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Revised Edition: Estate Planning for Motorcycle Collectors

By General Posts

by John Stein with edits from Bandit and John Martinisko

Or what might happen to your beloved bikes when you’re not around

Note: I’m not pretending that this is the definitive work on winding down your collection or living your life. But if it gets you to at least consider what steps should be taken, and how, the article will have done its job.

As motorcycle fanatics, we’ve all laid awake nights wondering how we could add to our collections. At some point in our lives, doing exactly the opposite probably makes more sense. The reason, of course, is advancing age while hanging onto a deeply misguided belief that our family shares our passions.

Click Here to Read the revised article on Bikernet.com

P.S.
The previous version of this ‘priceless’ article was published on Bikernet.com dated March 2022.
To view the same, click here. For more ‘valuable’ information and news, follow Bikernet Free Weekly Newsletter, referred below.

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Podcast features Motocross Trailblazer Jackson Strong

By General Posts

Monster Energy’s UNLEASHED Podcast Welcomes Motocross Trailblazer Jackson Strong

Episode 36 Gets personal with 30-Year-Old FMX Innovator and Six-Time X Games Gold Medalist

Start your engines! Monster Energy is proud to welcome freestyle motocross innovator and six-time X Games gold medalist Jackson Strong on Episode 36 of the sports and pop culture podcast UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny.

This latest one-hour episode released today across Monster Energy’s social media channels and was recorded inside Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. A must-listen for all motocross fans, the podcast gets the inside story from the 30-year-old from Lockhart, New South Wales, Australia, who became a professional freestyle motocross rider as a teenager and left his unique mark on the sport ever since.

“I think freestyle motocross is in a bit of a transitional period at this point in time. There are a lot of guys doing a lot more freeride-type stuff, like what Axell [Hodges] is doing is really cool. But I think we’re going to see freestyle move away from being inside small stadiums and moving outside with bigger jumps, longer distances and highest air. But we’ll always have the Best Trick and people learning new tricks,” said Strong.

Fans can now tune in to Episode 36 of UNLEASHED featuring Jackson “Jacko” Strong.
Released today, the new podcast is streaming on all major platforms, including Spotify, iTunes, and YouTube.

Jackson Strong’s career is without parallel in professional freestyle motocross. At age 13, Strong began performing in shows with the Crusty Demons crew and has pushed the limits with never-been-done tricks ever since. He earned his first X Games gold medal in 2011 and has clinched the win in Motocross Best Trick six times since. His X Games record currently stands at 13 medals (6 gold, 4 silver, 3 bronze) and includes one bronze from Snow Bike Best Trick. A fearless innovator and next-level athlete, Strong embodies the action sports mindset like few other riders and keeps the innovations coming in boundary-pushing video parts.

Learn about Strong’s innovative approach to motocross and unparalleled mental resilience in conversation with the two podcast hosts, Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass on Episode 36 of UNLEASHED. Tune in right here.

Born in New South Wales, Australia, to a farming family spanning several generations, Strong discovered dirt bikes at a young age. “For me it all began riding around dirt bikes on the farm. More like a ways of getting around, sort of my transport. It was how I got to school,” said Strong on UNLEASHED. With a penchant for catching air, he soon began building his own jumps and training at abandoned spots near his home. And he got good quick: When he was only 13 years old, Strong began touring with the Crusty Demons of Dirt crew. “I learned all the bad habits of life, early on. Crusty tours were fun,” said Strong.

Ultimately, the young rookie began traveling to the United States and competing in the world’s biggest showcase for action sports: The X Games. In what was only his second X Games appearance, the Australian shook up the established order by claiming gold in Motocross Best Trick with a spectacular front flip. “I’ve been doing this for a long time. That’s eleven years ago now, I was age 19 then,” said Strong.

Over the next few years, Strong began dominating the Best Trick discipline like no other rider before – and kept the trick innovations coming. In 2015, he landed the first-ever double back flip into dirt off a quarter pipe as one of many never-been-done tricks on his resume. “There are so many more tricks that can happen. Moving forward, we are going to see more technicality in the jumps. And when it comes to Best Trick, we’re going to see more air bag landings and things to make the sport safer.”

Before the pandemic, Strong built his own training facility, The Sandbox, to prepare for competitions and film his viral video segments: “I built it because with a busy traveling schedule of doing shows, it was hard trying to find enough time to practice. For me when I’m practicing, I want to go riding two times a day. I want to put in the work and be as current as I can! Freestyle motocross is a very real sport. And that’s why I love it!”

Constantly evolving his skill set, Strong also took his freestyle talent to the snow, competing in the Snow Bike Best Trick event at X Games Aspen 2020, where he won a bronze medal. Not known for resting on his laurels, Strong also likes to get his kicks base jumping from bridges and tall cliffs. “My friends at home who sky dive, fly planes and base jump, I started hanging out with them a lot more because you couldn’t travel as much during the pandemic.”

After dealing with several heavy injuries, Strong began cultivating a resilient mental attitude to fortify himself against doubt and distractions. “There have been lots of injuries and broken bones. But anyone who’s looked at action sports has their fair share of bones and injuries happen. It’s not something I like to pride myself in, because you’ve done something wrong when that happens, but everyone who’s looked at a motor bike had something happen.”

Want to hear it from Monster Energy’s Jackson Strong himself? Visit the landing page to access Episode 36 of the UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast featuring daredevil FMX athlete Jackson Strong.

