Midwest Drag Championship

MIDWEST DRAG CHAMPIONSHIP

BOB EBELING

THINK YOU'VE SEEN IT ALL in speed and elapsed times? Just travel to the speed capital of the world, Indianapolis, Indiana. Register for competition in the drag cham-pionships and be prepared to suffer utter defeat by the often under-estimated drag bikes.

It is a section of this great country that can be referred to as "Harley Haven." Ev ery division in the competition field was won by a Harley-Davidson-mounted rider.

Sam Machine, of Inkster, Mich., carried home the top honors in AA fuel with a top

elapsed time of 9.56 seconds, stopping the miles-per-hour clocks at 143 mph. That is a short and quick path down the quartermile, but not more impressive than a 10.23 second elapsed time at 130 mph recorded by Richard Gordon of Chicago, 111., on a gas-burning Harley in top gas victory.

Harley-Davidson is still brute horsepower, developed with a lot of inches in the modified street bike division.

Dallas Elswick of Columbus, Ohio, took home the trophy with an 11.93-112 victory run. Even a stock division was not left alone by Harley, as Nathaniel Parsons of Indianapolis won the honors with a recorded 13 seconds flat.

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Jeff Gough of Newark, Ohio, burned out a 10.20 elapsed time on 40 inches of single-engine Triumph. Darrel DeVilbiss trucked his Triumph from Dayton, Ohio, to win his class at 11.02-118 mph. The Norton Dunstall of John Gregory amazed everyone with a winning 12.62-112.

Some of the finest in midwest drag equipment was brought to the nation’s speed capital to race for a purpose of good intent, rather than glory or gold. This meet took place at the same time and location as the AMA 110-Mile Road Racing Championships.

In the past, drag racing has been ignored by the AMA. But now Mr. William Berry, Jr., the competition chairman, has seen it run with avid competitors and excellent organization. It worked without hampering normal scheduled events and was attended by many road race spectators.

Drag racing has a great potential, and with the AMA sanction there may be a great future for each, wheel to wheel. ■