As we went to press the first photos and reports from the 2005 Sturgis Rally were trickling in. What we know so far is:

fficial attendance estimates were not in yet, but crowds were huge and roads jammed all week. The “Kids & Chrome” benefit held August 10th at the Black Hills Convention Center in Spearfish reportedly raised in excess of $200,000 for the two charities. Weather was great until late in the week when a dose of “early winter” blew through the Black Hills.
     Metzeler held its third-annual Sturgis V-Twin Custom Bike Contest. Over 60 bikes competed in the five V-twin classes open to everything Metzeler-equipped with a proper waxing, to pro-built unlimited customs and choppers. Winners of the Best of Show was Scott & Bonnie Barnett. To see the class winners and their bikes check online at: http://www.us.metzelermoto.com/metzeler_world/events/sturgis/gallery.htm.
     Metzeler was also a co-sponsor of Michael Lichter Presents Speed Demons, Race Inspired Motorcycle Art at the Journey Museum, where the V-Twin contest was held. The exhibit included bikes by: Steve Broyles, Chica, Jeff Decker, Cole Foster, Roger Goldammer, Pete Hill, Kendall Johnson, Duane Kastor, Arlen Ness, Indian Larry Legacy, Samantha Morgan, Jesse Rooke, Roland Sands, Kim Suter, Russ Tom, Hank Young, the National Motorcycle Museum, and the Easyriders’ 322-mph Streamliner.
     Displayed with the bikes were artwork by Jeff Decker, Tom Fritz, Scott Jacobs, Eric Herrmann, Michael Lichter, David Mann, David Uhl and others.


We’ll have full event reports with photos in the
November issue.


Billy Lane and the “Blood Sweat & Gears Team” surprise Army Seargent at Laconia with keys to a 2005 Springer. Photos courtesy of Chrome Marketing and Billy Lane.
illy Lane and the Blood Sweat & Gears team of Kendall Johnson, Paul Cox, Aaron Greene and Mondo finished customizing the 2005 Harley-Davidson Springer provided by Carolina Harley-Davidson in Laconia during the rally. In the now usual wrap up of the show, Billy lit the rear tire up and did a burn out on stage, only this time he added an extra surprise for the audience. He asked Kendall to start the bike and “warm up” the rear tire while he invited a young man in his Army uniform from the audience to join them on stage.
     Billy began asking the soldier, Mark Gonthier, about his service and tour over seas. The audience heard Mark tell an impressive story of how he was shot during his tour in Iraq and received a Purple Heart. Just as Mark ended his story Billy said, “Thank you for keeping us free. What you do is amazing. For your service, take this bike. Really, take it.” As Mark shook his head in disbelief, Billy added, “I am not kidding you, it’s yours, take the bike. Free and clear. I do want you to do one thing first before you ride it off stage, do a burn out with it!” With tears rolling down his face, Mark turned to Billy and said, “No way, this isn’t really happening.” “Yes it is,” Lane said. Mark then turned to Lane and slowly unpinned the Purple Heart from his uniform and handed it to Lane. At that moment the entire audience that had gone literally silent, began chanting “U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A!”
     On its fourth stop of 6, Billy Lane’s Blood Sweat & Gears Tour was at the Broken Spoke in Laconia, N.H. featuring live in your face fabrication delivering on its promise: to give back to those protecting our freedom. Billy and his friends, Kendall, Paul, Aaron plus special guests Dave Perewitz and Mondo got to work finishing the Springer from Carolina HD and starting another new bike that will be given away in Sturgis.
     The bikes built during the Tour are built for one purpose; to thank the military personnel serving to protect our freedom. Each bike will be given away during the Tour to military personnel. A new custom was started in Laconia and was slated to be given away at the 5th stop of the Tour in Sturgis, SD at the Broken Spoke Saloon.
     “I can’t do this on my own” said Lane. “Without the support of the Blood Sweat & Gears sponsors like Dodge, Activision, House of Kolor and Paisano Publications, this can’t happen.” Lane finished.
     “It is our greatest desire to keep this positive momentum rolling into 2006 and beyond. We really want to be able to give away more custom bikes and more cool stuff. In order to do this, we are lining up sponsors for 2006 right now. We have had tremendous support so far, but need more folks interested in showing their support through Blood Sweat & Gears so we can keep delivering the goods” added Darcy Betlach, Tour Manager.
     For Blood Sweat & Gears Tour sponsorship information, please contact Chrome Marketing, Inc. at 612-940-6115. Blood Sweat & Gears Tour is owned and copyrighted by Psycho Billy LLC, affiliated with Choppers Inc and Billy Lane. www.choppersinc.com

