGMP to test early for the Mickey Thompson, MoTech World Finals at Valdosta. A cold front came in early in the afternoon and by sundown temps were dropping fast.…
Mickey Thompson MoTec MANCUP Dragbike World Finals Overview
Going into this weekend’s MANCUP race, here’s an overview of how the major battles are shaping up going into the last race of the season at South Georgia Motorsports Park. In the Pingel Top Fuel series, Larry “Spiderman” McBride,…
League of Extraordinary Gentlemen to Visit MANCUP World Finals
On the weekend of the fastest, quickest, motorcycle drag race of 2014, MTC Engineering will host a gathering of the elite eight members of the official “MTC 5 Second Club” during the running of the MANCUP World Finals. On November…
Saluting the Dragbike Past Today
One of the great Top Fuel drag bike racing teams, that pounded drag strips for a few decades, recently shared a bit of drag bike racing history with me worthy of repeating. It’s important for members of today’s sport to…
Elmer Trett Radio Show Tribute to Air this Saturday Morning
An internet radio show will air Saturday, morning, July 19th, at 9am, EST saluting the life and times of Elmer Trett. Twelve-time Top Fuel motorcycle champion Larry “Spiderman” McBride and motorcycle drag racing journalist, Tom McCarthy, contributed to the show.…
Spy Photos – New DAS Pro Street, Supercharged Drag Bike
Well here they are, the spy photos of the new team DAS Pro Street bike. The creation of owner Eric Paquette, this P/St. bike is the second in a series of Pro Street bikes for MIROCK competition conceived by Eric…
Famous International Top Fuel Worthy Drag Strip Sold, Tierp Arena
International drag racing news broke from Sweden, the magnificent facility known as Tierp Arena, located 120 kilometers from Stockholm, Sweden was sold at auction today for 20 million SEK (Swedish Kronor). The principle purchase was accomplished by Mr. Cemoni Ohlsson…
IHRA Nitro Jam Series Top Fuel Harley Racing Set for Exciting Season
On the weekend of March 21, 2014, the Top Fuel Harley racing season for the IHRA Nitro Jam series will commence in Tucson Arizona at the Southwestern International Raceway, under the banner of the IHRA Southwestern Nationals, presented by Good…
Pro Open – a New Motorcycle Drag Racing Class for the Open-Minded
Evolution in motorcycle drag racing, is a good thing, it shows progress. It bodes well for the sport as a whole, it’s necessary. Evolution speaks to the future and the future of any good business is new business, not just…
Top Fuel Motorcycle 1000’ Drag Racing: When is now?
If we value human life as much as we do this sport, it’s time we rethink where to put the finish line when Top Fuel motorcycles are on the drag strips. Top Fuel motorcycles that once covered the ¼ mile…
MANCUP 2014 Motorcycle Drag Racing Schedule Announced
The 2014 season schedule for the Manufactures Cup racing series was announced today. Once again they will host 4 races, with the first and last race of the 2014 season slated for South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta, Georgia. The…
Alwine Racing Top Fuel Motorcycle Debut at PRI
On Thursday, December 12, 2013, at 9:30am, the doors will open to the annual Performance Racing Industry show, held in Indianapolis, Indiana. As it has since 1986, the racing industry will view the latest in “what’s new” for high performance…
Tony Ficher’s DAS Pro Street Motorcycle Sold
Cycledrag has just confirmed, by phone, that the title contending DAS Performance bike, out of Dracut, Massachusetts has been sold to an un-named buyer. When Eric Paquette, the owner and builder of the bike was called to conform the sale…
Under Construction – MANCUP and the SGMP Drag Bike Nationals
Someone once wrote, “The road to success is always under construction.” I certainly am not the first person to make note of this cliché. But if today is cliché day, I say if the shoe fits, feel free to lace…
American Performance Engineering APE – Reliability and Experience in Dragbike Racing and Powersports
APE, the creation of high performance machinist Jay Eshbach, is a study in survival and adaptation in the high performance motorcycle business in an ever changing world. Jay has not only managed to supply motorcycle racers with go-fast parts since…
The Top Fuel Motorcycle Battle in Bradenton – One for the Dragbike Record Books
The much vaunted Battle of Bradenton, a clash of Top Fuel motorcycle titans took place just a week ago at the Bradenton Motorsports Park, track in Bradenton, Florida. The hype and close to a half a million dollars in track…
