ROCKINGHAM — Tii Tharpe, who recently clinched his second NHRA Top Fuel Harley title in as many seasons, is looking to add another layer of icing to his 2019 cake this weekend at Rockingham Dragway.
The track will host the 28th annual Jim McClure All-Harley World Finals on Saturday and Sunday, and Tharpe, a past winner at the Richmond County strip, would like nothing better than continue his title celebration with another trip to the winner’s circle. The event is sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Racing Association and will put a bow on the group’s 2019 campaign.
“I really like Rockingham,” said Tharpe, a Pfafftown resident whose most recent victory at Rockingham came in the spring of 2017. “It’s kind of like a home track, and I’ve had really, really good experiences there. It’s a good track, nice and long.”
That bountiful shutdown area could come in quite handy this weekend. A stellar forecast — a smattering of clouds to shade the track and fall temperatures around 80 — will provide the recipe for potential AMRA world records. The current marks, both held by Tommy Grimes of Winston-Salem, are 6.197 seconds and 231.6 miles per hour.
At the NHRA U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend, one of Tharpe’s teammates, Randal Andras of Amelia, Louisiana, blistered the quarter mile in 6.158 seconds to lead qualifying. His bike then ran consistent numbers in eliminations, and in the finals, Andras took the win light over Tharpe, who had clinched the NHRA crown earlier in the day for the second consecutive season.
“Rockingham’s always great this time of year, especially when the weather’s shaping up like it is for this weekend,” said Tharpe, whose bike is prepared by Jay Turner Racing. “We should be able to throw down some good numbers. The track surface is always great for us when we race there.”
Tharpe and Andras will be joined by another pair of JTR riders, including the team’s namesake owner and multi-time world champ, Jay Turner. Also joining the stable for the weekend is Tyler Wilson, the first cousin of multi-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle kingpin Matt Smith.
Andras holds a commanding points lead over Turner heading into the finale. The third-place rider in the standings, Armon Furr of Orangeburg, South Carolina, will be trying to rebound from a crash in the most recent AMRA race at Beech Bend, Kentucky.
“I want to run some teens,” Tharpe said, “but I think Randal’s bike … well, if that supercharged bike gets happy, watch out.”
Among the others who will be on hand to challenge for the gold will be defending event champion Doug Vancil of Cedar Crest, New Mexico. Vancil finished in the runner-up spot in the NHRA standings to Tharpe each of the past two seasons.
The finale is the seventh AMRA race of the season for its multiple divisions and the third for the Top Fuel riders.
Time trials and qualifying gets underway at 10 a.m. Saturday, and Sunday’s eliminations kick off at 11 a.m.
Adult tickets are $20 a day, and there are discounts are available for two or three-day combo tickets; action begins Friday with a test-and-tune session. There’s a $5 discount on tickets purchased in advance at www.rockinghamdragway.com and children under 6 are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult
