The drama buzzed most intensely around the Johnny Mancuso\u2019s Circle M Ranch Top Fuel class. Last year, points leader Samu Kemppainen crashed hard in qualifying and was in the hospital when Ryan Peery raced around him for the title. This year was a sort of flip-flop of that, with a third racer factored in.<\/p>\n
All eyes were on Universal Fleet and Tire\u2019s Jason Leeper as he was on a career best pass in qualifying. As Leeper crossed the stripe and descended into Rockingham\u2019s unique downhill shutdown area, two distinct flashes of sparks could be seen before Jason and the bike were out of view from the starting line.<\/p>\n
The bike had rolled onto its side and caused Leeper to bail out at the end of a 6.44 pass at 216 miles per hour. He slid along on his back until the road-rashing heat was too much and rolled over. That sent Jason into a series of tumbles that shattered bones on both hands and feet, broke eight ribs and an eye socket. The bike streaked off the end of the track into Rockingham\u2019s new catch fence. And much like last year, the starting line crowd was mostly unaware of how serious the crash was.<\/p>\n
While Leeper\u2019s pass held up for number one qualifier, Peery broke the spindle off the mainshaft and was unqualified at 19th in a 16-bike field. As delays stretched the chilly day into a cold night, qualifying was over after just the one run. Coming into the event tied in points with Kemppainen, the championship race was now over and the big Finnish rider would regain what he lost with his crash the previous year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is what it is, that\u2019s part of racing,\u201d said Peery. \u201cJay Turner once told me \u2018If you ain\u2019t breaking stuff once in a while, you ain\u2019t trying hard enough.\u2019 Well, we broke stuff at the worst time. Time to rebuild, make better, and be ready for next year.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samu and bike owner Chris Stewart ran his bike in purple all season until Rockingham, where they returned the bike to the white that it ran here last year.<\/p>\n
Starting eliminations without the No. 1 qualifier was indeed an unusual event, and even the new champ was out with ignition failure in E2.<\/p>\n
A topsy-turvy raceday resulted in a most unusual semifinal group of Paul Anderson, Rickey \u201cSharkey\u201d House, Robert \u201cZiggy\u201d Stewart, and John \u201cJ.T.\u201d Toth. Sharkey was unusual only because he doesn\u2019t show up that often, and Anderson because he was so-far winless and struggling in his sophomore year. It was Toth\u2019s second-straight semi, and Ziggy was doing his part to honor his late uncle McClure.<\/p>\n
The final boiled down to Sharkey vs. Anderson, and Sharkey was sharp at the tree with an .030. But he dropped a hole 4.3 seconds into the run and Anderson (.086) thundered to the win with a 6.47 at 212.97.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seemed like the elusive win was never gonna come,\u201d said Anderson. It\u2019s not so much that two years in the marquee class is a long time to wait for a win, but Paul bought a great, winning bike and started off like a house afire. \u201cWe\u2019ve been so close a few times since we starting running Top Fuel last year, but man it\u2019s a tough class.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI would say the lowest moment definitely was in Bowling Green. Anything I could do wrong, I did it. I always say there\u2019s two D\u2019s. There\u2019s determination and there\u2019s discouragement, and I got pretty discouraged. But Rockingham breathed some new life into our team for sure. Everything finally just seemed to come together and I probably had the best weekend in my racing career.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m really proud of my team. We laid down some good numbers and I couldn\u2019t have asked for anything better, except for our prayers go out to Jason Leeper. And if anybody other than us was gonna win the championship this year, I\u2019m glad it was Samu and Stewart Racing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d like to thank, of course, my team members: John Terry, John Jackson and Steve Martin. And definitely a huge thanks to Mike Romine and the Romine team for all their help all season long, along with family and friends for all their support, and the AMRA of course.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is also great to hear the support of the other racers on our first win. Can\u2019t remember when I\u2019ve been so happy crossing the finish line. Could\u2019ve gone either way with Sharkey, finally went our way for once.