Just got back from Vegas where we took in the NHRA drags. They had the Nitro Harleys again and for me they just plain steal the show. Nothing else even comes close: two wheels, no roll cage, 1000 lbs/1000 hp, 190+ cu in, with sub 6.5 second times at 215+ mph carrying the front tire 900 to 1000 feet. What a show!!
If you ever get a chance to see these things make a pass.....go for it. You'll NOT be disappointed.

If you want to see these bikes on ESPN (with the rest of the NHRA show) let the NHRA and ESPN know. So far nobody has stepped up to pay for the TV exposure and the NHRA could use the shot in the arm the Harleys would bring. It can be done online.

 

I saw the Nitro Harley's at Mission Raceway about 10 years ago.
I was in the Pit's, They start the bikes on Alcohol and switch them over to Nitro when they are warmed up. It was amazing, the difference is exhaust note when the Nitro was fed in is incredible!!! Crack the throttle on Alcohol and it sounds like a hot drag bike, crack it on Nitro and it sounds like a bomb going off!!

 

It would be very cool to see on TV. Unfortunately both ESPN and NHRA are pretty unresponsive on show programming. NHRA actually pays ESPN to broadcast, and the coverage is pre-empted so frequently that most people don't even attempt to record it any more.

I've been drag racing (four wheel variety) and an NHRA member for nearly 40 years, and as much as I love drag racing, I just quit trying to watch the John Force show a few years ago. Dang shame

 

I hear you man but I have to say that I've never had an issue DVR-ing an NHRA event on ESPN (maybe I'm just lucky?). Hopefully the NHRA will come to it's senses and include more than a blurb about the Nitro Harley guys in the future. (Those guys have to have the largest testes at any track they go to.)

I also have to say that I was a bit surprised to see so many empty seats at this race. The stands were about 70% filled for the finals and maybe 50% during 2 days of qualifying. If they'd replace that super-boring super gas class with the Nitro Harleys the event would be far more interesting. (Never understood the reason for building a 7 second car to race in a 9.90 or 10.5 class. (Leave hard.....go real slow....then go real fast.....ZZZZZZZZZ......WTF!!!!)

 

There's fans, and there's racers. The "BigShow" SHOULD be all about the pro classes, which is what fans want to see. But, it isn't Nascar. The nitro cars are only on the track for a very short period of time, and then they have to be serviced, which takes about an hour and a half.

Since there's really only four pro classes, (TF, FC, Pro Stock car and Pro Stock Motorcycle), there is a lot of downtime. It has to be filled with something. And, since NHRA's mission is to extract as much money as possible, from both fans and racers, they add the Sportsmen classes.

In days of yore, Sportsman used to be Stock, Super Stock and Modified Production, and the factories got involved. It was exciting and fun to watch. Y'know, Ford vs Chevy and all that. But in the last 30 years, the "Super" categories took over (run on a time index and cannot run quicker. It puts a an extreme emphasis on driver skill and car repeatability). Boring for the fan? Absolutely. But it gave the weekend racer a chance to race on the Big Stage. Plus, these racers were "An Asset to be Monetized" (in the words of the current NHRA prez). It is unbelievable how much it costs to race at the National Event level, even for the Sportsman. There's only a few guys on earth that can afford to race at the Pro level, and even only then with corporate backing.

NHRA also considers the fans an asset to be monetized, so we have these extremely high ticket prices, (NHRA absolutely will NOT lower prices) which keeps a lot of fans at home. How many fans will come to a four day event, and spend $250 each for tickets, buy a $10 beer, a $7 water or a $9 hot dog? Plus, not be allowed to even bring their own water to the track?

High ticket prices, high concession prices, and a boring show.

I could go on and on. But that, my friend is why the stands are empty.

 

A guy that was blind and deaf could tell you when a nitro went by. I just love to watch those buggers fly.

 

Remember watching Marion Owens and Elmer Tritt usher in the new era of Nitro Harleys in the 1970's.




Wild rides.

 

Very eloquent, my man and right on point.
Our tickets were $129 ea. for the 3 days, beer was $8/can (Bud and Miller only - glad I don't drink), water @ $4/20 oz. bottle, a small soft ice cream cone was $8, a 24 oz. lemonade went for $7 and eight bucks for a small freaking sno-cone. Needless to say we took in as much as the wife's gigantic purse could hide.
Money always seems to corrupt racing no matter what it starts out to be. Too many classes start out to be affordable for the little guy but people always want to go faster and that costs money so the once affordable class becomes not so affordable. Too bad.
We have a track here in Spokane that's going with the IHRA. Hope they do a better job or the stands will be half full here too.