OVER 10,000 WITNESS THE ACTION AT THE SMITH BROTHER'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON THUNDER IN THE VALLEY NATIONALS Presented By SOUTHEASTERN BONDING

Winston-Salem, N.C., August 20, 2002- AHDRA President, Craig Tharpe announced today that AHDRA has completed the largest attended event ever for AHDRA. Over 10,000 fans and racers passed through the gates on August 9th & 10th for the Smith Brother's Harley-Davidson Thunder In The Valley Nationals presented by Southeastern Bonding.

"It feels good", Tharpe commented. It was very rewarding to see the hard work and dedication of the AHDRA team come together in a short amount of time and pull off an event like that.

JIMS Top Fuel

A stellar event indeed, with competitor entries edging the 300 mark, and the "big boy's" of Top Fuel making up 20 of them. They came from the U.S., Canada, even Japan. Japan? Yep, that's where Tak Shigematsu started his journey to Tennessee. He fought through one of the toughest fields of the year to take the JIMS Top Fuel win at Bristol Dragway.

"I thought I could win if the bike ran good, but I was wrong" Shigematsu commented. I broke the motor at Budds Creek. And D.J. repaired it. It was making so much power.

Enough power, that it was tire smoking, and more tire smoking during qualifying". "Somehow I made the field". (Sheigematsu squeaked in the 15th spot of the select sixteen field.) On Sunday, it felt better, but I knew I had to run 6.8's to win that first round. I practiced half throttle starts, trying to avoid the tire smoking. I didn't change the bike set up for Sunday I just changed my riding. I really wanted to win and I made it"! I was in hell on Saturday in qualifying, but taking my 2nd win sent me to heaven on Sunday.

Steve Moore, reigning JIMS Top Fuel Champion was happy with his trip to the finals, and had the better light with a .503 to Shigematsu's .513, but Shigematsu's power took hold giving him the win with a 6.969/192.08 to Moore's 7.578/141.56.

HD Afterparts.com Pro Fuel

Chris Streeter of Cleveland, Ohio says he came in with a good feeling about this one. "We had the top of the motor re-done and felt like we had a good chance. We were a little disappointed in our qualifying, but we did make that 193mph pass which was real good. One of our biggest problems was getting through the eyes. On Sunday, we were disappointed in our numbers but I guess getting down the track is good enough sometimes. Streeter (#3qualifyer) faced Sam White (#1 qualifyer) in the finals. White coming off his first win at Budd's Creek, MD had an easy ride to the finals, after Dean Comunal broke in round one, giving White a bye in round two.

Streeter had a .469 light to White's .566. No worry, White was ahead 8 to 10 bikes lengths, according to Streeter, at the 60-foot mark until 4.2 seconds into the run. "That's when the motorcycle shut off the #2 cylinder. The front tire fell down and I knew it would be close. For the next 3.1 seconds, I was riding on one cylinder and a prayer. He barely caught me running a 7.324 at 182.85 miles per hour against my 7.347 at 165.29. The coolest part was that even from the starting line, my guys could see that I was leaving him." In the Indian Team's fourth outing of the year, they've moved to fifth in the HD Afterparts.com Pro Fuel points chase.

Pro Stock

Tom Bradford's five for five streak had him on track for the repeat championship, but after the Hal's H-D team sat out a few races, a new leader has moved in. John Hammock of Tulsa, OK says he came to Bristol with a different engine combo and new valve train and the team was pleased with the performance. Pleased they should be as the #1 qualifyer took the hardware and the cash home from Bristol and sits on top of the leader board in the Pro Stock Championship chase. Hammock had his job cut out when he faced #2 qualifyer, Dirk Higgins (Jon Miller/Thiel's Wheels) in the finals, with Higgins getting the .426 bulb to Hammock's .476, and the two ran side by side for the 7.647 win to Higgins's, 7.755. Hammock says they had the typical bugs but knew they were on to a good streak. "We think we are going to make good headway with the bike and put some good numbers up there before the end of the year. The weather was great in Bristol, and what a great crowd of people. There were lots of racers, spectators and vendors, which tells me this thing is headed in the right direction."

