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/126537
Bo O'Broc:htll 18k.. elm end IqUHZ" the trigger. on his Termlnel Ven Unes KlIW88lIkl: 7.36 aecondslet8r, he croaaed the finish Ane et 192.30 mphl NMRA National Championship Drag Race Series: Round nine 'Bo Show' rolls on, Van~e 0.51 seconds short of topping two By Charles Morey IRVINE, CA, AUG. 22-2!l When the last'cylinder had fired, the familiar green Terminal Van Lines Kawasaki piloted by Floridian Bo Q'Brochta stood alone atop the 14 Top Fuel heap at ~he NMRA/Suzuki Western Nationals. The "Bo Show," asOrange C-ounty International Raceway announcer Steve Crosby called the O'Brochta effort, had won again. At the end of a weekend that had seen riders battle 90 + 0 temperatures, a slippery starting line and other con:tpetitors in a field of America's qu!ckest clutch droppers, O'Brochta delivered the final blow with a scorching 7.!l5 second, 192.!l0 mph run! Terry Vance, who had already WOI) the Pro Stock class on his Vance· Hines Racing Suzuki, followed O'Brochta into that final shootout hoping to record the first-ever 'Top Fuel/Pro Stock double Victory in NMRA history. It was not to be; Vance's 7.86 second, 168.85 mph ride - and his quickest of the day - fell 0.51 seconds_short at' the end of the quarter mile. Saturday time trials had set the stage for the final seven· rider Top,Fuel eliminations. Terry Vance and builder Byron Hines made their series of Wednesday night test sessions at OCIR payoff with a top qualifying time of 7.465/184.42. O'Brochta had set fastest time early Saturday morning with a 7.5241170.77, then sat back to wait for someone to top it. When Vance did, O'Brochta went back to up the ante another notch but cracked the Kawasaki's case instead. He spent the rest of the night in tlte Vance-Hines Racing shop replacing the motor, but still held second fastest time when qualifying ended. Third fastest qualifier - the least desirable spot because the second run .places the rider up agains~ the fastest qualifier - was Jim 8ernard on the Ron Teson prepared Yamaha. Bernard clocked a '1. 8.065/178.21 run. Wayne Davis followed with 8.2!l2l152.02 but had to rebuild during the evening after breaking the Kawasaki's head. "It's cracked '£rom here ... " he showed one of the R.C. Engineering team, pointing to the right outside spark plug hole, "to here (indicating the left outside spark plug hole). " Completing the Top Fuel line-up were the Harley-Davidsons of Keith Ruxton and Clyde Rowlings and the Team Honda/R.C. Engineering Honda of Russ Collins. Collins, NMRA top speed record holder with a 199.55mph run to his credit, suffered problems all weekend. He'd had the bike's fuel tank anodized, and despite repeated cleaning by the R.C. crew, residue from the process kept clogging the fuel system. After an all-day-Saturday, all.night·Saturdaynight, all-morning-Sunday-morn i ng struggle, R.C. was finally forced out when the accumulation of solvent and