Slowe is fast enough

Words and photos by Tim Hailey

It was a gamble when perennial champion Mike Slowe (above) parked his familiar navy blue, Orient Express Pro Street championship-winning Suzuki Hayabusa and climbed onto the tiny PTR GSX-R1000. After all, the ‘Busa was still getting quicker, running teens last year. The GSX-R was built for a smaller rider and failed to get well sorted out in an entire season. If Slowe failed to win with the GSX-R, it would look bad for PTR and their decision to build a 1000.

But Slowe and PTR builder/tuner Anthony Navarro made all those decisions pay off with their first win together at the Fast by Gast Spring Bike Classic on May 1-2 at Maryland International Raceway in Budd’s Creek. Slowe started the day off racing teammate Navarro before working his way through the field to meet number 1 qualifier Robert Budgell in the final. But Budgell’s Orient Express development ‘Busa was slowing in the heat of the day, and his scant advantage at the tree wasn’t enough to hold off Slowe.

Jeremy Teasley

The expected Jeremy Teasley/Ryan Schnitz battle in HTP Performance Real Street never materialized, as number 2 qualifier Schnitz lost a second-round shocker to John Hall and his Joe Franco-tuned GSX-R. Hall then lost to Teasley’s team boss Coby Adams. Adams took the tree against Teasley, but not the stripe as Jeremy carried his consistent 7.90 form to the win. Both were on Adams Performance-built and tuned Kawasaki ZX14’s owned by Roger Starrette.

Occasional Pro Mod and NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Mac McAdams beat redlighting Steve Shriver in FBR Shop Quick 32, but lost the Big Money Run-Off to Steve’s brother George, winner of Sunday’s Fast by Gast Pro ET. Michael Ostrowski won Saturday night’s Pro ET race, as wheelie bar bikes ruled Pro ET in Maryland.