Kresto Pro Drag

While AHDRA was basking in the attendance records, Scott Truett of Wichita, KS added numbers of his own, blistering the mile-per-hour record books with his 191.21mph quarter mile blast. The new official record was backed up with a 189.87 pass. Truett says he knew he was going fast, referring to the record run. "I usually ride with my head above the fuel tank, all the sudden I thought, I better get down lower, this thing is flyin!

The #1 qualifyer sailed through to the finals to face the #2 man, Chuck Jones of St. Petersburg, FL. Truett handed Jones the easy win after jumping early for the red-eye.

Jones says he almost sat the final round out after hurting the motor in Round Two.

"We basically had no compression on the rear cylinder", he explained. "I wanted to win like everybody else, so I didn't tell anybody about the problems and went for it. Still worried about the motor, I went out and did my burnout and made the pass. Scotty went through the lights first. We were sitting at the big end chatting away, and I congratulated him on the win. He looked at me funny and informed me that I had won cause he red-lighted. Later I saw my .402 reaction time and couldn't believe it. I figured it had to be me reacting to Scotty leaving early, cause I never run those kind of trees. I really hate it for Scotty. It wasn't as much a win for me as it was a loss for him. I want to congratulate him on his record. I think he's going to be the Champion, and that's good. He's a great guy.

Pro Gas

A respectable count for the Pro Gas category led off qualifying on Saturday. Frank Dove, current point's leader nailed the #1 spot, but hurt the bike and was out of the show on Sunday. The #2 spot belonged to former champ, Ken Browne. Browne, of Semora, NC has been absent from competition following a street bike accident, but he returned in good shape for the competition in Bristol. It was Locust Grove, GA's, Daron Jemison that ended Browne's run in round #2. On the flip side, it was Michael McDole of Bonita Springs, FL passing by Lee Hitz for a round two bye and a ride to the finals for the win.

McDole says it was really surprising considering he does not run nitrous. "I'm the only one there running a nitrous class with no nitrous. It's a brand new bike, so we wanted to make sure it would run before we added anything. This Bristol event is the nicest event AHDRA has ever put on. Everyone enjoyed themselves".

The McDole Team along with the entire family of racers and AHDRA crew, would like to send thoughts and prayers to Pro Gas competitor, Anne Phipps and the Aces & Eights Race Team. Anne suffered serious back injuries following an accident in Saturday's qualifying. At press time, Anne had undergone surgery and was making positive progress towards recovery. Her progress can be followed on www.ahdra.com and www.stripbike.com.

Joker Machine Pro Modified

A sweet sixteen field of entries led of Sunday's elimination's, with Madras, OR's, Cliff Dwy leading the pack. Dwy and the "Beast of the West", Sasquatch Racing team traveled the distance, literally for the win at Bristol Dragway. In a later interview, Dwy said he's still recovering from his roller coaster high. "Bristol was lots of fun. It was our first east coast race ever. You should have seen all the modified guys when I came pulling in. They were like, what are you doing here"? Dwy says he was there to stir up the nest a little. "I didn't want those East Coast boys to get too comfortable with that points thing", he added with a chuckle. They were calling my bike a bracket bike all weekend, cause it was running consistent 8'50's every round. We got a handle on the track right away.

The whole weekend was just great. Getting the #1 qualifying spot, the win, it's hard to have everything your way like that in one weekend." Dwy says the icing on the cake was beating Junior Pippin in the finals. "Junior is a good racer and to beat him on Mike Lozano's record setting machine was great.

Paul Smith of Uniontown, OH had plenty to smile about it, taking one home for the record books with a 157.98-quarter mile run, backed up with a 156.50 pass.

Spyke Street Pro

Reigning Champion, current points leader and #1 qualifyer, Travis Lummus, says the team had all the confidence in the world they would win at Bristol. "We tried some new things out here and "Mean Gene" had her dialed in. The air wasn't god enough to set any records, and we were about two tenths off, but we'll be out to get the records back later this year. We like having the wins. You celebrate the records once in a while, but we get to celebrate the wins over and over". Four in a row in fact, is the Lummus win tally following his win at Bristol, and six for the season.