Episodes of UNLEASHED are filmed on a special set inside Studio M at Monster Energy headquarters in Corona, California. The podcast is hosted by the dynamic duo of Australian action sports personality Luke “The Dingo” Trembath and professional snowboarder Danny Kass. Known for their deep roots in action sports culture, the two starred in the beloved cult TV show ‘The Adventures of Danny and The Dingo’ on Fuel TV for five action-packed seasons in the early 2010s. Both hosts have walked the walk as pro snowboarders and possess the interview skills to find common ground with guests from any type of background – sports and pop culture. Always look out for new episodes dropping bi-weekly on Mondays.

The UNLEASHED with The Dingo and Danny Podcast is here to celebrate the personalities behind the Monster Energy lifestyle.

For more on Monster Energy and the UNLEASHED Podcast, visit www.monsterenergy.com.

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Jo Shimoda Makes History with First Pro Motocross Overall Win at RedBud

By General Posts

Monster Energy®/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki’s Jo Shimoda Makes History with First Pro Motocross Overall Win at RedBud

July 2, 2022 | RedBud MX | Buchanan, Mich.

Foothill Ranch, Calif. (July 3, 2022) – The AMA Pro Motocross Championship headed north to Buchanan, Michigan for Round 5, ‘America’s National’ at the iconic RedBud MX. Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Jo Shimoda proved himself to be a fan favorite by animating the notoriously lively crowd with 1-3 moto scores en route to carving his name in the history books as the first Japanese rider to earn an AMA Pro Motocross overall win. Fellow Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki rider Seth Hammaker overcame second moto adversity for 11th overall (5-15), while Ryder DiFrancesco scored 14-12 for 13th overall in his Pro Motocross debut. In the 450 Class, Jason Anderson secured fourth overall (7-4) and Joey Savatgy finished sixth overall after a personal best third place in Moto 1 (3-9).

The Monster Energy/Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team quickly set the tone for the day as all three riders charged through the opening qualification sessions. Shimoda was clearly in tune with both track and machine as he logged the fastest lap (2:03.742) of the 250 Class to claim his first pole qualification. Meanwhile, Hammaker ranked ninth with a 2:06.226 and DiFrancesco showed his readiness to compete with the Pro Motocross elite by qualifying 11th (2:06.297).

At the start of 250 Moto 1, the rising Team Green star DiFrancesco was narrowly edged out for the holeshot with both of his teammates close in flank. A push of the front end in Turn 2, however, placed DiFrancesco on the ground and shuffled him to the bottom of the running order; the young rider had his work cut out for him in the race ahead. Meanwhile, Shimoda and Hammaker established themselves inside the top five with decisive moves on the opening lap. Shimoda raised the intensity to a fever pitch as he swiftly became the driving force in a three-way battle for the lead position. The No.30 KX™250 rider kept his main championship rivals under heavy pressure for the lion’s share of the race until he finally took command of the top spot with six laps remaining. Shimoda held true to form by maintaining his pace through the finish to claim his first moto win with more than a 20-second margin over second place. Hammaker logged consistent laps to hold onto a fifth-place finish while DiFrancesco turned heads with an impressive race from 32nd on the opening lap to 14th at the checkered flag.

The second 250 Class moto hosted green at the front again when DiFrancesco grabbed his first Pro Motocross holeshot in just his second start. A quick pass by Hammaker in the opening section of Lap 1 allowed the No.47 rider to take control of the lead from DiFrancesco before he lost traction accelerating out of Turn 4 and crashed. Further back, Shimoda found himself in 25th at the end of the first lap after a non-optimal start was worsened by a collision with another rider. DiFrancesco persisted with his sights on the leaders as the rookie held his own in the top five for more than half the race. While DiFrancesco gained vital experience at the front of the field, the crowd’s attention turned to Shimoda who was racing his way back into overall contention. The roars of the crowd followed Shimoda around the track while he passed multiple riders per lap, using creative line selection and relentlessly carrying his momentum through the pack. Despite his early race adversity, Shimoda clawed his way up to a heroic third place position to secure his first career overall win and made his mark in the history books as the first Japanese rider to grace the top step of the AMA Pro Motocross podium. After visiting the mechanic’s area to regroup from his crash, Hammaker made his way to 15th to salvage 11th overall (5-15) on the day and DiFrancesco finished the race with a respectable 12th place finish for 13th overall (14-12).

“In the first moto, I started up front and had a fast pace going as I pressured the Lawrence brothers for the top-two positions. I was able to make a good pass into the lead and finished strong for the moto win. In Moto 2, my start wasn’t great and then I got caught up with some riders on the first lap which put me outside the top 20. I pushed hard the whole race to fight my way to third and earned my first overall victory. I had to race really hard in both motos, and it paid off for a great day.”
– Jo Shimoda

“I made it a little tougher on myself than I needed to today but, my starts are improving and I just need to clean up a few things. In Moto 1, I had a pretty steady race all the way through to come away with a fifth but, I was looking to better that and get into the podium battle in Moto 2. Unfortunately, I lost traction at the bottom of the hill and fell just after passing into the lead so, I had to race forward from the back of the pack. It’s frustrating of course but, I will keep putting myself up there in the mix and keep improving to iron out those small mistakes.”
– Seth Hammaker

“I had a great start in the first moto but, a crash in the second corner put me way down the running order. I raced forward and made a bunch of passes to finish 14th. In Moto 2, I grabbed the holeshot which felt awesome, and I did my best to keep pace with the leaders for as long as I could. My goal for the day was to do exactly what I did for the first half of that second moto, I matched the speed of the guys at the front for as long as I could before getting tight and settling back a bit. I’m looking forward to Millville where I’ll try my best to stay up there even longer.”
– Ryder DiFrancesco



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The RedBud National featured the second reverse moto schedule of the season which meant a smoother track and higher speeds for the 450 Class qualifying sessions as they took to the course first. Never shying away from a high speeds, the Monster Energy Kawasaki duo of Anderson and Savatgy put the power of their KX™450SR machines on display by qualifying at the front in both timed sessions. When qualification concluded, Anderson had the second-fastest lap of the morning (2:03.505) and Savatgy was hot on his tail with the third-best lap time (2:03.698).

In 450 Class Moto 1, Savatgy was narrowly beaten out for the holeshot as he jockeyed for position with several of the top championship contenders. At the completion of Lap 1, Savatgy had taken a firm hold on second place with his pace in lockstep with the race leader. Unfortunately, Anderson was collected in a first turn crash and the No.21 KX™450SR rider crossed the green flag in 31st position. As the race progressed, Savatgy fortified his spot at the front by extending a gap over the riders behind and keeping in close tow of the rider out front. Unphased by the pressure of battling among several premier class champions while maintaining a smooth intensity to his speed, Savatgy held onto second place until Lap 14 when he was overtaken. A brief battle ensued when Savatgy launched himself back into second by skying out Larocco’s Leap but, he soon settled into third for the final laps of the moto. Savatgy crossed the checkered in third to secure his first 450 Class podium result and proved his recent progress with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team is affirming his place among the best in the world. Not to be overshadowed, Anderson thrilled fans as he charged through the field for the full 30-minute plus two lap race, passing over 25 riders, to secure eighth place at the finish.

The second 450 Class moto saw both Monster Energy Kawasaki KX™450SR riders emerge from Turn 1 inside the top-10. Anderson looked to fight toward a podium position as he moved forward from fifth on the opening lap to take control of fourth on Lap 4. A brief crash in the turn prior to the mechanic’s area, however, set the New Mexican back to eighth place and forced him to race his way up the running order again. A benefactor of Anderson’s crash, Savatgy moved into contention for the overall podium as he pressed forward to sixth by Lap 5. Savatgy continued to push himself forward until a swap through the sand turn after Larocco’s Leap caused him to crash and drop to ninth place on Lap 6. Anderson quickly found his form again as he maneuvered through the competition to reach fifth place by the checkered flag; his 7-5 moto scores earned him fourth overall. Savatgy finished out Moto 2 in ninth to earn sixth overall (3-9) and, more importantly, proved himself as a legitimate podium contender.

“Minor crashes in each moto cost me valuable time and positions early so, I felt like I was playing catch up all day. My speed was solid, and the bike felt great but, a couple of miscues are all it takes to put the podium out of reach. Overall, I made a lot of passes out there and managed to salvage a fourth overall so, we’ll just keep moving forward with the goal of getting another win here soon.”
– Jason Anderson

“It’s been almost four years since the last time I was on the podium and there have been plenty of highs and lows along the way. Finally getting myself back up on the box in the first moto felt amazing. Thank you to the Monster Energy Kawasaki team for this opportunity to be racing and improving each weekend. I was set back a bit overall by the crash in Moto 2 but, we took major steps in the right direction today and look forward to more progress ahead.”
– Joey Savatgy

XDA Racers Beat the Heat at the MTC Summer Nationals

By General Posts

The XDA’s 36th Annual MTC Engineering Summer Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park was hot on and off the track this past weekend, with temperatures in the high 90s.

XDA racers got the Trifecta in track prep at VMP’s world-renowned facility, with Tyler Crossnoe, Jimmy Bradshaw, and Jason Miller all on hand for this event. The track prep was on point and done right to keep the surface in optimal shape as the warm temperatures wreaked havoc on the racing surface.

Orient Express Racing Pro Street
Orient Express Racing Pro Street was incredible as the performance numbers were shocking for this unseasonably warm event where tack temperatures exceeded 140 degrees. Rodney Williford and Justin Shakir lead qualifying with big numbers. Williford ran a 6.415 at 232.03 mph to qualify number one, followed by Shakir with a 6.484 at 230.57 mph.

In qualifying Gaige Herrera on the only nitrous motorcycle reset his record to 6.588, and then went on to lower that ET to a 6.535 in eliminations. Herrera holds the title as the quickest Nitrous Hayabusa in the World.

Rudy Sanzoterra also lowered his personal best in qualifying to a 6.653 to move himself up the GOAT List.

Greg Wallace ran a 6.486 and 6.468 in eliminations, but surprisingly the 6.468 did not turn on a win light as Rodney Williford ran a 6.420 in the semi-final round to end his weekend.

Jason Dunigan and Gaige Herrera both ran a 6.56 and 6.55 in round two of eliminations and looked to put on a good show in the semi-final. However, Dunigan turned on a -.002 light to send Herrera to the final against Williford.

Herrera and Williford faced off last season and Herrera was looking for redemption as he took the starting line advantage with a .036 reaction to Williford’s .057. However, Herrera wasn’t out in front for long as Williford barreled around him and stayed out in front of him to put an astonishing 6.396 at 232.03 on the board that Herrera’s 6.572 could not compete with.

The Pro Street action continues in just one month at the 5th annual FuelTech Superbike Showdown on June 17-19, 2022 at Maryland International Raceway.

