story and photos by Tim Hailey
With the powers that be all warm and fuzzy again, the Exoticycle/Roaring Toyz Manufacturers Cup Spring Cup at South Georgia Motorsports Park was as packed and flush as you’d want it to be. Here’s a sampling of what went down, with full-on reports to follow.
British star Ian King shipped his bike over for a 3-way battle for the last spot in the MTC 5 Second Club. King’s run several 5s in Europe, but the Club only admits American passes, strangely. King had a stout run wasted on Saturday when the clocks appeared to have not been reset. So on Sunday, he won the Pingel Top Fuel race and posted a stunning 5.87 in the final. Much more on this—including video—soon.
Larry McBride boils the hide before boiling the SGMP track with a 5.79 on Friday night. McBride hates losing, but seemed pleased with King’s entry into the 5 second club and successful trip across the pond.
Why was McBride suddenly losing grip this weekend? Brother/tuner Steve (above) explained it this way—”We found 200 extra horsepower(!!) this weekend. That narrowed the range where the clutch would work from here (holds his hands about 2 feet apart) to here (his fingers now a quarter inch apart)”
“Maybe if I close my eyes I can visualize a 5″…..is that would Ian is thinking? It worked!
Dave Vantine recovered from a mid-week, frame-damaging explosion to go down swinging. He spun badly against King in E1.
It took a lot of DME horsepower for Terence Angela to overcome this E1 starting line deficit to Keith Dennis. Angela went on to beat Ryan Schnitz in the Orient Express Pro Street final, as HTP struggles back from their Rockingham debacle.
Watch this video of action and interviews from Valdosta:
DME’s Joey Gladstone qualified #1 in Pro Street with a 6.905, and on Sunday ran 215.51 mph—both records
Frankie Stotz also ran a 6.90, a 6.908 to take out poor Jason Duniganin E1—making his first 6 second pass with a 6.97
The Mouth of the Mid South, Keith “Shine” Dennis, notched a 6th place 7.13 on this turbo ‘Busa
MORE ABOUT PRO STREET AT VALDOSTA
Orient Express Pro Street results
It was “AO Time” for McKinney Motorsports as Ashley Owens won the APE Pro Comp final against a -.009 redlighting Billy Vose
“It’s A.O. Time,” Eric McKinney said on his way to the South Georgia Motorsports Park winners circle. His McKinney Motorsports teammate Ashley Owens (A.O.) had just won APE Pro Comp at the Exoticycle/Roaring Toyz Spring Cup and it was time to celebrate. It was the second win in two weekends for the Hamersville, Ohio-based team, after Eric collected the hardware at the first ever PDRA race at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina the previous Sunday.
Mark Paquette’s turbo Kawasaki led APE Pro Comp qualifying by a mile with a 4.05. His handful-of-a-motorcycle went down to Vose in the semis.
Owens win avenged Eric McKinney’s loss to Vose in round 2. MORE PRO COMP PHOTOS
Paul Gast qualified #2 in APE Pro Comp and lost to Owens in the semis. MORE PHOTOS
Billy Vose and the MPS ‘Busa. MORE PRO COMP PHOTOS
Making Owens’ win even sweeter for the McKinney team was the opponent in the other lane—multi-time champ Billy Vose. Owens’ winlight avenged McKinney’s round 2 loss to arch-rival Vose, who redlit against Ashley.
WATCH this video of racing action and interviews
Johnny Turbo spins (far lane), Jeremy Teasley wins in Real Street….Teasley beat Rickey Gadson in the final
Steady and quick, Dale Nilles took the Pro Fuel (AKA Pro Dragster) win
Jeanette Thornley led qualifying until round 3 and runner-upped
Hawaya Racing Pro Fuel results
John Bullock and his GSXR-tailed turbo ‘Busa won Cooper Performance Pro Open
Former Funnybike champ Robert Giard qualified #1 in Pro Open with a 6.71 at only 180mph
Who else is gonna win when Mike Konopacki is in the house? Your Star Racing Top Gas winner and Saturday MPS Pro ET runner-up
Who else is gonna win? How about MTC Super Comp winner Dan Cusimano, who also beat Konopacki in Saturday’s MPS Pro ET final
Brandon Cunningham won Saturday night’s Muzzy’s Street ET race
Dustin Lee runner-upped in Saturday night’s Muzzy’s Street ET race
Muzzy’s Street ET Saturday results
Muzzy’s Street ET Sunday results
Worldwide Bearings Crazy 8s results