7 – Dan Degood
“I take 150 snaps at the practice tree everyday.” - DD

Most racers dream of winning a single championship. 11-year veteran Dan Degood, perhaps the AHDRA’s most triumphant bracket racer, added two more championships to his already impressive resume in 2004.

Degood scored his 4th ET title and 2nd straight SEP 11.60-index championship riding his 94 Sportster and 97 Buell. Degood says a lot of things went his way in 2004.

“I really got to focus everything on racing this year,” Degood said. “I had fewer distractions now that I am retired from the insurance business. Also we didn’t have any terminal bike failures. We had some great luck on the pairings too. We hardly ever had to face a top ten plate holder in the opening rounds.”
Degood’s perseverance was tested during the thick of the points chase this October in Rockingham, NC where needing a victory to stay in the hunt he spun hard off the starting-line and crashed. Fortunately for Degood his opponent red lighted and he rebounded to win the event.

“That was the most rewarding race I’ve ever been too,” Degood said. “It meant a lot to overcome the crash. I had a dozen people back in my pits banging away, changing handlebars so we could make the next round. It was pretty special.”
Throughout the season Degood exhibited significant consistency in both categories, only suffering one first round loss.

“Last year I had 7 first round losses. The big difference this year is I didn’t have any red lights,” Degood said. “I don’t go up there looking for a .000 light. I’ve learned that if you can keep the lights around the .030 range you can win. It’s 90 percent mental.”

Thanks to several holeshot victories Degood finished the season with 6 event wins and 9 final round appearances.

“I take 150 snaps at the practice tree everyday. If you can get a better light chances are you’re going to win.”

As if racing two classes doesn’t keep him busy enough Degood also serves as crewman for Top Fuel racer Doug Vancil at each of the AHDRA’s 14 events.

“I love being involved,” Degood said. “The only time it gets hectic is when we are both still in the program late in the day. We both won Seattle this year. It was a heck of a lot of work but it was one of the most memorable races.”

Degood achieved an additional goal in 2004 by amassing his 400th career AHDRA round win.

“I take a lot a pride in that milestone,” Degood said. “My goal this year is too hit 500. If I can get 500 I think I will have done enough and I will probably quit. I have a lot of street bikes that never see the road.”

I’m certain Degood will reach his goal 500 wins, but based on his love for the sport I’m not so sure we’ll see this talented veteran retire anytime soon.

6 –Tony Girardi
“I hadn’t made a no-bar pass in 28 years but I was really surprised, the bike was smooth like a Cadillac.” - TG

If asked at the end of last season, how many of us would have predicted the next prevailing force in Outlaw Pro Street racing to be Tony Girardi? Tony who?
Girardi, an ex-Pro Stock racer from the early 90s, seemingly came out of nowhere in 2004 to become the first rider win both the MIROCK and SEMDRA Outlaw Pro Street championships in the same season.

Girardi quit his drywall job last January and went to work as a mechanic and rider for long time racing buddy Dan Wagner of South Florida’s L&W Motorworks.
“I was always interested in motorcycles but I never thought I could make a living off of them,” Girardi said. “Now I actually like coming to work. I’m 45 years old. I can’t do construction forever.”

Just before the start of the season Girardi brought a motor to the table and in no time the duo transformed a pile of parts into the championship machine.
“I had a Greg Cope 1290 Pro Stock motor still lying around,” Girardi said. “Me and Dan took it apart and put on new wrist pins, gaskets, and nozzles for the nitrous. For a little 1290 it ran great, 7.28 at 196 mph.”

Girardi, who qualified for the 40th annual U.S. Nationals back in 1994 and scored several victories aboard a bracket bike, was well accomplished with wheelie bars, but the question was – would one week before the season started be enough time for Girardi to learn how to ride an Outlaw no-bar?

“I was nervous about riding it for the first time,” Girardi admitted. “I hadn’t made a no-bar pass in 28 years but I was really surprised, the bike was smooth like a Cadillac. We went to Moroso and I ran a 7.32 on my first nitrous pass. After that I was hooked.”

Girardi’s MIROCK season culminated at the final race of the year when he defeated quickly encroaching championship contender Chris Moore to lock up the season title.

“We both wheelied and I beat him to the finish line,” Girardi said. “I let out a big sigh of relief when my win light came on. Winning the championship was rough. We put in a lot of hard work this year.”

Girardi battled through the season with only one first round loss, appearing in 3 MIROCK finals. He also tasted victory on two occasions at SEMDRA events. Even though the Outlaw ride was drastically different from his bikes of the past Girardi says his years of experience was a valuable benefit.

“Cutting the tree is always the same,” Girardi said. “Other things too, like trying to be smooth and shifting the bike on time.”

In retrospect Girardi admits never in his wildest dream did he imagine winning both championships back when he left the drywall business in January.

“That wasn’t even a thought,” Girardi said. “I was just trying to finish in the top 10 and go 200 mph. 200 was a big goal of mine because I wasn’t sure that I could ride as good as those younger guys.”

Girardi completed his anticipated 200 mph blast during unofficial testing prior to the Prostar World Finals in November. It’s pretty safe to say he can ride as well as those young guys.

5 –Chip Ellis
“When I drove away from the shop I had tears in my eyes. We weren’t just crew chief and rider, we’re best friends,” - CE

What didn’t Chip Ellis do in 2004?

Versatile Ellis became the first rider in the history of the sport to win an NHRA national, a Prostar race, and an AHDRA event all in the same year.