DME Racing Real Street
The DME Racing Real Street class was again led by champion David Stewart in qualifying with a 7.615, followed by Rickey Gadson with a 7.625.

David Stewart made it to the semi-final, where fellow class champion Mark Hylton took him out on a holeshot win with a .004 reaction time, running a 7.618 to Stewarts’ quicker 7.564.

Ben Knight, who won the season opener, made it to another final round after taking wins against Caleb Holt and David Fondon.

Hylton and Knight on their all motor Hayabusa’s, seemed unaffected by the heat of the weekend as they kept their performance numbers up round after round. Knight cut an uncharacteristic .108 light in the final, giving Hylton’s .059 light the starting line advantage. With Hylton getting off the starting line first, Knight struggled to catch him, and Hylton took the win with a 7.15 to Knight’s 7.667.

MaxxECU Pro Xtreme
Ronnie Procopio entered his first MaxxECU Pro Xtreme race this past weekend and dominated like a veteran. Procopio qualified #1 with a 3.970, putting the only three-second pass on the boards during qualifying.

Procopio had an earned bye in round one. In round two, he won over Chris Cutsinger to place himself in the final to John Collins, who qualified number two with a 4.032. Collins took wins against Travis Davis and Chris Theodoridis before the final.

Despite the heat, these two machines had the potential to put three-second passes on the boards in the final round. It was looking to be a good round of competition, but Collins turned on the dreaded red light with a -.004. The red light did not slow either competitor down as Procopio, with the secured win, ran a 3.961, and Collins came close with a 4.002 pass.

MaxxECU Pro Xtreme is presented by Billy Vose Racing, Fast by Gast, Dunigan Racing, DME Racing, Grothus Dragbikes, Harley Haul, Rob Bush Motorsports, Robinson Industries, Schnitz Racing, Timblin Chassis, and Worldwide Bearings.

HTP Performance Super Stock
For the second straight event, HTP Performance Super Stock had us feeling like it was Déjà vu. Again, Curtis McDougald took the #1 qualifying spot with an 8.867 to lead the eighteen-bike field of clutch hand racers.

Mike Davis and Darion Payne fought their way back to another final round appearance. Payne took the win at the first event, and Davis was eager for his turn in the winner’s circle, a little too eager as he left before the bulbs dropped to hand Darion Payne his second straight win of the season.

Vance & Hines 4.60
The Vance & Hines 4.60 class didn’t disappoint at the MTC Summer Nationals with five rounds of tough competition. Six racers ran a 4.60 in qualifying, but Jeff Jones got the #1 qualifying spot with his high mph of 150mph as the tie breaker.

Mac McAdams won against Troy Hausmann, Spencer Allen, Michael Stewart, and Jimmy Shifflett to make it to the final round. On the other side of the ladder Joe Rodney took wins over Durwood Rawlings, Brayden Davis, Wes Hawkins, and Kenny Cornell.

With two big names in the final round, it all came down to who was hungrier. McAdams cut a .004 to Rodney’s .022, but Rodney caught McAdams quick, and they were side-by-side approaching the eight-mile finish line. Rodney may have been too hungry as he broke out, crossing the finish line first with a 4.592 to McAdams’s 4.615. The margin of victory on this run was .005 seconds.

HTP Performance Grudge
The rain came in on Saturday night and put a swift end to Saturday night grudge racing. The Tommie’s Motorsports DMV Bulls class decided to split the purse as some racers couldn’t run on Sunday. The APE Nitrous Bulls class and the 3 Sixty 5 Transport Monster Bulls classes voted to finish their shootouts on Sunday.

Boosted Bulls
Malcom Phillips was the only rider that came to win at Virginia and was uncontested. That didn’t stop ‘Billy Mays’ from laying down some lightning-fast laps that left everyone in disbelief while he gained valuable points towards his championship.

APE Nitrous Bulls
In round one of APE Nitrous Bulls, Busa Benjamin on ‘Mister Jay’ got the jump on Lavar Delee on ‘High Roller’, but by the eighth mile, Delee was hard-charging around him for the win light. Malcolm Phillips on ‘Black Jesus’ got an easy win over DeSean Jones on ‘Jimmy Hendrix’ when he broke on the starting line. And Desmond Spalding on ‘Sho Nuff’ had an earned bye in round one.

Spalding was fighting wheelies in round two from start to finish as Phillips controlled pass turned on the win light to send him to the final to face off with Delee who had a bye this round.

‘Black Jesus’ said a prayer in the final while ‘High Roller’ threw the dice. Phillips got off the line first and stayed in front of Delee until the finish line for the win, proving prayers over gambling is always the way to go.

3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls
3 Sixty 5 Monster Bulls was a ‘Flawless Victory’ delivered by Antonio Williams. Williams put the voodoo on his opponents who struggled in the rounds they faced him. In round one ‘Tik Tok’ struggled to get off the line; in round two, ‘Pickin Pockets’ suffered the same fate. And then, in the final when Williams faced Jamael Jones on ‘Stimulus Check’, Jones left before the bulbs came down to give Williams his first XDA win with a leisurely cruise down the track.

Tommie’s Motorsports All Motor Shootout
Tommie’s Motorsports put together an All-Motor Shootout on Friday night that Edward Thomas on ‘Da Setup’ won over Henry Wise on ‘Henry’.