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 71-year-old (but very fit) Anderson very briefly put his race team up for sale the week after the win.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWell, I was going to and then I had a change of heart. I just can\u2019t. I\u2019m just not ready yet to give it up. My health is good and I\u2019ve got at least one more good year in me, so I guess you\u2019re stuck with me.\u201d<\/p>\n Kemppainen is a lifer. It\u2019s hard to imagine this tough Finn ever not racing. Whether he continues to race in America after winning the championship is another matter.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAMRA 2026 Top Fuel Champion! Wow. If someone had told me a few years ago that I\u2019d win something like this \u2013 or even get the chance to compete for the win and run a full season \u2013 I would have thought they were crazy,\u201d said Samu. \u201cBut here we are!\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAfter the accident in last season\u2019s final race and a whole winter of rehabilitation, I would have been happy just to be able to ride a motorcycle again. Since I ended up with no permanent injuries, aside from a few scars, I can truly say that dreams have come true!\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe final race, with its rain and cold weather, was certainly no walk in the park for us. A recurring issue with our MSD ignition system ended our run in the second round, but fortunately, we had enough points to secure the championship.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve truly enjoyed competing in the AMRA series. Thanks to all my fellow racers, and a special shout-out to Greg and Julia Baugh, who do an amazing job for us competitors, race after race.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA great example of the mutual respect among us racers happened once the championship was secured. Ryan Peery and Chris Smith brought us the No. 1 plate. That left me completely speechless! Thanks guys, I have huge respect for you, both as riders and as friends.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI also want to congratulate Paul Anderson and the Road Rage team on their well-deserved win. Jason Leeper, I know exactly how you\u2019re feeling right now. I hope you don\u2019t give up. Focus on your recovery, and get ready for next season! You will return even stronger.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to thank everyone who has helped me achieve this dream, and I hope that we can continue to compete fully for the championship in the future. Thank you, Chris Stewart and Angela, and Stewart Racing for making this possible for me. I know it required significant sacrifices, but fortunately, it all paid off in the end.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRomine Racing: Mike, Patty, and Jack. Peterson Racing; Casey Jo, Jordan Peterson, and, of course, Coil. Spencer Aquilar and family. Phil and Jennie \u2013 without you, this would never have been possible. SPTR Oy, OK-Repair, Tommi, Juha, Make, Tapsa, Matsku, the Wikholm brothers, Pasi, Sushi, Heikki, Mika, Sibe, Jore, and Reckless Racing. And, of course, my own family and my employer, Brandt Oy, who continue to support me year after year.\u201d<\/p>\n Sounds like Samu will be burning up more jet fuel to defend his championship.<\/p>\n The quickest pass of the weekend might have been a test pass by SPEVCO\u2019s Tii Tharpe on Red Rhea\u2019s \u201cLong Train Runnin.\u2019\u201d Tharpe ran 6.33 at only 200 mph after an early shut-off.Three fallen racing heroes were honored by having their ashes packed in chutes and spread over the Rockingham shutdown area. Builder\/tuner Nitro Santa Don \u201cDJ\u201d Johnson and Japanese Nitro Harley pilot Tak Shigematsu rode with Samu and his teammate Jordan Peterson, while AMA\/Prostar builder\/tuner Pat Jones rode with Tracy Kile. Godspeed gentlemen!<\/p>\n Armon Furr Nitro Funnybike<\/strong><\/p>\n Ken \u201cStubby\u201d Hultman may have runnered-up the last two races against former champ Jim Doyle, but he secured the Armon Furr Nitro Funnybike championship in his first year in the class.\u00a0<\/p>\n Doyle qualified No. 1 with a 7.09 at 204 mph on his one and only shot. Stubby beat local racer Kevin Campbell in round 1 of eliminations, but his fuel shut off as he rolled out of the burnout for the final against Doyle. Jim posted a 7.02 at 182 for the win.