The 2019 Kibblewhite Man Cup World Finals will always be known for one thing—The Pass—and it didn’t even happen during qualifying or eliminations. But that deviantly undeviatingly straight pass to the world’s quickest ET and fastest MPH (5.50 at 264) is seared into the mind of everyone who saw it that dark Thursday night.
McBride on that dark and exceptional pass. McBride actually qualified #1 with “only” a 5.63 at 257 mph.
McBride’s bike was sporting some beefed-up structure to his wheelie bars….how much credit does this modification deserve for putting that McBride power to the track?European teams start, burnout, and pre-stage more quickly than American teams. This caught Ian King out a couple of times, including the final against McBride where King admitted to fighting back nitro tears in staging. The result was a .212 light and a holeshot 5.924 to 5.929 loss to McBride. In my opinion, European teams need to adjust and start their process later when faced with what they already know is gonna happen—slower staging American teams.
Once again, Dave Vantine came into the weekend with a chance at the championship, but once again watched McBride walk off with the spoils. Vantine (#2 qualifier with a 5.711 at 251 mph) smoked the tire at the hit and lost to King in the semis.Shooting flames straight into the sky, Sam Wills qualified 4th and went to the semis, but failed to make the callJay Turner entered his ProCharged Harley in Top Fuel, qualifying 5th. He lost to Wills in E1.
Mitch Brown qualified 6th, lost to King in E1Chris Hand twisting the throttle. He lost to McBride in round 1.
I somehow did not get a shot of the Don “DJ” Johnson bike that Juha Hintukainen was riding in action, but here’s a shot of the supercharged beast at the ready lineAnd here’s a shot of Juha with Jaska Salakari
Here’s the full gallery of Top Fuel photos from the weekend. CHECK THEM OUT:
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