The Battle of Bradenton, a clash of Top Fuel Dragbike Titans
On Friday, November 8th, 2013, at a drag strip located in Bradenton, Florida in the USA, a clash of Top Fuel motorcycle teams will occur. The two quickest Top Fuel motorcycles on planet earth will meet for the first…
Quickest Dragbike Run Ever – Peter Svensson Number 1 With a Bullet
On August 24th, 2012, Top Fuel motorcycle drag racer Peter Svensson, of Sweden, while racing during the Scandinavian Internationals, fired a shot heard round the drag racing world when he became the quickest drag bike pilot on the planet. …
The Story Behind Brad Mummert’s Pro Street GS Dragbike
Have you ever pondered for a moment – if you took your favorite machine from yesterday, and threw all the technology of today at it, what could you create today? What kind of performance numbers could you squeeze out of…
Bradenton Motor Sports Park: Changing With the Times
It’s not easy owning a motorsports racing facility. When your income depends on mother nature not being angry with you, life in the fast lane can be about as comfortable as a cat on a hot tin roof. You…
Atco’s Motorcycle Tradition Lives On With MIROCK
It’s been written many times that history repeats itself. In terms of warfare that’s seldom a good thing. In terms of racing, it’s often a good thing. After all, consistency is necessary for winning in motorsports right? Right! Such is…
MIROCK Orient Express U.S. Nationals Photo Highlights
There is a lot of motorcycle drag racing history at Atco Raceway. After a few years without the event, the MIROCK Series and Orient Express wrote a new chapter in U.S. Nationals record book. For the first time in the…
Second Quickest Pro Street Pass Ever Setting the Pace at the US Nationals
At 4:10 PM during qualifying at the MIROCK, Orient Express, US Nationals, Massachusetts racer Tony Ficher, driving the DAS Performance, Pro Street Hyabusa stunned the crowd with a 6.908 elapsed time at 209.95 mph. The team DAS bike, now sits…
Atco, New Jersey Welcomes MIROCK Series
For the first time in the organization’s history The MIROCK Superbike Series ventures outside of Maryland International Raceway and Rockingham Dragway to storied Atco Raceway in South Jersey. The motorcycle version of the US Nationals has been contested here at…
NHRA Harley Davidson Racing in the Granite State – a Hot One
The NHRA, Harley Davidson Drag Racing Series, held at New England Dragway, in Epping, NH is in the books. The race was held on Saturday, July 20, 2013, with weather hovering the high 80’s accompanied by high humidity giving…
Remembering Bill Warner – King of Hayabusa Land Speed
On Sunday, July 14th, 2013, the racing community world wide lost the king of speed for sit-up bikes in the realm of Land Speed Record racing (LSR). Bill Warner, 44, of Wimauma, Florida, was attempting to break his 2011,…
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Returns to New England Dragway
Here’s a trivia question for motorcycle drag racing fans from the New England area: Who was the first professional drag racer to make a pass down the New England Dragway 1320 foot racing surface during the inaugural New England Nationals…
New England Pro Stock Motorcycle Racer Sets his Sights on High
Local veteran NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Sam Hurwitz, of Newton, Massachusetts, has entered the New England Nationals this weekend. He’s been motorcycle drag racing for 27 years now and Sam first qualified in the NHRA P/S motorcycle ranks…
How The New England Dragway Motorcycle Masters Race Came to Be
Veteran motorcycle drag racer Tom McCarthy has been competing in the motorcycle ranks at his local track, New England Dragway, in Epping, NH, since 1981 when time and money permit. In 2012 he looked at his buddies and all…
Pro Dragster is Racing in the New NHRA, Harley Davidson Series
It’s now official, the National Hot Rod Association has officially announced that the former AHDRA class of Pro Dragster, P/D will be contested during the new NHRA, Harley Davidson – Drag Racing Series (HD-DRS) events. This is great news for…
Harley Davidson and NHRA Ready to Rumble in 2013, Pro Dragster Hoping to Make Cut
The National Hot Rod Association and the Harley Davidson Motor Company are ready to rumble in more ways than one. The rules are up, and the racing schedule is posted for the inaugural NHRA – Harley Davidson Drag Racing Series…