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a cold wet weekend filled with delays and disappointments for some,\u201d said Doyle, who won the season opener at No Problem Raceway, stayed home until Bowling Green, and won again there. \u201cI missed two races to take care of things at home that were neglected for too long, as many racers do. My bike still isn\u2019t where I want it be, but was enough to the win at the three races I ran. I plan on running all the AMRA events next year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate to have the crew that I do. My sponsors B and R Machine and Advance Welding were a big help this season too and will be back for the next one.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cMy thoughts are with Jason Leeper, hoping that he will heal well and be back at some point.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Funnybike class needs some more competitors to survive, so let\u2019s step it up and put on a show in 2027.\u201d<\/p>\n Hultman was proud of his year but would like to have had a better result at The Rock. \u201cIt\u2019s been a great season filled with victory, defeat, and disappointment,\u201d said Stubby. \u201cI made great improvements throughout the season. I gained 5-6 tenths ET and began to make the bike respond the way we hoped.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBelle Rose was a nasty lesson. I broke a lot of expensive parts, all of which came in sets of twos and fours. I narrowly lost that race by a few hundredths due to clutch issues. In Bowling Green, I spun the tire, breaking a rocker that prevented me to get back in it. Luckily nothing but the rocker broke. Then in Rockingham, with my 7.04 in testing, my fuel shut-off decided to shut me down (in the final) for no reason. I ran two back-to-back .04 reaction times with 1.15 60 foots. I was running consistent times and felt I was in command. But, as racing goes, nitro has other ideas.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs we know, disappointments like these can be crushing. That\u2019s racing. For me, it was an expensive season. Nitro has a way of finding weakness and I broke a lot of stuff. Diesel prices didn\u2019t make it easy either. I\u2019m in Kansas, so everyone can guess what my fuel bill is for Rockingham.\u201d<\/p>\n Like Doyle, Stubby wants to see more Funnybike competition. \u201cI am disappointed in the size of the class. Last season, six or so bikes were floating around. This year I went unchallenged at a few races. But hey, I made every race, I made every pass, I stayed consistent. In the end, I finished with the most points, that made me 2026 Funntbike champion. That\u2019s racing too!\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI have an opportunity to jump in on Top Fuel next season. I will be carefully considering this throughout the offseason. Some of my attention will be towards the size of the Funnybike class. It will be a hard choice to make, knowing I will be letting what I\u2019ve invested in sit to ride a Top Fuel.\u201d<\/p>\n Hawaya Racing Pro Fuel<\/strong><\/p>\n Top Fuel wasn\u2019t the only class at Rockingham to have a first-time winner; so did Hawaya Racing Pro Fuel. Christopher Richterberg not only collected his first Pro Fuel win, he did it in his first ever race in the class!<\/p>\n Richterberg made a statement early on aboard the yellow White Lightning Terminator bike, qualifying second with a 7.58 at 168 mph behind No. 1 Richard \u201cHave Nitro, Will Travel\u201d Boone\u2019s 7.47 at 169 in the only session. Boone rides for bike owners Mike and Harriet Ann Blair, who won at Bowling Green with rider Hot Rod Carlisle.<\/p>\n Richterberg then beat Louis \u201cAngry Birds\u201d Sansone, Craig Pelrine, and Loren Potter on his way to the final. Meeting him there was \u201cBad Apple Mary\u201d Dangrow, who secured her second straight championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n Mary ran a 7.38 at 164 to take Boone out in the semis and gain lane choice for the final. Richterberg took .015 at the tree and stunned with a 7.39 at 172 to Mary\u2019s 7.43 at 165 for the win.<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality that I accomplished this lifelong dream of riding and racing Nitro Harleys is still sinking in,\u201d said Richterberg. \u201cNot only did I win my first race, but I also lined up next to and prevailed against the 2026 CMDRA undefeated champion Craig Pelrine and the 2025\/2026 AMRA champion Mary Dangrow. It was an incredible honor to race these two heavy hitters, and it only made the day more special. I cannot wait for the next race and opportunity to line up with new competitors.