FUNNY BIKE
Although this class allows direct drive, nitro burning
Harleys, turbocharged Suzuki and Kawasaki-powered bikes
dominate this very entertaining class. Six of the qualifiers,
led by Keith Lynn, were on Kawasakis and four rode Suzukis
led by No. 1 qualifier Korry Hogan. Lynn and Hogan dominated
the race with Lynn setting Low ET of the meet at 6.639
and Hogan clicking off the Top Speed at 205.56. Lynn ran
a string of 6.70's in eliminations to get to the final
round while Hogan ran solid 6.60's on every lap except
one.
In the final, Hogan left first with a .046 but slipped
the tire a little and slowed to a 6.740 while Lynn and
his Kaw left behind Hogan but drove around him to his best
time of the event, a 6.639.
PRO MODIFIED
This class is the two-wheeled equivalent of the nitrous
Pro Modified doorslammers. The Pro Mod bikes are on a weight
to cubic inch limit and have to burn gasoline and nitrous
but
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after that rules pretty much anything goes including
twin engines gasoline and nitrous. This eliminator also
allows nitro burning Harleys and injected nitro.
I saw none of the exotics at St. Louis, but there were
plenty of quick bikes in the 16-bike field led by Tennessee
racer Charlie Farrar on a Kawasaki, who just happens to
also be the series' defending champion. Farrar qualified
with a 6.680 and then ran a 6.681 in the first round to
drop the national record, which was set last year in St.
Louis, from 6.708 to 6.680. Unfortunately for Farrar, he
bulbed in the first round and opened the race up for No.
15 qualifier Coodee Thomas who bested number eight qualifier
Mimmo Marciano with a respectable 7.058 timing to Marciano's
dead game 7.112.
PRO STOCK
These are 600-lb. gas burning, carbureted (I think) bikes
that run nearly as fast as the NHRA versions. At St. Louis
it was an all seven-second field with NHRA veteran, and
New York racer Paul Gast leading the qualifying at 7.165.
He was qualified just ahead of number one plate holder
Todd Doege who sat second with a 7.207. Also in the field
at St. Louis was Anthony Vanetti, who crews on Don Prudhomme's
NHRA Top Fuel car.
