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HENSON OPENS
TITLE DEFENSE IN ROCKINGHAM'S SPRING BIKE OPEN
ROCKINGHAM - Barry
Henson hopes to take up where he left off this week (March 15-16)
when he opens defense of his World's Fastest Street Bike title
in the Max V/Spencercycle.com Spring Bike Open at Rockingham
Dragway.
Henson, a veteran
racer and parts manufacturer from Davie, Fla., chased down Salisbury's
Doug "Underdog" Ray in the last race of the season to earn the
"World's Fastest" distinction and stamp himself as the 2003
favorite.
Among those expected
to challenge for the Spring Open title are Ray, the 2001 "World's
Fastest," Alphonso Thompson of Blades, Fla., Allen Kea of Elm
City, Trevor Altman of Forest City, John Russell of Charlotte,
Dwayne McKinney of Lancaster, S.C., and John Dobrin of Sarasota,
Fla.
In addition to the
Velocity Racing-backed World's Fastest Street Bike Series, the
Spring Open also will feature the Schnitz Racing Outlaw Pro
Street Series, the Mickey Thompson Tires 60-Inch Pro Sport Bike
Series, the Honda-Suzuki of Sanford 5.60 Heads-Up Series and
the popular new Cycle Concepts Rock Heavy Series for riders
weighing at least 240 pounds.
Matt Smith of King
and Anthony Smith of Charlotte are the top Carolina threats
in the Outlaw Pro Street class which was dominated last year
by Joseph Long of Hialeah, Fla., and Bernard "Boom Boom" Cannon
of Miami. Smith lost to Long in last year's Spring Open final
when he was guilty of a foul start.
In the 60-Inch Pro
Sport Bike class, Fayetteville's Johnnie "Airtime" Locklear
is expected to resume his rivalry with Alphonso Thompson, who
again will compete this year for two different championships.
Also expected to challenge are Chip Ellis of Columbia, S.C.,
and Ryan Schnitz of Decatur, Ind.
Defending Spring Open
champ in the 5.60 Heads-up class is Salisbury's Michael Pendergraft.
One of the most interesting
races could be that for the "Heavyweight" championship. Introduced
last fall, the new Rock Heavy class is expected to draw a quality
field including Charlotte's Tyrone Smith, who beat Chad Milford
of Florence, S.C., to win the inaugural race last November.
One of the most interesting
sidelights to the competition will be the race to see who gets
the free dinner from the Great China Buffet. Designated the
"Official Restaurant of the Rock Heavy Series," Great China
will award a free meal at each of the four races comprising
the series to the heaviest of the qualified riders.
The track will be
open at 10 a.m. Friday for a special motorcycle test session
and will re-open from 6-10 p.m. for the regular weekly Rock
106 Street Drags event.
Gates open Saturday
at 9 a.m. with time trials at 10 and pro qualifying at 1 p.m.,
3 p.m. and 5 p.m. Gates open Sunday at 9 a.m. with time trials
at 10:30 a.m. and eliminations starting at 1 p.m.
Adult tickets for
the event are $20 a day or $35 for a special two-day pass. Children
six to 12 are $5 daily. Children under six are free when accompanied
by a ticketed adult.
All tickets include
pit access and free parking in Rockingham Dragway's main lot
although VIP parking is available inside the track for an additional
$5.
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