With a 3rd Championship on the horizon, is it getting to be old hat for Team Lummus?

"Not at all", says Lummus. We're building a new bike for next year to go for the 8's. The Pro Modified Class is in the back of our minds, but we'll see".

Rivera-Primo Super Gas A healthy 26 bikes showed up for the 9.90 index action, and Billy Leonard held the #1 spot going into Sunday's elimination's with his near perfect 9.910. He wrapped up the close competition with trip to the winner's circle after defeating Al Dinsmore (#5 qualifyer) of Cedar Key, Fl. It's also worth noting, the North Carolina rider hit that perfect 9.90 mark in Sunday's semi-final round.
Nonpareil Super Sport Lynchburg, VA's, G.W. Bass was the winner in the 10.50 index ranks, another class with high participation numbers. He beat Allen Nusbaum of Bunker Hill, WV in the finals with a .522 tree and the 10.579 to Nusbaum's .534 bulb and a 10.583
Performance Corner Super Eliminator Blake Holliday celebrated his first AHDRA win at Bristol Dragway. The elated N. Springfield, PA rider says it feels good. "These sportsman classes are getting really tough. The days of first and 2nd round gimmes are gone. Being in the winner's circle had to be the happiest place in the whole world, everyone there was a winner"! The win came for the "Can't Stop Racing" team came over Seaford, DE's Ronnie Fensick with a .410/11.203 to Fensick's .466/11.314.
Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts Forty-one entries, but only room for thirty-two presented a challenge for the 11.50 index riders, but point's leader, Donnie Huffman says the "number game" contributed to his win at Bristol Dragway. "I'm leading the point's, but not by much", he was quick to point out. "I screwed up by not qualifying in Maple Grove and going out early at other events. I wasn't using my head. I was in my zone in Bristol". Huffman needed the win, with local favorite Joe Perry there competing on his hometown track and reigning Champ, John Henderson both on the hunt for the points. Huffman says it was travel mates, Charlie and Eleanor Walker that ultimately gave him the upper hand. "Charlie took out Perry and then Eleanor took out Henderson. I guess you could say they served as my wreckin crew.. Huffman's win came over Canton, OH's, Kelly Alazaus. Alazaus had the better bulb with the .443 but Huffman's numbers got him with a 11.622 over Alazaus's 11.698.
Andrews ET With nearly 90 entries, Swanton, OH's, Larry Maynhart let out a big sigh. "I knew there were a lot of bikes, but had no idea there were 80 or more", he replied. Maynhart's win came on his new V-Rod. "I'm just happy with the consistency I got and the bike performed flawlessly. It ought to, it's brand new. This was my 3rd AHDRA event and my first win. Norwalk is my home track and I haven't been to Bristol since I was 14. What a change, it's great".
Blackfoot Racing Junior Juniors Megan Day of Hoschton, GA won the 8-10 competition over Clayton Danford of Akron OH.
Hayes Jewelers Junior Seniors Matt Mauler of Hoquiam, WA took the 11-16 honors over Brendon Griffith of Cibolo, TX.

Promotional efforts came together with help from the Bristol Dragway staff along with admirable sponsor support in the surrounding areas to send this one to the record books. Smith Brother's Harley-Davidson and Southeastern Bonding combined efforts in presenting this year's event along with the strong media campaign. Dealers in the area came forward to assist with advance tickets sales, including Colbach Harley-Davidson, Crossroads Harley-Davidson, Gene Lummus Harley-Davidson and Foothill's Harley-Davidson. An added bonus was posted by racing veteran, Tom Caldwell of Caldwell's Speed & Custom of Knoxville. Caldwell not only contributed to the ticket sale campaign, but threw in extra dollars for the Sportsman categories. Chris O'Connor of Foothills H-D also tossed in cash for the competition low ET's. The AHDRA would like to extend a special thanks to all of these fine supporters for making the event a success. Our gratitude also goes out to Steve Moore and Dave O'Hara for appearances at Smith Brother's H-D and to the Smyle Band of Winston-Salem, NC for providing great entertainment for the campground crowd.