<\/p>\n \u201cThank you Chris Gurley and Autos of Europe for all of the help on and off the track, Sam White and White Lightning Racing for the opportunity to ride the original Terminater T1, Johnny Vickers and Hawaya Racing for all of the riding advice and support throughout the years, my dad for getting me into this amazing world of Nitro Harleys, AMRA for providing a safe place to race, and thank you to everyone that has supported me on this journey!\u201d<\/p>\n Dangrow hates losing, but the champ is always classy in defeat. \u201cWhat a season it was, ending it as the AMRA Pro Fuel champion for the second year in a row,\u201d said Mary. \u201cI didn\u2019t go undefeated like 2025; however, I did make five out of five final round appearances and four out of five No. 1 qualifiers. We also reset the AMRA eighth-mile record to 4.44, and I had my personal best ET of 7.16 and my personal best 60-foot time of 1.13.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWinning a championship like this one isn\u2019t easy, with full fields and talented riders. No round is a given and anything can happen and it did. Winning the championship wasn\u2019t the only goal in 2026. We were looking to push \u2018Bride of Frankenstein\u2019 to her limits and have consistency while we were doing it.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cUnfortunately, sometimes pushing those limits doesn\u2019t always work out in our favor and cost us wins this year. But with those losses came lessons that we can use to help us with our plans for next year. As a team, we are determined to find that balance in the carburetor class where we can be consistent and reach the ET\u2019s and MPH\u2019s we are looking for.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cRockingham was especially tough with only one round of qualifying, cold temperatures and lots of wind. We fought our way to the final through some tough competitors and found ourselves facing Chris. Unfortunately, our bike didn\u2019t hold strong and Chris got the win. This was Chris\u2019 first race, but he rode like a seasoned rider and did an amazing job.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWinning a second championship means so much and it couldn\u2019t happen without our entire team and the goodness of God. First, I want to Thank Tracy (husband, tuner, Top Fuel racer, Bad Apple boss Tracy Kile). He works constantly to improve the bikes on our entire team and considers options and thinks through issues for all of us. That is no small task. Tuning Pro Fuel Carburetor bikes and Top Fuel injected bikes back-to-back between rounds takes a talent and a mind not many have. Tracy takes that job to the next level. He is my love, my hero and my best friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI also want to thank Brenda and Randy Jackson, Jon Wayne Stephens, Jake Anderson, Cameron Gunter, Jimmy and Stacey McMillan, Michael Hopkins, Jason Shurtz, Daryl Campbell, Franky and Olivia Schaffroth, Ken and Robin Schaffroth, and Jessie Irish for their work and support throughout the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to thank God for the gift of this sport, our ability to compete in it, and for the blessings he has given me and our entire team. We are blessed beyond measure.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI also want to thank Hawaya Racing for sponsoring the class and my sponsors Fairview Tavern, Vanson Leathers, Capone Landscape and the entire Bad Apple Nation for their support in 2026. Looking out into the stands is always amazing, seeing the sea of Bad Apple Racing shirts. Our fans make the racing in a sport we love even more special.\u201d<\/p>\n Zipper\u2019s Performance Pro Bagger and Thundermax Street Bagger<\/strong><\/p>\n Nick Boey doubled up in Zipper\u2019s Performance Pro Bagger and Thundermax Street Bagger an unprecedented four times this year, including Rockingham. Needless to say, a record like that collected Boey two championships.<\/p>\n Boey faced No. 1 qualifier Jeremy Beaulieu (7.85\/179) in the Pro Bagger final, and Canadian Beaulieu took the tree .045 to .101. Jeremy was off to a strong lead when the bike had transmission problems. Boey kept his turbo Bagger under power to drive around for the win with an 8.05 at 182 mph to Beaulieu\u2019s 8.21 at 172.<\/p>\n In normally aspirated Street Bagger, Boey qualified No. 1 with a 9.25 at 144 and faced rival Jimmy Maikranz in the final. Jimmy took the tee .125 to .158, but Boey powered around for a 9.23 at 151 mph to defeat Maikranz\u2019s 9.32 at 148.\u201cThis race was a perfect way to finish off a great season,\u201d said Nick. \u201cOur team put in a lot of work this season and it showed. We only lost one round per class the entire season. Huge thank you to Rob, Chris, and Logan at 2 Boss Performance; Marc and Chris at VTP; the guys at Bonebreaker Performance; and everyone else that helped us this season.