Aboard an Orient Express Pro Street bike originally built by Detroit’s Ronnie Mitchell, Bud Yoder claimed the opening round of the 2011 MiRock series.
A large, Grudge-hungry crowd flocked down from North Carolina’s Sand Hills to Steve Earwood’s Rockingham Dragway for the March 19-20 Mickey Thompson Performance Tires MIRock Superbike Series Honda/
Suzuki of Sanford Spring Bike Open. They witnessed Northeast motormouth “Chachi” trashtalk his way into a losing Grudge race with his rider Eric “Lil’ E” Hart against local hero Trae Heath and his rider Bud Yoder. But they also saw a full slate of Pro class action and Sportsman match-ups.
The highlight of the weekend had to be Jeremy Teasley’s DME Real Street 7.79 ET record pass on the Adams Performance/RS Motorsports
Kawasaki ZX14. That happened on practically the first lap of the season, as Teasley became the first Real Street rider to break into the .70s on his first qualifying lap. Wild wheelies in rounds 2 and 3 showed that tuner Roger Starrette was aiming for the moon, but Rockingham’s knowledgeable railbirds knew that Starrette would reign the blue beast in for raceday to get down the track and back up the record in the process. And that he did with a 7.812 on a round 1 bye. Teasley beat Delaware’s Joey Gladstone 7.84 to 7.97 in the final.
When Yoder won that Grudge race on Saturday night, he was riding Heath’s “Wigsplitter” Orient Express Pro Street bike originally built by Detroit’s Ronnie Mitchell. By day, Yoder rides Mitchell’s own hot pink “Rizzo” Suzuki Hayabusa in Pro Street. Yoder qualified #2 for his “day job” behind defending class champion Rodney Williford’s redhot 7.182 at 201.19. But Williford gave up the tree to Teasley and his nitrous huffing Pro Street ZX14 in the semi. Williford then spun and was unable to catch Teasley, who lost the final to Yoder.
Mickey Thompson Pro Mod made its MIRock/Rockingham debut, with local hero Ronnie Procopio taking the 4.19 to 4.30 eighth mile win over Virginian Eddie Gonder. One of the highlights of the weekend was 14 time champion Billy Vose hopping onto the ancient mount of “Mudfoot” MacArthur. Vose carried the vintage 1998 Timblin chassis to its
Teasley became the first Real Street rider to break into the .70s on his first qualifying lap.
quickest-ever 4.22 on Saturday night, then dropped that to a monster 4.11 in Sunday’s warm-up. But somehow the carb strap got sucked through the engine in the semi and the unlikely pair’s improbable march on the field was ended.
Kenner, Louisiana’s Alfred Clark took House of Speed Crazy 8s on the “Black & Gold Super Bowl” stretched ‘Busa built by Cycle Dynamics. Clark beat Maryland’s Stephen Moye in the double breakout final.
Jimmy Shifflett took a redlight win over Shayne Proctor in Motorcycletireoutlet.net 5.60 and Fearsome Andy Baumbach beat DJ Lockwood in FBR Shop Top Sportsman.
Nitrous Express Pro ET wins went to George Shriver over Robert “Crossroads” Johnson on Saturday and Wally Davis over Baybay Yarbrough on Sunday.
Schnitz Racing Street ET was won by Clay Davies over Larry Pierce on Saturday and Michael Herman Jr. over Glenn Glass on Sunday.
2011 Pro Street Elimination Results:
Round 1
Rider R/T ET MPH
(W) Bud Yoder (Suzuki) 0.115 7.287 196.56
(L) John Carter (Suzuki) 0.339 7.570 189.92
(W) Ehren Litten (Kawasaki) 0.212 9.056 115.79
(L) Kenneth Edwards (Hayabusa)
(W) Jeremy Teasley (Kawasaki) 0.188 9.172 96.92
(L) Eric Hart (Suzuki)
(W) Dimey Eddinger (Hayabusa) 0.102 7.559 197.16
(L) Ricky Wood (Hayabusa) 0.156 7.986 161.42
(W) Rodney Williford (Suzuki) 0.195 7.396 202.73
(L) Neal Riddle (Hayabusa) 0.426 8.683 168.81
Round 2
(W) Jeremy Teasley (Kawasaki) 0.104 7.309 194.04
(L) Ehren Litten (Kawasaki) 0.203
(W) Bud Yoder (Suzuki) 0.103 7.414 192.82
(L) Dimey Eddinger (Hayabusa) 0.114 7.609 189.71
(W) Rodney Williford (Suzuki) 0.386 8.972 107.75
(L)
Round 3
(W) Jeremy Teasley (Kawasaki) 0.098 7.498 192.19
(L) Rodney Williford (Suzuki) 0.109 7.491 198.29
(W) Bud Yoder (Suzuki) 0.166 7.215 197.02
(L)
Finals
(W) Bud Yoder (Suzuki) 0.061 7.489 200.08
(L) Jeremy Teasley (Kawasaki) 0.087 7.668 188.65
