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IAbovel Jim Bernard's Ontario win gave him the NMRA Top Fuel title. IBelowl Bernard and Gleason Inear lanel face off, in the "final. Run Collins' "Sorcerer" was the victim of a Pee Wee Gleason holeshot. Bernard takes NMRA Top Fuel title with World Finals win By Tom Blattler Photos by Joel Breault ONTARIO, OCT. 5-7 For the second time in three years, La Mirada, California's Jim Bernard dominated the Top Fuel motorcycle action with his powerful R.C. Engineering Yamaha to capture the coveted World title in the 15th annual National Hot Rod Association Winston World Finals drag races . S d at Ontano Motor pee way. Bernard, who was upset in the final round at this year's V.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, also captured the number one plate in the overall National Motorcycle Racing Association points standings, as the 27-yearold drywall worker defeated veteran Pee Wee Gleason of San Francisco, CA, in'thefinal round. The Yamaha·mounted rider clocked the quarter-mile in 7.98 seconds at a top speed of 185.5 miles per hour to easily beat Gleason's off· pace time of 8.85 at only 140.62. Gleason, the former flat tracker, rode his Kawasaki to two major upsets during eliminations to advance him to the final round. Pee Wee first knocked off top qualifier Bo O'Brochta and then defending World Finals winner Russ Collins in the opening two rounds, but Gleason's "Cinderella Story" fell short in the finale. In q,ualifying, O'Brochta led the eight- bike lineup with his Kawasaki, as the St. Petersburg, FL, rider clicked off a strong 7.81 second reading with a top speed of 168.22 mph. Bernard's Yamaha held down the second spot with a 7.94 at 186.72, while Collins, riding his unique Honda double, rounded out the top three at 8.01 with a s~~ of 187.50. . Jommg the top tno were Pro Stock' ace Terry Van~e of La Palma, CA, aboard a Suzuki, at 8.04 and 179.28, Gleason at 8.26 and 167.59, 'veteran Marion Owens of Oklahoma City, OK, at 8.27 and 165.95, V.S. Nationals winner "Frog" Thacker of Woodbridge, VA, at 8.580 and 171. 76 and Wayne Davis of Arcadia, CA, placed eighth at 8.588 a t 166.05. The opening round of competition found most of the favorites scoring impressive victories. Vance, the factory Suzuki rider in his first Top Fuel action, put away Davis with a strong 8_15 at 176.47 to a close 8.29 at 171.75 for the Kawasaki competitor. Gleason then scored the first of his two upsets when O'Brochta's Kawasaki broke and Pee Wee received a single run at 8.55 and 164.25 Collins, who retired once last year but returned for this year's World Finals, set low elapsed time of eliminations and, in the process, knocked Thacker out of the running for the number one plate in NMRA. Russ piloted his Honda to a quartermile time of 7.87 seconds and top speed of the event ·at 195.22 to Thacker's 8.65 and 150.00. Bernard rounded out the first round of Top Fuel by defeating Owens' HarleyDavidson with a stout 7.99 at 184.80 to the Oklahoma rider's 8.38 at 169.49. The semi-finals founded two excellent matchups with Collins taking on the quick·staning Gleason, and Bernard and Vance were matched against each other in a battle of R.C. Engineering machines. In the first race, a tremendous holeshot by Gleason proved to be the turning point - as Pee Wee JtOt a large jump on Collins and the Honda pilot couldn't catch him. Gleason's Kawasaki recorded an 8.42 at 165.74 to Russ' much-quicker 8.1 I at 191.48. .However, it was Gleason's reflexes that put him into the final round. In the other battle, Vance's Suzuki had seen its better days and Bernard got the single run to advance to the finale. Jim didn't back off too much with an 8.01 and 180.72. For the final, Gleason once again was attempting to pull off a holeshot start because he definitely lacked the horsepower to match Bernard's Yamaha. Bernard was not about to be late off the starting line like at the V.S. Nationals, and sizzled the OMS quarter-mile with a 7.98 at 185.56 to easily better Pee Wee's 8.85 at 140.62. All in all, it was a big weekend for Bernard and his bike owner Ron Teson as they captured both the World Finals title and the NMRA number one plate for 1980. • 9