     Former Harley-Davidson factory rider Jay Springsteen led a group of nine racing greats into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America recently for the 17th annual induction ceremony at the State Theatre in Detroit. He was enshrined along with Indy car great Tom Sneva, auto racing endurance driver Hurley Haywood, drag racer Tommy Ivo, powerboat racer Danny Foster, car owners/builders John Holman and Ralph Moody and 1952 Indy 500 winner Troy Ruttman.
     Springsteen began his motorcycle racing career in 1975 and remains competitive today. He was the AMA Grand National rookie of the year in 1975 and the youngest AMA Grand National champion in 1976 at age 19. He won additional AMA titles in 1977 and 1978, and has won a total of 43 AMA Grand National events throughout his career.
     The Class of 2005 joins the 146 racers already enshrined in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. The Motorsports Museum & Hall of Fame is located in Novi, Michigan.

TP Engineering received their EPA certification on July 1, which qualifies them as a true OE engine manufacturer in all 50 states. Custom and OE bike manufacturers can now add TP Engineering engines to their bikes and receive state approval for distribution in all 50 states.

     The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum has announced Duane “Digger” Carey as the Master of Ceremonies for the annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Induction, to be held in Pickerington, Ohio, October 7-8, 2005.
     Carey, former NASA astronaut on the 2002 Space Shuttle Columbia and proud member of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), is an avid motorcycle enthusiast who annually logs thousands of miles on his two Hondas. He recently visited the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum while touring the country with his wife, Cheryl.
     The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Class of 2005 stars nine motorcycling legends, including racing greats Doug Henry, Scott Russell, and former rider of the famous “Hogslayer” drag bike, Tom Christenson. The Hall of Fame Weekend begins with Friday, October 7 evening reception at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum, followed by the Saturday, October 8 annual Hall of Fame Concours d’Elegance, featuring over 100 rare vintage machines. The Hall of Fame induction banquet and ceremony begin at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Attendance to all events is open to the public with reservations required for the Museum reception and the induction. Nearly 500 guests attended 2004 festivities.
     For more information on the Motorcycle Hall of Fame please visit http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org.
all 50 states.

     Patrick Dowd has joined Avon Tyres North America, based in Lynnwood, WA. as a new sales account representative. Patrick comes to Avon with over 10 years in the motorcycle industry working at the dealer management level, and most recently, as a distributor representative. He is an avid motorcyclist who instructs at NESBA track days, has road raced in AMA 600 Super Sport, AMA 250 GP, been on the podium at three national races and has been the WMRRA 250 GP Champion. “I am very excited to be working with the great products Avon has to offer and to be part of the strong North American team at Avon Motorcycle Tyres.”

     Rick Raus, president of V-Twin Marketing, the well-known Advertising/ Marketing/ Public Relations Agency based in Anaheim Hills, California, has announced that his son Ricky has joined the firm.
     Richard Allen Raus III (Ricky Raus) is currently attending Fullerton College and majoring in Advertising and Marketing, a field he thought suitable for himself and his career as he began school last fall. “He is fresh to the business portion of this market, but not to the market itself,” states President of V-Twin Marketing, Rick Raus. “This young man has lived and breathed this industry all his life; I brought him up that way.”
     Ricky was hired as an Account Executive for V-Twin Marketing who currently handles Weld Racing, Hellbound Steel Motorcycles, TP Engineering, KC Creations/Big Inch Bikes and Powertye Manufacturing. Ricky will be dealing directly with manufacturers, event coordinators, and with all forms of media on behalf of their clients.

     For further information contact V-Twin Marketing or Ricky directly at (714) 280-8537 or email: sirriccus@sbcglobal.net.

