Top Fuel Harleys at Epping, NH

Words by Tom McCarthy
Photos by Tom McCarthy and Ron Lewis

Jay Turner of Julian, NC, is currently the head ass kicker in T/F Harley in both the IHRA and the NHRA sanctions. He's in position to win championships in both as we approach mid-season in 2016. (Photo (c) 2016 Tom McCarthy, Digital Image Now. All rights reserved.)

Just a week before the NHRA New England nationals were set to begin, race fans in social media were grousing about the fact that only a few Top Fuel Harley Davidson drag bikes were pre-entered for the event. The complaining on line about the lack of participation by some fans was based in fact, yet what the fans fail to realize is the traveling band of gypsies known as the Top Fuel Harley bikes is a band of brothers (and sisters too) that has to gauge their movements often times based on “How much stuff did we tear up last race and do we need to return to the shop for major repairs.” So until one race is completed, the teams don’t always know if going to the next event is realistic.

While only a few were pre-entered just a week before the race, they showed up in force, ten bikes strong, to do battle for the eight-bike qualified field. Long distance applause belongs to Len Darnell of Vancouver, Wash., and Kevin Boyer of Alberta, Canada, for making the trip to New England Dragway, located in Epping, New Hampshire.