\u201d<\/p>\n Zipper\u2019s Performance Modified and BK Electric Super Pro 10.30<\/strong><\/p>\n Cody Hayworth also doubled up at The Rock, winning Zipper\u2019s Performance Modified and BK Electric Super Pro 10.30.\u00a0<\/p>\n Hayworth qualified No. 1 in Modified with a 9.34 at 131 mph and met Kim DeShields in the final. Kim took the tree .075 to .089 before sputtering to a stop with a broken coil while Cody ran 9.63 at 140 for the win.<\/p>\n Rob Mallory qualified No. 1 in Super Pro and met up with Cody in the final, where he redlit by the slimmest of margins with a -.0001. Both riders took the opportunity to run their bikes out, with Mallory going 10.12 and Hayworth 10.08.<\/p>\n \u201cWe took home the win and the championship in Zippers Performance Modified,\u201d said Hayworth. \u201cIt was a hard-fought year, battling with Kim and Russ (Bowling Green winner Johnson) all year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe were also able to go dancing in the BK Electric 10.30 class, came up a little short for the championship. Robert Mallory and Richard George had an amazing year and just could not catch up to them. Finished the weekend off in the semifinals of Top Eliminator 9.30 class, just shy for a championship in that class as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to thank my Lord and savior for keeping me safe doing this crazy sport we love. I must thank my parents for always being there for me in the lanes and the pits, and my wife for putting up with me on a day-to-day! I would also like to thank Greg, Julia and the whole AMRA family, Chad Hart for the XLXBhorsepower and Uncle Joe Perry.<\/p>\n \u201cAll-in-all it was a wonderful year of racing and hanging out with the race fam! Until next time, keep it twisted!\u201d<\/p>\n Tennessee racer Mallory secured the Super Pro championship. \u201cThis is definitely a team win for R2V2 racing,\u201d said Rob. \u201cIt was a rollercoaster of a race season. We had a few problems to overcome. But Rob Alter (R2) kept all three bikes going down the track.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t say enough about the guys that run this Super Pro class. All good racers. They bring it to the tree every time. I did not have an event win this season; I lost in three finals and one semifinal.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis year in May, my wife of 33 years passed away. I almost quit this racing season, but my team, my race family held me up, got me back on the track. I dedicate this championship to my wife Rebecca. She was so supportive and involved in all my racing. I could have never been able achieve this level of success without her and the rest of my team.\u00a0\u201cR2V2 Racing is already working on next year. See you all at the track.\u201d<\/p>\n Pro Outlaw<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cRockingham was my first and only race this year,\u201d said John Price. \u201cSometimes life just gets in the way.\u201d<\/p>\n Seldom seen Price usually wins when he is seen, as was the case at The Rock. But that result wasn\u2019t at all sure in Pro Outlaw qualifying, when Price\u2019s fourth place 9.19 at 146 mph was well behind number one Billy Doherty\u2019s 8.69 at 153.<\/p>\n \u201cSaturday\u2019s one round of qualifying did not go too good,\u201d said Price. \u201cIt was after dark, I had my tinted face shield on, and dew was forming on the bike and helmet. I dropped the clutch and spun bad. I made a rookie mistake and exhaled and the face shield immediately fogged up.<\/p>\n \u201cFirst round Sunday went a lot better except for a senior moment when I didn\u2019t quite pin the throttle at the start, but good enough for the win.\u201d<\/p>\n Price and Doherty met up in the final, where Price took the tree .048 to .089 and extended that lead with an 8.30 to Doherty\u2019s 8.75.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cBilly Doherty and I in the final again! This time I did my job and the bike did its (job). Personal best ET 8.30 for the win.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cFirst, I would like to thank Zipper\u2019s Performance for all their help over the years. I would also like to thank Mike Shultz at HDFR, Gregg Dahl at GMS and Chad Hart at XL\/XB Horsepower, who helped make this bike what it is.