     Racing can be a hard life even when things are going well. We heard the sad news recently that six-time AMA/Prostar Top Fuel Champion Larry “Spiderman” McBride suffered a lacunar stroke back in July that put him out of action.
     Larry, who races for the Pingel team with sponsorship from Drag Specialties and other aftermarket companies, has been in rehabilitation with hopes of returning to action soon. We wish him all the best in his recovery.

     In other news, the Star/G2 drag race team was devestated in early August when the team’s entire transporter rig was stolen. Team rider Chip Ellis had reportedly parked the Star/G2 rig at a hotel in Omaha Neb. for the night and when he came out the next morning it was gone!
     The rig was then found the next day, but the contents were either stolen or destroyed. Included in the loss were the team’s S&S/Buell engines, chassis, starter carts, golf carts, two street bikes, even Chip’s leathers and helmets.
     Fighting to overcome the theft of their entire mobile racing operation, George Bryce and George Smith of G-Squared Motorsports and their rider Chip Ellis were able to continue their quest for the 2005 POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle championship on borrowed equipment. In an amazing display of sportsmanship, the drag racing community rushed to the aid of the G-Squared Motorsports organization. Fellow racer and G-Squared customer Matt Guidera offered Ellis the use of his S&S Buell, motors, and race rig for the next two national events while the group scrambled to get back on its feet.
     Aside from Guidera’s offer, which they accepted, Bryce and Smith were offered Craig Treble’s back-up bike, Matt Smith’s entire racing operation, Blaine Hale’s entire racing operation, Tom Bradford’s race bike, and Dave Conforti’s race bike, which has been ridden in the past by Tommy Miceli. They also got calls from team owners Don Schumacher and Rob Muzzy offering “anything they could do to help.”
     “As devastating as this has been, both personally and financially, we’ve been unbelievably pleased with all of the interest and support from our fellow NHRA racers,” Bryce said.
     The team has thus carried on in its chase for the 2005 NHRA Championship.

     Andrew Hines of the Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines team rode to victory in the finals of the Pro Stock motorcycle class at the O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, TN on August 20. Hines’ win also vaulted him into the points lead as he defends his 2004 class title.
     In a repeat of the previous weekend’s Brainerd final, Harley-Davidson teammates Hines and Tonglet raced for the trophy and the POWERade points lead. This time it was Hines taking the top spot when Tonglet red-lighted by -.028-second. Tonglet knew he needed a good reaction time to have a chance against Hines, who was quicker than him all day, and the final numbers proved he was right as Hines crossed in 7.161 seconds at 180.52 mph to Tonglet’s 7.239 at 175.37 mph
     This was Hines’ second win of the year and his second in the three all-Harley finals that have ever been run. He moved around Tonglet and into the points lead by 15 markers with the victory. This marks the first time this year the defending champion has had the No. 1 by his name.
     “We came in on a high note with GT winning Brainerd last weekend,” Hines said. “They gave the Suzukis a 10-pound weight break and we didn’t know how that would change things. Then we start qualifying and I blow up three motors in a row. I was at an all-time low for my career. But dad [Byron Hines] and Scott Sceurman rebuilt our best motor and fixed it and the crew gave me a perfect bike and I was able to go to the No. 1 spot by two-thousandths over GT.”
     Hines added: “I just tried to keep my head clear today. It was so hot and I tried to stay cool up in the lounge. I knew I had a great bike and I didn’t want to give anything away. The race against Ryan Schnitz in the quarterfinals was the tightest of my career. I was real glad to see the win light and I started thinking I might get the breaks today.”
     Whatever Tonglet would post on the way to the final round, Hines would better the mark on his identical Vance & Hines Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson V-Rod. Starting on top of the heap, Hines beat Matt Smith, Ryan Schnitz, and Chris Rivas, who broke at the line, to reach his ninth career final. Tonglet made it to his eighth money round with victories over former champ Geno Scali, Michael Phillips, and Shawn Gann.

Official Points
Last Updated: 8/21/2005

Pro Stock Motorcycle Point Standings
1. Andrew Hines  850
2. GT Tonglet  835
3. Antron Brown  746
4. Ryan Schnitz  638
5. Angelle Sampey  628
6. Chip Ellis  621
7. Karen Stoffer  612
8. Geno Scali  604
9. Craig Treble  559
10. Steve Johnson  513


Drag Specialties Magazine
Volume 12 #9