Championship Hunt Begins in FunnyBike
By: Jack Korpela

The new and improved Orient Express Funny Bike category had to wait to until May to complete its first AMA/Prostar race of the year. With defending champion Chip Ellis, and four-time champion Gary Clark out of competition, the number-one plate is wide open. May 3rd-4th was a golden opportunity to gain championship points as the rain-postponed MTC Elmer Trett Nationals and the Schnitz Spring Nationals were run on consecutive days from Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, VA.

The big winner of the weekend was Georgia-based rider Travis Davis, who came away with a runner-up finish for the Atlanta race and a win at the Virginia race.

"We got our third runner-up on Saturday," Davis said. "We were sick of being the bride's maid. We knew we had to get to the winner's circle on Sunday."

In the finals of the Spring Nationals, Davis posted his career best elapsed-time to defeat Tom "Big Money" Perry.

"We ran a 6.75 at 202 in the final," Davis said. "I was very happy with that, especially since our bike is what I like to call the old style. We still run a gas/nitrous/turbo deal. Everybody else has pretty much went up to the alcohol blow through systems. We made a few changes in the engine for the final and it worked out great. We had our quickest 1/8 mile times too."

Davis is the number-four plate holder in the SEMDRA series and plans on being at as many Prostar events as possible this year.
After a dismal first-round loss at the Atlanta race, Tom Perry rebounded nicely in Virginia.

"We were completely lost with our clutch set-up in Atlanta," Perry said. "We had the same set-up there that we had when we won the World Finals last year. For some reason the Atlanta track just wouldn't hold it. We were smoking the tire every run."

After completely revamping the clutch with his crew chief Rodney Dobinson, Perry busted out with a 6.95 at 199 mph in Spring Nationals qualifying to secure the number-three spot.

"We basically pulled the clutch out and started from scratch," Perry said. "We just kept tuning on it and it finally started coming around."

Perry continued to perform well as he defeated Sam White in the semis with a blazing 6.80 at 200 mph. In the final, Perry was ahead of Davis by a tenth at the 1/8 mile but was forced off the gas, hindered with tire problems at the top-end.

"I had a tire going bad on me in the final," Perry said. "We ran a 6.88 but I couldn't hold it wide open. I gave it a little more power and if the tire would have held up I think we could have ran a 6.75 or better. If I could do it over again I would have put a new tire on the bike for the final. I don't usually like to change tires in the middle of a race."

Perry is eager to capture his first FunnyBike championship this season and plans on attending every race.

2001 FunnyBike champ, Rob Giard had a successful outing by making it to the finals in the Atlanta race. Giard struglled in qualifying and was at the back of the pack with a 9.60. Giard bounced back with low-elapsed time of the meet in round number-one to upset Chad Sechrest.

After a runner-up finish at the Orient Express U.S. Nationals last season, Marc Oliver is hungry for more success. Oliver qualified first and forth at each race respectively but was unable to reach the semis in either attempt.

Oliver was upset by Perry Hollie in round two of the Atlanta race. Hollie is running better than ever and with the help of crewman Kenny Dermanelian, Hollie should be tough to beat this season.

Now that FunnyBike is boasting higher payouts and more lenient rules many new competitors have emerged.

Sam White represented the Harley boys well with huge upsets over Giard and Korry Hogan to make it to the second round in each of the two races.

Newcomer, Korry Hogan aboard the former Wendal Douthat machine, looked impressive with a 6.85 at 196 mph to take the pole-position in the Virginia race. Hogan defeated veteran, Steve "Awesome" Dawson in round one, but couldn't get by Davis in the semis.
The FunnyBike championship quest will pick back up at the PR Factory Store Nationals from St. Louis, MO, May 31st-June 1st.

Jack Korpela can be reached at Lumberjack@dragbike.com