That’s not say the season didn’t have some downers. After getting off to a ferocious start, winning two of the first three 600 Super Sport races for Kawasaki’s Team Green, Ellis’ bike was stolen from his trailer in St. Louis and found the next day on a nearby street corner severely vandalized.

“It was definitely the low point of the year,” Ellis said. “They crashed it on both sides and blew the motor up. In the end I was lucky to get it back.”
Thanks to some tireless work by Ellis and longtime friend and crew chief Coby Adams, the duo reassembled the machine and won the very next event less than a month later in Norwalk OH. Ellis also won the 1000 class that weekend scoring his first ever “double.”

“That was one of my best weekends ever,” Ellis said. “We were the fastest bike all weekend.”

At mid-season Ellis received the offer he’d been waiting for his entire career. Star Racing’s George Bryce offered Ellis a seat on the state-of-the-art S&S NHRA Pro Stock Buell. One stipulation was that Ellis would have to relocate from North Carolina to Star’s headquarters in Americus, GA – something Ellis says wasn’t easy.

“When I drove away from the shop I had tears in my eyes. The toughest part was leaving Coby, because we weren’t just crew chief and rider, we’re best friends,” Ellis said. “Racing in the NHRA is what I wanted my whole career. To team up with George Bryce is an opportunity of a lifetime and I couldn’t pass it up. Coby supported me.”

With only four passes of testing Ellis made his NHRA debut at the tour’s most highly decorated and media-laden event, the 50th annual U.S. Nationals from Indianapolis, IN. Ellis says he didn’t let the thousands of spectators and dozens of TV cameras psyche him out.

“It was really funny because when we got there I went out and looked at the track and said, damn it looks just the same as it does at the Prostar races,” Ellis said. “I didn’t worry about all the hype. I just went out and focused on making good passes.”

Shortly thereafter Ellis became the first rider in the history of the NHRA to qualify on the pole in his very first pass with a 7.20. By the end of qualifying Ellis retained the top spot and set a new track record of 7.11. Everything was going according to plan until just before the first round of eliminations.

“I was sitting in the staging lanes, opening and closing the throttle, making practice runs in my head and the cable broke,” Ellis said. “There was nothing we could do. We didn’t have time to change it. It was a big disappointment for the team but those things happen. We accomplished a lot at one race.”
Just two races later in Las Vegas Ellis tasted his first NHRA event win in only his third attempt.

“It was the highlight of my drag racing career,” Ellis said. “I’ve always had great luck in Vegas. Me and Steve Rice have won there every time but once on his Funny Bike. I told George if we go to Las Vegas I’m gonna win there.”

Ellis also made an AHDRA appearance in Bristol, TN and won the S&S Street Pro class, becoming the category’s first rider to break into the in the 8-second zone. Ellis went on to claim the AMA/Prostar 600 Super Sport championship, finishing second in 1000 Super Sport with a combined total of 6 wins.

“A lot of strange things happened to me this year, but it definitely all worked out for the best,” Ellis said. “Everything happens for a reason.”

Recently Ellis inked a three-year deal with Star Racing and could very well be on his way to becoming the next illustrious NHRA champion, walking in the footsteps of greats like John Myers

4 –Steve Stordeur
“In 30 years of racing this was by far the smoothest year I ever had,” – SS

By garnering his first AHDRA championship and resetting the organization’s Top Fuel elapsed-time record to 6.35 in 2004, Steve Stordeur assembled his most successful year since his first season of nitro Harley racing back at age 19.

“It was a phenomenal year,” Stordeur said. “To finally win after being so close that many times means a lot.”

Stordeur won the first two races of the tour and went on to win three more by the season’s end to wrap up the title. Not bad for a guy, who along with team owner Johnny Mancuso didn’t even plan to follow the entire circuit.

“We got off to such a good start me and Johnny couldn’t resist,” Stordeur said. “We worked very hard to stay consistent.”

In October Stordeur, who has been as quick as 6.27 in the IHRA, reset AHDRA’s ET record to a 6.357 in Rockingham, NC.

“We have the power to go 20s every single run,” Stordeur said. “It’s all about traction. We rarely get the track prep we need at an all bike event. We need the cars to put down rubber.”

Since becoming a member of the well-staffed Mancuso Racing Team 5 years ago Stordeur has simplified his race day.

“I don’t have to do anything but ride,” Stordeur said. “It’s great. They get it all set up for me. It takes a big load off me.”

Stordeur and Mancuso won 8 of the 12 events in which they entered with at least one of the two appearing in 10 finals.

“I give a lot of credit to the team,” Stordeur said. “Johnny had everything running so smooth that it seemed like if I didn’t win a race he did. In 30 years of racing this was by far the smoothest year I ever had. We had no low points, no serious motor problems. It was one of those years where we didn’t break anything and the bike stayed together and ran consistent.”

Stordeur says the pressure of maintaining the points lead never fazed him during the season.

“After 30 some years I don’t get nervous anymore,” Stordeur said. “It’s either going to happen or it’s not.”

That’s not to say the rigorous season didn’t take its toll on the 49-year-old. “I’m getting to the age where it beats me up every race,” laughed Stordeur.

Stordeur was unexpectedly forced to undergo heart surgery just three weeks after the final race. The champ is recovering quickly and the doctor says he’ll be ready for the first race in March.

Stay tuned to Dragbike.com for the next installment of The Lumberjack Top Ten Performer Count Down.
Jack Korpela can be reached at Lumberjack@dragbike.com

Part 1