1 Stop Speed 5.60
The 1 Stop Speed 5.60 class was on fire at the MTC Engineering Summer Nationals as the lanes were packed for a chance at the eight-mile title. Steve Holden qualified on top with a 5.604, leading the thirty-three bike field.

When Sunday eliminations started, nothing stopped sixteen-year-old racer Brayden Davis from making his mark at his first XDA event. Davis took out big names on his way to the final with wins against Mike Sweeney, Dave Cornell, Stephen Moye, and Jimmie Miller. In the final, he would face class champion, Dustin Lee. Lee put a .006 light on the tree for the starting line advantage to Davis’s .040, but when it came to covering those six hundred and sixty feet, Davis would clear it first, running a 5.606 to Lee’s 5.656. It was an exciting final as Brayden Davis’ margin of victory was a mere twelve inches over Lee.

Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman
Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman features the quickest ET racers on the property. Bill Maturo Jr took the number one qualifying position with a 7.741. Maturo, however, would not survive round one as he broke out against Orlando Johnson with a 7.701 on his 7.73 dial.

George Shriver and Jim Shifflett survived four rounds of competition to face each other in the final. The final was set to be a close race with Shriver dialing an 8.04 and Shifflett an 8.17. However, Shifflett gave the win to Shriver at the starting line when he turned on a -.009 red light to end his chance for a winner circle finish.

MPS Racing Pro ET
In MPS Racing Pro ET, the competition saw red in the Virginia heat. The first round saw a whooping twenty-one red lights as racers pushed the tree for that starting line advantage. James Farmer and Nick Hamlett won their seven rounds from their side of the ladder to meet in the final round of competition for a bar vs. no bar final.

Hamlett dialed an 8.77 and Farmer an 8.16. Farmer got the starting line advantage with a .020 light to Hamlett’s .060. Farmer left second but quickly caught Hamlett for a side-by-side race to the finish. As the two took the stripe, Hamlett broke out, running an 8.757 giving the win to Farmer, who ran an 8.172.

VooDoo Components Bracket Bash
Over a hundred racers braved the heat and entered the Saturday VooDoo Components Bracket Bash class. Four rounds of competition were completed until the rain came in and shut down the race Saturday night. Ten racers split the prize money and started their Saturday night celebrations early.

Brock’s Performance Street ET
In Brock’s Performance Street ET, the competition was at its best despite the high temperatures of the event. Class champion Derrick Milbourne started the weekend off with a win on Friday night and carried that right into Sunday’s competition. After winning six rounds, he faced Shayne Proctor in the finals. Proctor dialed a 9.14 and cut the better light with .033; Milbourne left the tree second with his 8.81 dial and chased Proctor down to get to the stripe first, winning with an 8.834 to Proctor’s 9.178.

Hard Times Parts & Service Gambler’s Race
The Friday night Hard Times Parts and Service Gamblers race kicked off the weekend, putting cash in sportsman’s pockets. Derrick Milbourne and Rico Brown won five rounds to make it to the final to face each other. Both riders were cutting lights and running well on their dials to make this a tremendous final-round matchup. Dialed an 8.86, Milbourne, a veteran racer, cut a.004 light for the starting line advantage. Brown dialed an 8.76, and chased Milbourne to the stipe but broke out running an 8.758 giving the win to Milbourne, who ran an 8.887.

For full qualifying and round-by-round results of the event, visit www.xdaracing.com.

The XDA will head back to Maryland International Raceway for the 5th annual FuelTech Superbike Showdown on June 17-19, 2022.

There will be over 700 Professional, Sportsman, and Grudge motorcycle racers in competition, battling it out for over $80,000 in cash purse. Make plans now to watch the best drag racers in the country put on the quickest and fastest show on two wheels the East Coast has to offer.

About XDA Racing: The Xtreme Dragbike Association (XDA) is an east coast motorcycle drag racing series with 700+ motorcycle racers competing at each event. Every XDA event hosts professional classes, sportsman classes, grudge racing and a vendor midway. Lifestyle activities such as bike shows, bikini contests, DJ and live bands are also held at select events. For more information on the XDA, please visit xdaracing.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @xdaracing

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NHDRO’s Three Race “Trilogy” Was Fast Fun in Sun

By General Posts

The Midwest’s largest motorcycle drag racing series—NHDRO—kicked off their 2022 season with the Midwest Race Trilogy—three full races over three days at West Salem, Ohio’s beautiful, sunny Dragway 42.

NHDRO motorcycle drag racing series race coverage report
event: NHDRO’s Midwest Race Trilogy
when: May 13-15, 2022
where: Dragway 42, West Salem, Ohio, USA

Friday Shootouts

“I love the three races in one weekend,” said defending two-class champion Jeremy Teasley. “Because you normally mess up, so you got two more shots. But I ended up winning the first day over my buddy Dave Page. We left together, then his bike had problems.”

Teasley actually had a small .018 advantage over Page at the tree in Friday night’s Schnitz Racing Top Gas 8.20 all-no-bar Shootout final, and was able to cruise across the stripe when Page’s Suzuki Hayabusa went off song at 1000 feet.

“It was a good weekend at the track seeing everyone,” continued Teasley. “The weather was perfect and (NHDRO owners) Brian and Niki Welch did a great job.”

The event also served as a celebration of life for Page’s wife Rhonda, who passed away May 5thafter a courageous battle with cancer. Rhonda, you are missed.

Friday’s Big Show Shootouts were 100% payback races, and in addition to Schnitz Racing Top Gas also included NHDRO Road Course, Delay Box and No-Box Shootouts.

