LIGHTS, CLUTCH, FULL THROTTLE
The state capital raceway
BY: JENN (RED) DUGAN
Jennifer Dugan and Billy Doherty
Richard Wagner and Tatar Gilmore, along with a group of fellow racers
joined together in 1985 to create the world’s last standing association of
American made, v twin based motorcycle drag racing. In 2000, the AMRA
was purchased by Marty and Jayne VandenHeuvel of Ironman Racing and
with the help of Rich Wagner they’ve been bringing us the world’s best
racers and kick ass nitro infused drag racing ever since.
The State Capital Raceway in Baton Rouge held the first race of the 2017
season and if you missed it, you missed an action-packed weekend. The racers
started the weekend with many obstacles to hurdle early on. With bad rain and
fog battling to take the track, the need for speed faced mother nature head on
but the skies cleared and the racers were hitting the lanes. We were promised a
complete weekend full of entertainment and we got exactly that. And for some
the track showed us just how crucial it could be. With tons of mishaps on and off
the track this weekend definitely showed us who wanted it the most and this
year the females dominated the race track as they came out to show everyone
that racing isn’t just for men.
This is Cy Arcement of Lafayette’s first year to race in the AMRA and with the
luck of the draw Cy went from sitting in first on the sub list to the second round
of his class. Kyle Leblanc finished out the weekend unknowingly racing with a
cracked piston but still managed to take 3rd place. Juiceman from Houma came
in hot this weekend with the dresser class placing 2nd. He still has some quirks
to line out running in the super comp class, but I believe by the first round at
Bowling Green all that will be history. Barry Guillory from Pine Prairie took
second place in the Hot Street class with the 9.7 sec pass at 136 mph. He just
couldn’t pull close to John Troth of Twilight, PA with a 6.1 win. Fast Eddie from
Little Rock, Arkansas is running in the eliminator class and is tailing behind
Cy on the leader board. This could fast become a battle up the leaders board
between these two racers. Billy Doherty took first place in open gas but by the
end of the weekend went home with a busted crank shafts on the banana. And
the females……. COMPLETE DOMINATION this year. As Sharon Dubois takes
first place in the pro eliminator class, Kimberly Deshields took first in the super
gas class, and there were at least 2 females competing in 12 out of 17 classes.
I want to take the time to say thank you to the AMRA and all its staff, State
Capital Speedway and all its staff and the racers and their crew for giving us a
weekend filled with the smell of burnt rubber, nitromethane, great family and
friends, and loud ass bikes,
Until Bowling Green, remember when life gets you down its just one
down and four up.
24 Thunder Roads Magazine Louisiana | May 2017 | www.thunderroadslouisiana.org
www.thunderroadslouisiana.org | May 2017 | Thunder Roads Magazine Louisiana
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