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cA big thanks to my brothers David and Steve and teammate Keith Carper, who had some bad luck with his bike Sunday morning. Lastly a big shout-out to the AMRA and the Rockingham crew for doing a great job. See you next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Doherty ended up with the championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a crazy year,\u201d said Billy. \u201cThis whole year I raced against bikes that I was always playing David versus Goliath at each race. A non-power adder wheelie-bar bike versus people with a power adder and no cubic inch limit. It was an extreme challenge that Larry Pratt, Larry Klunder and I took on as our biggest challenge to date.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI used the Banana and my V-Rod to race this season. Each race was a new and challenging experience and challenge at the sametime. We didn\u2019t conquer every challenge, but we tried extremely hard to win. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn\u2019t. It was my team and myself, we pushed to be our best. Some races I had help and some races I had the help of Pastor Dave Fernandez.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThen before the national event at Bowling Green, my trailer was broken into with all of my race stuff stolen. I had to cobble parts together so that I could make the race, much less to finish the season and win the championship.\u00a0\u201cI am so happy and proud to say that I am the 2026 Pro Outlaw national champion for AMRA. It is now my 26th national championship. I want to thank my mom, Larry Pratt, Larry Klunder, Andy Simon, Zippers Performance, Pastor Dave Fernandez, and my co-workers at Harley-Davidson of Lake Charles.<\/p>\n Axtell Cylinders Hot Street<\/strong><\/p>\n Bowling Green double winner Charley Douglass had no luck with his turbo Pro Outlaw bike at Rockingham, failing to get down the track in the one qualifying round and first round of eliminations. But in Axtell Cylinders Hot Street, Douglass was able to repeat his Bowling Green feat and take the win. Again, in one session, his 9.63 was well behind number one Jordan Johnson\u2019s 9.16, but well ahead of Jeremy Wilson and Chad Trayner \u2013 the championship contenders \u2013 respectively 10.20 and 11.02.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile loading my Pro Outlaw bike, I noticed a bad place in my primary drive belt, so I had to replace it first thing Friday morning before t-n-t,\u201d said Charley. \u201cI shredded the first belt I put on, then broke the second belt during test and tune Friday. Long story short, I never made a full pass on the Pro Outlaw bike all weekend.\u201d<\/p>\n Both Wilson and Trayner were out in E1 and the final was set between Douglass and Johnson, with Jordan having a wide 9.10 to 9.73 performance advantage. That\u2019s when Jordan was inspired to swing for the fences.<\/p>\n \u201cHad been chasing an eight second pass all weekend, even though we had terrible 60 footers,\u201d said Johnson. \u201cWe decided to take a chance in the finals with a bigger jet, and it just didn\u2019t like how much we were throwing at it. Light hit green, bike bogged out, race was over. Onto the next one!<\/p>\n Douglass streaked ahead to the win. \u201cMy Hot Street bike was undefeated this year,\u201d noted Charley. \u201cI cut a perfect light Saturday night and ended up qualifying second. I went on to win the Axtell Cylinders Hot Street class.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI had ten family members with me this weekend. It was great to have them with me at the track.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to give thanks to God for keeping us safe all year racing and traveling and for my accomplishments. Special thanks to my loving wife Angel and my nephew Jacob for all the support you guys give me.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI want to thank Energy One clutches, H-D of Lynchburg, XLXB Horsepower Chad Hart, CP-Carrillo, SA Racing.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI hope to be able to race more next year. I hope everyone has a great off-season. Got Jesus?\u201d<\/p>\n Trayner ended up with the Hot Street championship, his second crown of the 2026 season.<\/p>\n \u201cTotal luck,\u201d said Chad. \u201cI was only in the class trying to keep it alive and hoping more competitors would see a slower bike in it and get in the class. No such luck.\u00a0\u201cJeremy \u2018Skinny\u2019 Wilson kicked my tail three races in a row, but with two other competitors showing up the last two races that happened to be faster than both of us and some luck from a rabbit\u2019s foot I had somewhere, I pulled off the championship by one round.\u201d<\/p>\n Top Eliminator 9.30<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s great seeing Chuck Kennedy back at the track and winning, as he did in Top Eliminator 9.30 at The Rock. Chuck qualified fourth behind number one qualifier Randy Erdman, then beat David Doremus in E1 by .005. That cost Doremus the championship. Kennedy then beat Randy Erdman, whose one further round earned him the championship.