Tom Klemme and Jeremy England ran an awesome wheelie bar (Klemme) vs. no-bar Box Shootout final. In his new root beer and orange leathers, Klemme took the tree by a scant .004 on his matching KZ900 and ran .004 over his 8.84 dial-in for the win.

The No-Box Shootout also came down to a wheelie bar vs. no-bar final, and was also won by a Klemme—Tom’s bother Joe. He faced Teddy Thompson, usually known for riding a slow streetbike to considerable bracket racing success. On this occasion, however, Thompson was riding a piece with a 9.52 second dial-in. He took the tree with an .011 against Klemme’s .058, but broke out while Klemme won dead-on with a .007.

“The win Friday night was great, especially since as a team my brother Tom and I won two of the three shootouts that we entered,” said Joe Klemme.

“The rest of the weekend wasn’t quite as successful (for us). There is some very tough competition out there. That is a good thing and that’s what keeps us coming back.

“As far as the three races in one weekend, I think that is a no-brainer. All the other expenses remain the same. The second and third races are expense free besides entry fees and race vehicle maintenance.

“As always I would like to thank our team KPM: Tom Klemme, John Mealy, and Tim Genung, for everything they do.”

The NHDRO Road Course (instant green, no-time class with road course requirement) final was close for a moment, as a mere .003 separated Carlo Testa and Justin Hodge at the tree. But after that it was all Testa, who took the win by a wide margin.

“It was such a great weekend,” said Testa. “I’ve invested a lot of time and effort, not to mention all the money, into my craft, and the education I’ve received has come by way of all the lumps I’ve taken along the way. I’ve been going to a Dragway 42 since I was in diapers, so it was extra special this past weekend when I got my first win at that race track.

“I knew going in I had as good a chance as anyone of winning the Road Course Shootout. The bike has been so incredibly reliable and consistent for the past four years that I felt I could lean on it a little bit harder and give heads-up racing a shot. It made my job much easier knowing all I have to do is line up straight and cut a light, and the bike will make a clean A to B pass damn near every time.

“I was very lucky to have the help of a great group of teammates: Nino Zana, Joey Brandgard, and Jerome Gordon. Without them I might even forget to put fuel in the bike.

“I want to thank Brian and Niki Welch and family for their hard work and commitment to us racers. Their events are ALWAYS first class. Without folks like the Welch’s, Man Cup’s Jay Regan, and SDBA’s Sonny Vick, motorcycle drag racing wouldn’t be where it is today. Thank you also to Ron and Mary Anne Matcham, and their entire staff for such a great race track. They really make me feel like family every time I’m there. I’m hoping this is the first of many wins to come at my home track, Dragway 42.”

Saturday and Sunday

Testa and his no-bar ‘Busa went on to runner-up in Saturday’s Top Gas final against Bradley Shellhaas and his wheelie bar Kawasaki. Shellhaas took the tree .022 to .047 and went unchallenged from there.

“I was fortunate enough to have several family members travel there to watch this weekend, so those wins always feel more special,” said Bradley. “It also was my son’s ninth birthday, so he provided me with the luck when I needed it. No winlight was possible without my dad (Brad) building the most reliable and consistent antique that a rider could ever ask for. That bike makes my job easier and myself more confident than I ever should be on the track.”

No-Bar Shootout runner-up England nailed a .007 Bond Bulb on O’Dell Williams in Sunday’s Top Gas final, offsetting Williams’ 8.209 ET for the win.

“This weekend was a great start to the season for me,” said England. “I showed up Friday with my new bike and I hadn’t had a chance to use the nitrous much this season. So Friday morning, me and David Ligouri worked diligently to make the bike happy using nitrous, and within a couple runs it was working great. So I took a swing at 8.20 and went 8.177 at 179 mph.

“I left that tune alone and used it all weekend. It ran 8.16-8.18 all weekend long. This is my first no-bar Top Gas bike and I couldn’t be happier with it, showing up and winning the first weekend out. With a runner-up Friday in the Box shootout, 9.30 semifinal on Saturday, Pro ET semi and the Top Gas win on Sunday, I feel pretty good about my performance.

“I have the FuelTech plug ‘n play harness from David Ligouri and Ryan Schnitz, and man has that turned out to be a phenomenal system them guys created. I owe a huge thanks to David for his efforts with my motorcycle, Dave Page for building me a top flight engine every time, Marcus McBain for a killer shock combo, Dustin Lee for unbelievable clutch support, and Tim Hailey for being here with excellent coverage of the event.

“The next NHDRO is in my backyard at Edgewater Motorsports Park and I cannot wait to be there.”

Jeremy’s brother, Andrew “The Big Island” England, gave up .028 at the tree but still pulled out Saturday’s MPS Pro ET win against Perry Sowers in the final.

“Was a blast like always,” Andrew said about his weekend. “My first big win in the NHDRO and I was super pumped about it. Could not have done it with out the help of my dad Butch, my mom Anita, and my bother Jeremy. Had a hard road to get there, a lot of .00 stripes. Just lucky it fell my way.”

Not that he needs much luck, but Greg Mallett received heaps of it on Sunday. Kyle “Dolemite” Dolamore redlit by -.003 in the MPS Pro ET final, and David Beshara made it even easier for Mallett in the MTC Super Comp final when his bike pulled through the beams on the 2-step. That made for two wins for former Top Gas champ Mallett.

