WMDRA Memorial Nationals, May 28-29, Tucson AZ
This was our first race of the year, our first race with WMDRA, and Bill's first race on the Nitro Pro Drag bike. We knew it would be hot in Tucson in May and it was with air temps over 100 degrees. As if that is not bad enough, we were literally being blown away by the high cross winds blowing dust at up to 50 miles an hour.
Friday night was test and tune with Bill & Vikki only making one pass each.
Saturday qualifying started around 9am but due to low racer turnout, all racer’s were lumped into 3 classes, street ET, Pro ET, and Fuel. The bikes were having a hard time making horse power as the altitude, high temps, low humidity (only 3% / –corrected altitude was 7,800) and with the high crosswinds, it was impossible to make a decent pass. Our new Suzuki pit quad started giving us trouble after 1st round qualifying and broke down at the end of the track causing us to both miss second round…..we were glad to have that day end.
Race conditions were even worse on Sunday with dust storms so big we couldn’t see the end of the track at times so fuel bikes were limited to 1/8th mile. Vikki went out early against some very tough competition but Bill went on to the finals and ended up taking first place running a 5.20 @ 141 mph in the 1/8th mile for the win!
A big thanks to Sandra from WMDRA for the amazing sequence of photo's of Vikki's burn out, I guess I held her in the water box too long!
Friday night was test and tune with Bill & Vikki only making one pass each.
Saturday qualifying started around 9am but due to low racer turnout, all racer’s were lumped into 3 classes, street ET, Pro ET, and Fuel. The bikes were having a hard time making horse power as the altitude, high temps, low humidity (only 3% / –corrected altitude was 7,800) and with the high crosswinds, it was impossible to make a decent pass. Our new Suzuki pit quad started giving us trouble after 1st round qualifying and broke down at the end of the track causing us to both miss second round…..we were glad to have that day end.
Race conditions were even worse on Sunday with dust storms so big we couldn’t see the end of the track at times so fuel bikes were limited to 1/8th mile. Vikki went out early against some very tough competition but Bill went on to the finals and ended up taking first place running a 5.20 @ 141 mph in the 1/8th mile for the win!
A big thanks to Sandra from WMDRA for the amazing sequence of photo's of Vikki's burn out, I guess I held her in the water box too long!
WMDRA Desert Nationals, Top Gun Raceway, Fallen NV July 16-17
It was a long hot drive to Fallon Nevada near Reno. We participated in the kick-off party at Shoeman's in downtown Reno Thursday night and were pumped up for the race but due to track conditions and low racer turnout, the races were cancelled at 10PM Friday night.
Sturgis Rally and Races, Sturgis South Dakota, Aug. 9-11
The bottom line: We went, we had fun but we didn’t do very good and left the track with both bikes broken.
We want to thank Dave Doll – crew chief-it was a special treat for Vikki to have her father at the races! We also want to thank Dale Nilles for the Destroyer clutch, our nephew Danny Lester, and Top Fuel Rider Julian Seaman.
We want to thank Dave Doll – crew chief-it was a special treat for Vikki to have her father at the races! We also want to thank Dale Nilles for the Destroyer clutch, our nephew Danny Lester, and Top Fuel Rider Julian Seaman.
40th Annual Truett & Osborn Fun Drags - Wichita KS Aug. 21&22, 2011
With the fuel bike not running like it should, I talked Vikki into going to the Truett & Osborn fun drags again so we could solicit the help of Dale Nungesser and Scott Truett. In the pits, the fule bike was there, everything was right yet it still wasn't doing what it could and was only running 8.50's after 3 rounds of qualifying. Scott and Dale were wondering if I was staying in the throttle as that was about the only thing it could be. I had one more chance Sunday morning (4th round of qualifying) and it ran the same but at the end of the run I noticed that the butterfly was not opening up all the way! Even though I missed my chance to be in the show, they let me run one more outlaw pass and with the throttle cable fixed, I ran a 8.07. Vikki had the same trouble with the clutch going out and she didn't even get to make any elimination passes.
This was a very tough year for Eagle Cycle Racing but we are hoping next year will be better.
This was a very tough year for Eagle Cycle Racing but we are hoping next year will be better.