As racing unfolded on Sunday, in the Pingle Top Fuel series, number-one qualifier Dave Vantine (5.88) spun the tire on the launch and Tak Shigematsu of Japan just ran away from Vantine with a 7.20 pass at 190 MPH on his new T/F bike that just arrived in the USA only two weeks before the race. For a brand new bike, he did great his first race out.

Tracy Kile of Bad Apple Racing, who qualified fifth, had a solo in E-1 due to the missing ATF-1 bike, and he was just the epitome of consistency in T/F all weekend. His 6.40 @ 218 in qualifying was followed by a 6.38 @ 219 in E-1. His 6.37/222 MPH in E-2 was ready for Tak, but then the man from Japan could not make the call and Tracy had a solo into the final round to face Sam Wills.

Sam Wills and his Nitro Conspiracy team conspired to defeat “Larry Spiderman” in the first race of the 2016 season in Pingle Top Fuel racing.

The Nitro Conspiracy team headed up by Sam Wills and Mike Dryden qualified third with a 6.11, and had a solo in E-1 due to the missing Red Neck Express. They dispatched Larry McBride in E-2 6.07 to Spiderman’s 6.73, and marched on to meet Tracy Kile in the last round. The race was just awesome for the fans to see.

Tracy got out on Sam with a .105 reaction time to Sam’s .114, and they were side by side for 1320 feet of race track with the front tires in the air the whole time. When they crossed the finish line, neither Sam nor Tracy knew who won, it was that close: 6.30 for Sam, 6.29 for Tracy and the win light came on for Sam Wills and the Nitro Conspiracy team.

At this event, Mike Beland was out with his new Shield Bright Coatings sponsored T/F bike owned and tuned by Don Johnson. They qualified seventh in the field.

“We had the legend of our sport, Larry McBride in round one,” Beland commented after the race. “I got out on him early, but his 6.28 was too much for our 6.82 pass. This was a good first outing for our team and we look forward to racing in Top Fuel bike at all the MANCUP races this season.”