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Larry McBride breaks his own record with a 5.80-second quarter-mile run



[Larry McBride makes his record-setting run as his competitor, Jamie Emery, suffers a mechanical failure. Photo by Robert Keene Photos]

Larry McBride took his hard-charging, tire-smoking, blitzkrieging Top-Fuel dragbike to another level in AMA Prostar competition on May 7.

At the AMA Prostar Lucus Oil Spring Nationals at the Virginia Motorsports Park in Richmond, Virginia, the six-time Top Fuel Champion added to his legend by setting a new record in the quarter-mile: 5.80 seconds at 240.68 mph. That beat the old record of 5.86 seconds, also set by McBride.

"Oh man, I'm so ecstatic over it that I can hardly believe it's going on," says McBride, who set the quarter-mile speed record at Valdosta, Georgia, in March with a 245.36. "Last year was such a bad year when I got sick and couldn't finish the season, to come back this year and do what we've done is just incredible."

In AMA Prostar drag racing, a record must be backed up by a second run that comes within 1 percent of the fast run. Both runs must be completed the same weekend of competition to be recognized.

McBride set the stage for his record with a 5.81 in Saturday qualifying, but he could only manage a 5.89, which just missed the mark. On Sunday, however, McBride ran a 5.80 in his only run before the event was called due to rain and a new record was established.

"I knew it was a good run right off," McBride says. "It's too bad it was called. It was a good day. We were 95 percent sure that we would go a [5.]78 or a 79 on the next pass."

With the Virginia event postponed due to rain, only two AMA Prostar events are in the books at presstime. Through two rounds, McBride leads Jimmy Brantley in Top Fuel points, 218 to 176. Ray Cason is third, 65 more points back.

For more, visit www.amaprostar.com. The American Motorcyclist Association URL for this article: www.amadirectlink.com/news/2006/ETrecord.asp