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIf anyone else got it, I\u2019m happy for Randy,\u201d said 69-year-old Doremus. \u201cWe\u2019ll try again next year.\u201d<\/p>\n That left Richard Hillegass for Kennedy. Both competitors ran a combined .003 over the index, but Chuck put .047 on Richard at the tree for the win.<\/p>\n \u201cWell, this bike had been sitting since 2016 in pieces,\u201d said Kennedy. \u201cI put it back together and rebuilt the engine just before Bowling Green. I number one qualified in Bowling Green but was a little rusty myself and made some mistakes and went out in the semifinals.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIn Rockingham I didn\u2019t get any test passes due to rain delay, so with one qualifying pass I ended up number four going into eliminations. I raced David Doremus first round. He had an .014 light to my .031 and was out on me, but I caught him at the end and won by .005. And from there kept going rounds to get the win!\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe will be back for a full season next year racing with my wife Tricia. Thanks to Tricia, mother-in-law Pat, and David Higgs for all the support.\u201d<\/p>\n Erdman was thrilled with his championship, his first since 1986.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAfter competing in Top Eliminator for four years \u2013 we were second in points last year \u2013 we were finally able to win the points championship this year,\u201d said Randy.\u00a0\u201cWe were knocking on the door all season for an event win, but we were unable to get it done.\u00a0 Number one qualifier at The Rock was the key to winning the championship. It was an honor to race with all the guys in my class and we are looking forward to next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Huffman Performance Super Gas 9.90<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s about time!\u201d the photographer said as he approached Tom Krava and his partner Debi Bull in the Rockingham winner\u2019s circle. Krava had just won Huffman Performance Super Gas 9.90.<\/p>\n \u201cLike you said,\u201d replied Krava. \u201cTwo times this season I made it to runner-up: Louisiana and Byron. Ohio, I had an electrical issue that stopped me in the second round, and too fast to qualify and one-and-done in Bowling Green.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDebi and I discussed this in detail, need to have a stellar performance in Rockingham\u2026and did it. I knew the Destroyer could do it and I needed to heed the advice of the late great DFH: \u2018Get out there and ride your motorcycle!\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Krava qualified mid-field, well behind number one qualifier Jack Ballard, who no-showed in round one on race day.<\/p>\n The final boiled down to Krava and Billy Absher Jr. Krava took the tree .029 to .075, and that was pretty much that as Tom ran a 10.12 and Billy a 10.07.<\/p>\n \u201cI need to thank everyone involved, especially Debi Bull and John Shotts!\u201d finished Krava.<\/p>\n S&S Cycle Pro Eliminator 10.90<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cRockingham, final race of the season,\u201d said Kevin Winters. \u201cWent to this race with the mindset to close out the season and win the (Street Eliminator) 11.50 championship. Qualifying on Saturday was pushed back due to weather, getting only one round. I qualified bad in both Street Eliminator and S&S Cycle Pro Eliminator 10.90. Wasn\u2019t happy.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSunday, I wanted to turn that around and just go rounds. I went three rounds in Eliminator class, losing with a -.002 redlight. Street Eliminator 11.50, I went to the second round and lost due to another redlight, -.006. But I did win the Street Eliminator 11.50 championship.<\/p>\n \u201cPro Eliminator 10.90, I went the distance and won.\u201d That was against Bryce Creek. Another one won at the tree, as Kevin\u2019s .076\/10.901 sent Bryce and his .141 into the 10.89 breakout zone.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to thank the AMRA. See ya next year.\u201d<\/p>\n Jeremiah Disbrow was the 10.90 No. 1 qualifier and Chad Trayner the champion.<\/p>\n \u201cThe 10.90 championship I have wanted for a while now,\u201d said Chad. \u201cBeen runner-up or top five for four years now. Aiden and Jim made it a great battle this year, coming down to who went further at The Rock. Congrats to those guys on a great year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWanna thank my wife for always being there and supporting me, my sponsors, and my Shadetree Racing family.