This past weekend Maryland International Raceway hosted the 22nd annual WPGC Bike Fest with the XDA delivering the best motorcycle drag racing has to offer. The event featured Live music by New Impressionz, Baggers vs. Slingshots Sound Off, custom bike show, sound competition, huge vendor midway and a hot bikini contest!
The on-track action was star-studded as always, with over 700 entries tackling the MIR’s quarter mile. Racers showed up ready for serious competition and they weren’t letting the warm weather slow them down. With full fields and a variety of activities going down in the pits, there was non-stop action all weekend.
Orient Express Racing Pro Street
The Orient Express Racing Pro Street tuners had their A-game on this weekend in the brutal summer temperatures. Normally the performance numbers will suffer when the track temps are over 140 degrees and the air temperature is close to 100 degrees. But the evolution of this class showed this weekend as the tuners quickly adapted to the track and made it work.
“The track was not at its best this past weekend, stated XDA co-owner, Jason Miller. “I really have to give credit to the racers and tuners this weekend that were able to take a less than ideal combination and still deliver stellar performance numbers.”
Friday night, off the trailer, class points leader and champion Rodney Williford set the tone for the event putting a 6.423 on the scoreboards that would not be beat in qualifying or eliminations.
And despite the high temperatures half the class qualified under 6.68. Greg Wallace, Justin Shakir, and Darion Payne ran 6.461, 6.492, and 6.498 respectively.
During qualifying Shakir ran a 233.12 mph pass potentially setting a new XDA record. To back up the run and set the record he needed to make a run within 1% at 230.78 mph. He was unable to do that, but his current personal record still stands a 234.29 mph.
Curtis Ellerbe improved his record standing during qualifying moving up the Pro Street GOAT list from 7.323 to a 7.206.
Eliminations on Sunday kept the crowd in the stands entertained as the competition was intense every session. In round one Rodney Williford and Justin Shakir both ran in the forties with a 6.477 and 6.492. Blake Sander set a personal record of 221.67 to earn a spot on the Pro Street MPH GOAT list.
In round two Jason Dunigan took out Greg Wallace running a new personal record of 6.474 at 231.95 mph.
In the semi-final Rodney Williford stunned the crown when he went -.216 red against Darion Payne to end his reign of consecutive wins in Pro Street. Despite the red light, Williford reset his ET record to 6.372. And on this pass Payne reset his personal record running a 6.450 at 227.80 mph. Jason Dunigan took a win and a wild ride against Justin Shakir. Justin had problems off the line, but Dunigan didn’t want to take any chances letting him get back around so when his front tire started coming off the ground, he was hesitant to back off the throttle launching both wheels off the ground making it a wild pass to a win light.
In the final Payne and Dunigan were a well-matched pair for competition. But when the bulbs dropped, Payne went -.017 red sending Dunigan to his first XDA Pro Street winner’s circle, and his second with the MIROCK dynasty.
DME Racing Real Street
David Stewart continues his reign in the DME Racing Real Street as he earns more points to lock in his chase for the championship. Stewart took the number one qualifying position with a 7.463 and then went on to dominate taking wins over Mark Hylton and Brittany Bohne before facing Rickey Gadson in the final. Jeremy Teasley returned to Real Street this event but was quickly turned away when Rickey Gadson took a win over him in round one. Gadson had a bye in the semi-final and elected to break the beams after finding a problem with his bike. Gadson could not make it to the finals giving an automatic win to David Stewart. David Stewart broke the beams in the finals to officially declare his win, and in true sportsman style, reigning class champion Mark Hylton and his team helped push Stewart to the starting line and back.
MaxxECU Pro Xtreme
The MaxxECU Pro Xtreme fans were stunned Friday night when Ronnie Procopio put a 3.937 on the scoreboard right out of the gate. On Sunday Procopio took a win over Thomas Gunn in round one and earned a bye in round two to face John Collins in the final. Collins would take wins over Eran Pielert and Tyron Lemons. In the final it was a deadly close race as Procopio and Collins cut a .046 and .043 light respectively. They were side-by-side down the track as they had a photo finish crossing the finish line running a 4.061 and 4.069 with the win going to Procopio for the second time this season.
HTP Performance Super Stock
In HTP Performance Super Stock Curtis McDougald took the number one qualifying spot with an 8.789 to lead the class of pro hand clutch racers. And for the second event in a row Mike Davis and McDougald met in the final round. And like Déjà vu, McDougald took the win running an 8.920 to Davis’s 8.946. This was Davis’s fourth straight final round appearance this season. There can be nothing more frustrating than being so close to a win so many times. These hand clutch killers will be back at it next month for the 4th annual Bike Bash on August 26-28, 2022.
Vance & Hines 4.60
The Vance and Hines 4.60 Index class had a record turnout for Bike Fest with forty-seven bikes competing for the thirty-two bike field. Due to the increased turnout, XDA moved the qualifying field to forty bikes allowing more racers to enter competition on Sunday. Frank Christian led the charge in qualifying with a 4.601. The field was tight with the top forty bikes running within the 4.60 to 4.74 zone. Ron Bonitatis and Wes Hawkins both dominated their sides of the ladder to earn a spot in their first final round appearances of the season. Hawkins left the line first with a starting line advantage of .046 over Bonitatis’ .066 light. Bonitatis ran dead on with a 4.608, but the hole shot for Hawkins got him the win on his 4.626 run.
HTP Performance Grudge
Soaring temperatures didn’t stop the grudge racers as the Bulls showed up in force for the WPGC Bike Fest. The grudge racers and their fans turned up the volume Saturday night to give the Sound competition on the other side of the track a run for their money as the smack talking and dolla bills exchanged sides all night.
