Ray Price and Tommy Grimes won back to back T/F Harley championships in the NHRA HD-DRS. They will be a team sorely missed in Top Fuel Harley. R.I.P. Ray Price. (Tom McCarthy photo).

In Top Fuel motorcycle racing, the new creation from Texas that will have Terry Kizer in the driver's seat is in its final assembly stages. Terry's team is planning on making test passes in the next few months before the MANCUP season opener, slated for April 8th, 2016, at SGMP. For the uninitiated, Terry is a motorcycle drag racing great from the Funny Bike ranks that has competed in Top Fuel motorcycle previously. His return to Top Fuel bike is a welcome one.

There is growth in the T/F Nitro Harley ranks as well for 2016. Tracy Kile of Bad Apple Racing in the IHRA Nitro Jam series has a solid two bike effort coming together with Frank Capone of Boston, Mass., who crewed with Tracey for the entire Nitro Jam series in 2015. Frank raced well when time permitted in during the season, but with Tracy being #2 in points right behind Jay "Bull Dog" Turner for most of the season, they kept Tracy in the hot seat for the bulk of the year. Their alliance, with a second bike will bring another quality team into the fuel bike ranks this year. 2015 T/F nitro-rookie, Mike Beland, of A1 Cycles, who had a banner year his first season out, could also be a factor in 2016 if he can find the monetary backing.

It's nitro or nuth'n for some in drag racing. No pain, no gain.

With regret, as a final note, the drag racing world lost a good one on December 16, 2015, Ray Price passed away in his sleep and moved on to the big bench racing session in the sky. With over 48 years of drag racing to his credit, Ray was one of the best ever. On January 5th, 2016, Ray Price Racing announced the cessation of it’s racing program. With back to back NHRA Harley Davidson Drag Racing Series wins in Top Fuel for the past two seasons, Ray and his team went out in style the way they raced: Winners, all of em.

See you in the pits,

- Tom McCarthy