“Being the first race of the year for me, I really struggled Friday and Saturday,” said Mallett. “My lights weren’t consistent and I wasn’t riding well. I knew I needed to improve on Sunday or I’d be going home early. I worked a little harder, had a few lucky rounds, and things fell into place.

“It’s always helpful to have Dustin Lee, David Liguori, and Dan Rudd help me with my program. Those guys are the best at what they do!

“Dragway 42 is a great facility. I always enjoy racing there. Brian, Niki, and their crew do a top notch job at every event!”

Defending two-class champion Marty White also scored two wins at Dragway 42, both of them in M2.Shocks 8.70 Quick Street

Saturday’s Quick Street final was a true battle of titans—White vs. veteran rider Big Joe Holt. The champ’s .015 advantage at the tree was pretty much all he needed, as both bikes ran 8.73s to give White the win.

Sunday’s QST final was like a replay for White, but with a different bike and rider in the other lane. Eric Yost gave up .024 at the tree, ensuring another White win when both bikes ran 8.77s.

Young Chanston Moll was able to take the tree and the stripe against Sunday’s Super Comp runner-up Beshera in Saturday’s MTC Super Comp final.

“It was awesome to just get out there and have fun with family and friends!” said 20 year-old Moll. “The bike was super consistent every pass. I knew as long as I kept cutting a good light then I would be able to make it rounds. I also couldn’t have done it without all the help from Crow and Jeremy Teasley. They’re awesome, always there to help out when I need it!”

Jim Swanger grabbed an .044 advantage at the tree against Justin Blackford to give himself some easing room at the stripe for Saturday’s Advanced Sleeve Dirty 30 win.

Sunday’s Dirty 30 race was closer, with Jeff Hall taking the tree by .016 against Drew Nearhoof, who ran a click closer to the number with a 9.35. Still, Hall’s 9.36 took the stripe in the 9.30 index class.

“I’ve been following NHDRO since 2010, have been in many finals and semifinals, and have been number one qualifiers in several events, and this is my first win,” said Hall. “Been a long time coming. My goal was to win one of these races with a THC (True Hand Clutch) bike, and I finally did it.

“I would like to that Dave Page for building my motors throughout the years. If it wasn’t for him this wouldn’t be possible. He takes care of us at all costs. Would like to thank my son Jaden Hall for all the hard work and countless hours helping me work on these machines. And would like to thank Brian and Niki Welch for providing us with the series and continuing to put on the events for us to race in the Midwest. And of course, would like to thank the man Tim Hailey for the amazing photos and awesome coverage!”

Kevin Adams didn’t find the Friday success he was looking for but came through on Saturday for the Kevin Dennis Insurance Street ET win. Kevin’s 9.32 dial-in had to wait over three seconds on Jim Messing’s 12.55, but Adams did his job well with a .126 advantage at the tree that virtually secured the win.

Cincinnati’s Jay Hunter had an easy Street ET final round on Sunday when opponent Josh Costa redlit by -.012. “The track was great, the crew was real good, can’t wait till the next one,” said Hunter, a man of few words.

Riding his dad Ryan’s turbo ‘Busa, Trevor Schnitz was able to win Pro Street on what is essentially a well-tuned Top Gas bike. Schnitz took the tree with a sharp .013 and breezed to a 7.74 at 183 mph win while final round opponent Rob Aston spun in the other lane on his proper PST turbo ‘Busa.

“It was surreal,” said Trevor. “It was not only great to race in the class, but to win the class felt like a dream. I had a lot of help from many amazing people, the most important being my dad and grandfather (Dave). They have helped me grow and become a great racer. Trust me, this is just the beginning.”

VooDoo Grudge was seriously curtailed when heavy showers shut the track down for the night just before dark on Saturday night.

Pro Ultra 4.60 fell short of the number needed to run the class, but champion Dan McCarten won a run-off against Heath McQuinn.

Niki and Brian Welch are excited about the #NHDROohiosummer and are looking forward to seeing every member of the NHDRO family at the APE Raceparts Summer Reunion at Edgewater Sports Park just outside of Cincinnati on July 15-17.

NHDRO thanks M2.Shocks , Kevin Dennis Insurance , MPS Racing , Liguori Drag Racing , Schnitz Racing , Voodoo Custom Motorcycle Components , Vanson Leathers , BB Racing , Hard Times Parts and Service , MTC Engineering , Grothus Dragbikes , Klemme Performance Motorcycles , Green Bay Anodizing , Advanced Sleeve , Rock Auto and APE .

This report was prepared by Tim Hailey. Enjoy everything there is to read, see and watch about motorcycle drag racing and more at https://www.eatmyink.com

Grab her while you can – CLICK for exclusive ballistic nylon vest for the summer. All-new 5-Ball Shop.

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XDA Rolls Into Virginia to Heat Things Up

By General Posts

Maegan Bowers

On May 20-22, XDA takes Motorcycle Drag Racing back to Virginia Motorsports Park for the 36th annual MTC Engineering Summer Nationals.

XDA offers a quality show with over 700 professional, sportsman, and grudge motorcycle drag racers in competition. This season XDA will payout over $500,000 in purse money and a $130,000 contingency fund that spans all classes. This event alone will pay out over $80,000 in cash purse to the best showcase of racers the country has to offer.

With the combined efforts of Jason Miller’s and Tyler Crossnoe’s track prep on VMP’s billiard table smooth racing surface, racers will continue to reap the benefits of the best-prepped racing surface with the XDA series.