\u201d<\/p>\n Thundermax Street Eliminator 11.50<\/strong><\/p>\n Bryce Creek runnered-up again in Thundermax Street Eliminator 11.50, which was won by Bradley Jennings when Creek went -.028 red.<\/p>\n \u201cThis race holds a very special place in my heart,\u201d said Jennings. \u201cI remember going to it as a kid, so it\u2019s a great feeling to be able to go out there with my family and ride some wheelies and turn on a couple win lights.\u201d<\/p>\n Chad Trayner took out No. 1 qualifier Calloway Ledford in round one, and Kevin Winters won the 11:50 championship.<\/p>\n Baker Drivetrain Eliminator<\/strong><\/p>\n Jim Clarke battled through eight rounds of Baker Drivetrain Eliminator for the win. Runner-up Jeremiah Disbrow made the final an easy one for Clarke with a -.192 redlight.<\/p>\n \u201cComing into The Rock with a comfortable points lead in Eliminator and within one round of the lead in Pro Eliminator, the goal was to double-up,\u201d said Clarke.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Sunday plan changed instantly with a rider mistake in the first round of PE, ending a possibility of a repeat championship. The focus shifted to Eliminator and winning round one. With the championship decided, I advanced to the semifinals against Bryce Creek, who just advanced to the finals in SE and PE. The Shadetree guys are always some of the toughest battles, but Bryce was a little eager on the tree with a redlight sending me to the final.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe Eliminator final would be an all-Michigan final with Jeremiah Disbrow. The race ended before it started as Jeremiah turned on the red bulb, giving me the win. Seeing the red, I decided to leg it all out and ended up setting personal bests in eighth mile ET and MPH, and quarter mile ET to put an exclamation mark on the season.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis success this season is not possible without people like Brian Boey, who loaned me their spare transmission at the Michigan race so I could make Sunday eliminations. Also to Mike Beland and team at A1 Cycles for prepping the replacement gearset on short notice to make the Bowling Green race. Gen3 Performance Cycles, Sean Clarke, Outlaw Light beer, A1 Cycles, Line2Line Coatings, Shinko Tires, VP Racing Fuels, Simpson Motorcycle Helmets, AMRA, Julia and Greg.\u201d<\/p>\n Austin \u201cHammerhead\u201d Hughes earned the No. 1 qualifier but washed out at the finish line during Super Pro eliminations. He was not seriously injured.<\/p>\n Shutdown Area<\/strong><\/p>\n Even with Saturday\u2019s bad weather, the Rockingham event knocked it out of the park. S&S Cycle recognized the racer and fan support at AMRA events and signed on to sponsor a new MK139 Challenge class and the whole series.\u00a0<\/p>\n 2027 will be a great year for Harley-Davidson drag racing, but first there\u2019s the banquet! Find out more about this annual celebration of champions and good times at\u00a0https:\/\/amralive.com\/2026-banquet-of-champions\/<\/a><\/p>\n One champion not listed in this article is Nostalgia Fuel\u2019s Brian Hess. Their season ended at Bowling Green.<\/p>\n This story was originally published on November 4, 2026. The post Jim McClure All-Harley World Finals Closes Out AMRA Season In Style at Rockingham<\/a> first appeared on Drag Illustrated<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With Saturday rain compressing the action into only one qualifying session at the PennGrade1 AMRA Jim McClure All-Harley World Finals, the always dramatic race was jacked up a thousand-fold. The October 16-18 event at North Carolina\u2019s Rockingham Dragway showcased the dangers and glory at the top of the Harley-Davidson drag racing pyramid and introduced S&S […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-105168","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105168","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105168"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105168\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105168"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105168"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racepages.com\/Videos\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105168"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dragillustrated.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/1000_Samu20Kemppainen_AMRA_Rock_26_7235crop.jpg\")
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