Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126486
I e o 00 0') (Top' So o'Broc:hta proved . . recent win at Fremont . . . no ftulce.1Above Iefd MIut &ru.o survived for the Super ElImInator win.1Above rtghtJ T.-ry Venc:e ....Iy won with en 8.821161.- run. O'Brochta, Vance highlight IDBA Summer Nationals By Tim O'Haver Photos by Bob Anderson and Werner Straube WEST SALEM, OH, AUG, 25 International Drag Bike Association's Top Fuel class points leader Bo O'Brochta and Pro Stock division leader Terry Vance headed up drag racing at the Summer Nationals at Dragway 42, The pair blew away their competition, along with a few IDBA records, on the way to victory in their respective classes. "I think we showed them an awesome display of horsepower:: said Vance while congratulating O'Brachta in the pits. The Summer Nationals were originally scheduled to take place one week earlier in Washington, D.C., until the IDBA was informed in early August that the Washington facility would not be available. IDBA officials, along with the help of sponsor Bob Anderson. of Wiseco Pistons. hastily arranged for the race to be held at Dragw'!y 42. "What we have here is a minor miracle," said IDBA's Tony Lee, of tbe two week fremy that brought zbout me-moveo.•••• ,. - . The sudden rescheduling left many riden unable to attend because of prior commitments, or lack of suppon. Frog Thacker's crew, for one, was on vacation, leaving the Top Fueler without the means to compete. The effects of the unexpected move were most apparent in tbe Top Fuel ranks which fielded only five competitors. Number three qualifier Ken Blackburn took himself out in a crash prior to eliminations, suffering a broken collarbone after being spit onto the strip at the end of his run. Bo O'Brachta was number one qualifier with a 7.725 second/ 184.42 mph run on his Terminal Van Lines Kawasaki. O'llrochta sent Chris Hand's Hidtman-Hand Honda packing in the Elimination round with a record· setting 7.44. ,Sam· WiDs moved his MTC Kawasaki into ~ final with a victorious bid over Joey Norman's J&J Cycle Kawasaki. O'Brachta took tbe final from Wills, overpowering his own previous performances with a 7.40/188.67 rrip over Wills' 7.80/147.05 losing effon. "And they said Fremont was a fluke." huffed O'Brachta afterward pointing to his 7.50 second effon at NMRA's Fremont, California, event a few weeks ago. "I could've gone 195 out tbere if it hadn't been so bumpy at the end. I shut off on every run! I had the whole bike airborne at the finish." O'Brachta could only chuckle when asked if he had been bothered by Roy Thacker's absence. "Frog! I think be was too scared to come:' joked O'Brachta. "I think he's probably taken himself out of the points race by missing this one. " Suzuki's Terry Vance kept tbe crowd cheering all weekend, cranking out a slew of 150 mph runs to destroy the old 148.76 mph standard which was also his. Vance -was top qualifier with a 8.94/149.50 pass. Vance topped Bob Carpenter's R.C. Engineering Suzuki in semi action with an 8.84/151.00 scorcher over Carpenter's 9.17/144.25 run. Oklahoma City's Sid Pogue was no match for Vance in the final as the IOBA Pro Stack points leader blistered through the final with an 8.82/151.00 trip to top Pogue's 9.59/142.08. "Everything has been very good for us this ~ear, the bike and crew have been just great." said a jubilant Vance after his Pro Stack conquest. "We just sewed up the NMRA title last week, and I think after today we've just about got this one too. "I think we're up by abol1t- a thousand points. It just goes to show when Vance & Hines get serious, watch out." warned Vance. ~uper Eliminator action boiled down to a Mike Bruso/Terry Kizer showdown in the final. Bruso's Power Enterprises Kawasaki fueler won out with an 8.27/166.55 run as Kizer fried his clutch on the line, leaving his gas powered MTC/Mr. Turbo/Mo Parson's Kawasaki to roll back to the piu in defeat. Kizer couldn't help being distJ'eSled after Bruso had backed up his number one qualifying spot in the final. "I know I could have beat Bruso if that clutch had just held out," said Kizer, who had qualified in the number two spot behind Bruso. Pro Comp racing rounded out the evening as the number one qualifiers in both divisions worked their way into the finals. Buddy Stevenson emerged the victor in the normally aspirated division. Stevenson's advance was DOt without its nervous moments though as Stevenson's Kaw threw a chain just inches off the start line in the flJ'St round of eliminations. Fonunately, Stevenson had drawn a bye so his mount's forward movement proved to be sufficient for tbe moment. Stevenson was again a winner in semi action, as Larry Pavlick broke. New Yorker Jon Baugh fought his way through the turbo charged ranks with his Orient Express Kawasaki. Baugh turned an 8.24/169.49 pass in the Semi on a bye, after Jerry West crashed in first round competition. Baugh's Orient Express/Topline/ Kosman/MRE/Wiseco Kawasaki was knocked off in the final cranking off an 8.12/169.49 run, as Stevenson made use of his handicap to win with a 9.18/149.50 pass. •