Boosted Bulls
Malcolm Phillips on ‘Billy Mays’ is leading the points in Boosted Bulls and was the favorite for the win Saturday night over Frankie Stotz on ‘Reddi-Wip.’ But when the bulbs dropped ‘Reddi-Wip’ shot out of the can straight down the track and ‘Billy Mays’ just couldn’t keep up. This was a redemption win for DME Racing and Stotz after his unfortunate high-speed crash in April.
APE Nitrous Bulls
Jeremy Teasley returned to XDA looking for action on ‘Unhinged’ in APE Nitrous Bulls. Teasley put the smack down on ‘No Drawers’ and ‘War Cry’ before going to work on ‘Bumpy Johnson2.0’ in the final. Gaige Herrera took wins over ‘Sho-Nuff’ and ‘Kill Shot’ before facing Teasley. In the Final Teasley made ‘Bumpy Johnson 2.0’ look weak as scoreboards lit up in his favor.
3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls
In 3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls Spencer Claycomb for the second time in a row had to face his teammate, Jason Herron in round one of competition. However, this time the tables turned and Claycomb took ‘Under the Influence’ to the final. After taking out his own bike ‘Tic Tok,’ he also took wins over ‘Leather Face’ and ‘Son of Sam’ before reaching the final to battle it out with David Martin on ‘Unknown.’ The final was easy work for Claycomb as he got out in front of Martin and turned on his win light for back-to-back win for his team. This win also moves him to the top of the championship points chase.
Tommie’s Motorsports DMV Bulls
In Tommie’s Motorsports DMV Bulls, Caleb Holt on ‘AM Performance’ made his first DMV Bulls appearance and no one could stop him as he cut down the smack talking round after round with wins over ‘Stunna 4 Vegas’, ‘Bud Light lime’ and ‘Rick James.’ And the final again Malcolm Phillips on ‘No Cap’ was another round of pure performance domination as Holt turned on another win light for his team.
Tommie’s Motorsports All Motor Bulls
The Tommie’s Motorsports All Motor Bulls put on show and didn’t let the heat slow down their performance on the track Friday night. David Fondon on ‘Bad Bitch’ slapped ‘Nasty Bastard’ with the win light in the final round and took the win.
1 Stop Speed 5.60
Robert Parker led the 1 Stop Speed 5.60 qualifying on Saturday with a 5.604 time over thirty-five other competitors. Dustin Lee who came into this event sitting number three in points made sure he took out all the heavy hitters on his way to the final where he met Michael Graves. Lee intimidated Graves on the starting line as he went -.252 red handing Lee the win and sending him to the winner’s circle giving him the points he needs to reach a championship with only two events left in the season.
Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman
Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman had a quick field despite the soaring temperatures. Ryan Burnell qualified number one with a 7.431, however he took a first round loss to the number thirty-two qualifier when he had problems on the track and ran almost two seconds off his dial-in time. Jeffrey Santin and Robin Procopio both qualified in the middle of the pack and earned their win lights for a final round showing. Procopio’s husband just won Pro Xtreme and she was determined to double up their winner’s circle photo. In the final, Procopio dialed an 8.22 and cut a .020 light, Santin dialed an 8.04 and cut a .051 light. Procopio turned on the win light with an 8.257 running closer to her dial than Santin’s 8.087 run.
MPS Racing Pro ET
Over a hundred and thirty racers entered Sunday’s MPS Racing Pro ET class to test their skills and earn that $5,000 payday. Jimmie Miller and Harvey Powell won seven rounds of competition to earn their final round spots. Miller last saw a Pro ET winner’s circle in 2019 and he was determined to get back there this weekend. Miller dialed an 8.10 and cut a .015 light, Powell dialed an 8.24 and cut a .037 light. As the two riders raced to the finish line, Miller lifted right before the finish line running an 8.115, and Powell didn’t lift enough as he broke running an 8.234 helping put Miller back in the winner’s circle.
Brock’s Performance Street ET
The Brock’s Performance Street ET class yielded action packed rounds as competitors were running close to their dials and giving the crowd a show on Sunday round after round. Montrell Johnson and Micheal McAllister both won six rounds to dominate their side of the ladder. Johnson dialed an 8.77 and McAllister a 10.84 for the final. McAllister left first with .077 reaction time, and Johnson cut his worst light of the day at .129. The two raced to the finish and neither racer was lifting! McAllister got their first but broke out with a 10.838 pass giving the win to Johnson who ran an 8.771. It was a great final round.
VooDoo Components Bracket Bash
The heat did not deter the VooDoo Component Bracket Bash with over 170 racers entering for a change at the $3,000 payout. Nick Hamlett and Mike Schulz both worked their way through seven rounds of tough competition to Saturday night to face off in the final. Hamlett dialed an 8.72 and Schulz an 8.63 making it a close actioned round. Hamlett left the line first with a .009 reaction time to Schulz’s .041 light. As the two raced down to the finish line they were side eyeing each other as they both lifted off the gas trying to take the finish the line without breaking out of their dial. Hamlett’s starting line advantage got him there first and he took the win with a .021 margin of victory running an 8.807 to Schulz’s 8.706.
Hard Times Parts & Service Gambler’s Race
It was back-to-back wins this weekend for Ben Knight in the Hard Times Parts & Service Gambler’s race. After taking a win last month, he fell right back in the win light groove and methodically picked off the competition round after round. In the final he faced Michael Parsons, but the work was made easy when Parsons went red to send Knight to another winner’s circle.
The XDA will head back to Virginia Motorsports Park for the 4th annual Bike Bash on August 26-28, 2022. There will be over 700 Professional, Sportsman, and Grudge motorcycle racers in competition battling it out for over $80,000 in cash purse at this event. Get August 26-28 on your calendar now!
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