American Motorcycle Racing Association 11/1/2005
This organization operates in the central United States, from Michigan to Georgia. AMRA offers opportunities for a broad range of riders and machines to participate. Whether novice or professional level of involvement. Diversity of structured classes allows Polaris Victory, Indian Chief or Scout, Big Dog, and yes Harleys of many makes and models to compete on comparable levels.
For the benefit of those who may not understand, drag racing is a sport of eye and hand coordination with a lot of riding skill involved. There are many tasks that must be performed in a very short time span. Here are some examples; knowing the track temperature, warming the tire to match the track temperature, knowing how long to smoke the tire to achieve the desired temperature, knowing the limitations and specifications the manufacturer recommends for temperature and air pressure to get the best results from your specific tire compound, knowing the correct set up for your suspension (stiff for a sticky track, soft for a gooey track, or wedged to pull to one side or another), and making sure that clutch control is manageable.
Now it’s time for the riding test, let’s see how well you respond under the pressure of competition, against your peers with God and everybody else watching. You still have to ride down the track shifting gears proficiently and correcting riding posture for windage as well as motorcycle orientation. By the way, all of this is being measured in one hundredths of a second increment. There are classes for the first time rider racer on their Sportster where they have a good chance at competing. You can run an Elapse Time (ET) Bracket class that uses a 5 light starting tree which can match faster bikes with a head start to the slower bike. This .520 second response time tree makes each rider try to run exactly the same every time to win. Other classes are run on a pro tree, a .400 second response time tree. These classes are heads up racing. These classes are usually very structured by engine size, tire size, wheel base length, or type of fuel allowed and type of body trim and style. Should you want to run in one of these classes you will need to obtain an AMRA rule book to make sure your ride is compliant to the class you want to run in.
On a personal note, this year I competed with my 1973 Shovelhead FL Dresser in the Dragging Bagger Street Dresser class. I started in Reynolds, GA, then to Bowling Green, KY, then to Stanton, MI and finally back to Bowling Green, KY. The finals at Bowling Green, KY were great. Friday morning the track opened for 1/8 mile test and tune and that night the festivities started with a live band and the party was on! Saturday began with test and tune for ¼ mile then a drivers meeting then on to the first round of qualifying. I lost my first round by four-tenths of a second. I managed to redeem myself by winning my second and third round of qualifying. This placed me fourth on the qualifying ladder and determined whom and when I would be pitted against on Sunday’s eliminations.
Saturday night at Bowling Green is entertaining on many levels. There is always a very good band playing on stage with a variety of small parties around. The people watching are usually quite entertaining with wagons and trailers being pulled by whatever you can dream up, loaded with picnic tables and people. This year I saw something new. I saw a John Deere yard tractor trimmed out in pulling tractor equipment that had zoomies and a hard hitting little engine. There was a guy riding around in a Radio Flyer little red wagon powered by a race go-cart engine and slicks. The two guys riding mini bikes with Bridges and Stratton engines on Nitrous with wheelie bars were cool to watch. There was also a bike show with some real works of art which were judged and awarded trophies. They had a poker run for the people who wanted to take in the beautiful rolling hill country of Kentucky. Back behind the drag strip in the figure 8 paved track area were more vendors than even I had time to check out. There is definitely something for every one at Bowling Green’s Beech Bend Park.
Sunday it rained, but we were able to get in one round of eliminations after the track dried. From this one round AMRA took the time slips and awarded points and winners. This left yours truly at third place in this year’s race effort. I had a great time met some really nice people made some new long distance friends and got a 12.44 second ¼ mile at a 105 MPH in 1320 feet out of a 1973 Shovelhead FLH, not bad for a 32 old Harley with a 50 year old driver. That is a good year in my way of thinking.
So, if you want some place to ride and meet interesting people contact the people of AMRA at www.amraonline.com or phone them at 989-561-2500 or fax 989-561-2978 and talk to Marty about the schedule or classes you may want to be a part of.
Special thanks to Roland Gibson of the Tupelo Tornado Top Fuel Team for inviting me to his all Harley Bracket Race at Fulton, MS Raceway which was held October 9. I had the time of my life! This was my first 1/8 mile 5 light bracket. I missed first place by mere inches. Thanks guys.
Good Riding and God Bless
Steve Caldwell - steve@precisionvtwins.com
877.429.0399