NHDRO Motorcycle Madness at Madison, Ill.

Teasley Tops NHDRO Pro Street

Words and photos by Tim Hailey

No one knew exactly what would happen when the Midwest's largest motorcycle drag racing series - NHDRO - made its first trip to one of the Midwest's largest racing facilities - St. Louis area's Gateway Motorsports Park. What broke out on June 5-7 was intensely close Pro Street racing and no fewer than three sportsman double winners.

More punches were thrown in McIntosh Machine & Fabrication Pro Street than in an after school fight video. The high-powered, street tire bikes suffered on Saturday, with Mark Paquette topping the charts with a 7.004 on his turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa. But on Sunday, Pro Street tuners found the track, despite rising temperatures, and could concentrate on fighting each other.

Justin Doucet was the first to break through, running a 6.89 at 212 mph on Big Dave Broyles' bike against a blindsided Quinn Orand in round 1 of eliminations.

Doucet backed down to a 6.94 at just the wrong time in round 2, as opponent Bud Yoder leapt to a winning 6.89. Yoder's teammate Paquette also made the leap, running low ET of the event with a 6.86 to take out John Chant.

Chant's teammate Rudy Sanzottera and the St. Charles, Missouri-based Quicktime Motorsports team were all smiles despite losing to Jeremy Teasley in E2, as Sanzottera ran a career-best 7.11 at 203 mph. Ryan Hable was also laying down bests at Gateway, runner-upping to Paquette in Saturday night's Dunigan Pro Street Shootout.

Teasley improved to a 6.88 at 209 against Sanzottera, then stayed steady with another 6.88 to end Paquette's day in the semis. Yoder had better luck in the other semi against former champ "Mothug" Doug Gall, winning with a 6.92 at 207 while Gall spun at the hit. This should be Gall's last race on his long-time bike, as it's sold to North Carolina's Rocky Tinker.

So the final boiled down to Indy winner Yoder on his unpainted carbon fiber McIntosh Machine & Fabrication bike, and defending Pro Street champ Teasley on the John Drake-owned, fluorescent "No Fear," both turbo 'Busas. Teasley was on his game with a .001 light. Yoder, now in the right lane instead of his favored left, hung tight to the eighth mile when he started having to peddle. Teasley's bike stuck for a 6.91 at 212 win.