With a great track surface, the east coast’s grudge drag racers will be able to put down the fastest passes you will see in the grudge scene. XDA’s elite Running of the Bulls Saturday night grudge event features Boosted Bulls (Turbo Bikes), APE Nitrous Bulls (Nitrous Bikes), 3 Sixty 5 Transport Monster Bulls (Heavyweights), and Tommie’s Motorsports DMV Bulls. And at XDA these racers need to be on point because the schedule is set and the track is on point, NO EXCUSES. Along with the Running of the Bulls, Saturday night action also includes the HTP Performance Afterdark Underground Grudge Racing class and Pro Qualifiers!

And when we say Pros, that includes the Orient Express Pro Street motorcycles. These are the baddest street tire motorcycles in the world that can only be seen at XDA events. The 650+ horsepower motorcycles feature turbocharged, supercharged, and nitrous injected motorcycles running at speeds over 230mph in the 1/4 mile in just 6-seconds!

Champion Rodney Williford grabbed the reigns at the season opener and looks to be comfortably in control of the top spot. But the MTC Summer Nationals already has an additional eighteen riders on the roll call ready to knock him off his thoroughbred. With a great weather forecast for the event, make your plans to be in the stands to watch these guys do the unthinkable on street tires.

DME Racing Real Steet has a new sheriff at the top of the leaderboard, with Ben Knight making a domination appearance on the Ralphie Navarro all-motor Hayabusa. Class champions David Stewart and Mark Hylton had a few bumps in the first race, but they are ready for a shootout on the quarter-mile next weekend.

Mid-west racer Chris Cutsinger is leading the MaxxECU Pro Xtreme class championship chase after an opening-round win and blazing 3.99 pass in the finals. After finishing a race on top he will be eager to throw some more three-second passes on the scoreboards next weekend at VMP.

FOR THE FIRST TIME, the HTP Performance Super Stock class is wide open for a new champion this season. Darion Payne is leading this class of stock wheelbase, clutch hand racers by twenty points. This class features strict modification rules, stock wheelbase, stock motor, MR12 spec fuel, no air shifters, no dataloggers, etc. So if you enjoy a riders class, these guys and gals will give you a show.

The 1/8th-mile killers of the Vance & Hines 4.60 continue to show out as these remarkable machines can put down consistent numbers while their pilots are cutting the best lights over all the classes at every event. With full 32-bike fields at every event, the riders of our quickest index category must make a calculated play for the win light with only 660 feet of asphalt to work with. Veteran Michael Ostrowski comes into the MTC Engineering Summer Nationals as the points leader, but will he remain there after all is said and done Sunday night with a hungry contingent of riders nipping at his heels?

The XDA will also hold competition in the 1 Stop Speed 5.60 Index, Mickey Thompson Tires Top Sportsman, VooDoo Bracket Bash, MPS Racing Pro ET, Brock’s Performance Street ET, and the Friday night Hard Times Parts & Service Gambler’s race. XDA offers up to $28,000 in guaranteed payouts for sportsman racers at each event, all while giving them a safe and professional environment to compete in.

With over 700 of the best motorcycle drag racers from across the world, a massive vendor midway, thousands of enthusiastic fans, legendary track prep, top-notch media coverage, a dedicated team of XDA officials and excellent track partners; the XDA continues to raise the bar as the measuring stick of motorcycle drag racing. You don’t want to miss any of the exciting action this season.

Visit www.xdaracing.com/summernationals for event information, class rules, payouts, entry fees, schedule, and more.

About XDA Racing: The Xtreme Dragbike Association (XDA) is an east coast motorcycle drag racing series with 700+ motorcycle racers competing at each event. Every XDA event hosts professional classes, sportsman classes, grudge racing and a vendor midway. Lifestyle activities such as bike shows, bikini contests, DJ and live bands are also held at select events. For more information on the XDA, please visit xdaracing.com or connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube @xdaracing

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MRF Feather Flags were flying today!!

By General Posts

The sun came out for the first time – Since I got them home.

This weekend they will be going to work in Woodstock, IL. The shortest the Flags are is 12 foot, I was standing with them in two pictures just to show you all just how tall they are. (“I’m 6’5”)

They can only be printed on one side, but do bleed over, and are noticeable on the back side too.

Bought the Feather Flags at Feather Flags & Banners | 30% OFF & Free Shipping (featherflagnation.com)
Website: https://featherflagnation.com/

I know that there are other companies out there, but this is the one I picked. Four Kit’s 12 foot tall, with two ground stakes, & two hard floor stands, four plan white flags. Came to $332.66 Shipped to my door. Then I took the plan white flags to Elliott Graphix. $35.00 each for $140.00 to print them up this way. So for a grand total of $472.66 I’m ready to rock and roll.

(“If you do this too. Work with your local print shop.”)

I already have five other sets of Feather Flags, for ABATE, SALES, WELCOME, & Red, White, and Blue flags. with stands.

I’m going to make my outside MRF table stand out this summer, if inside and the ceiling is tall enough? There too!!.

Shooting for that traveling flag, Iowa!! I’m giving it my best shot, to take it away from you and bring it home to Illinois!! Yes I am!!

What do the Chicago Clubs always say? Well maybe next year? If I don’t make it this year. MOTM 2022 in Des Moines IA will tell the final story. I might even surprise myself with my numbers and State’s too!!

“Ride Safe, Ride Smart, Ride Often, Ride Home!!”
Dennis “Cleaver” Yeager
Beowulf M.C. LTD since Oct. 1976 – Life

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