LEE'S FALL NATIONALS LAST MAJOR MOTORCYCLE RACE OF SEASON

ROCKINGHAM – Defending event and series champion Barry Henson of Davie, Fla., leads the world's fastest street bikes back to Rockingham Dragway Saturday and Sunday for the Lee's Performance Fall Bike Nationals, the last major motorcycle race of the 2003 drag racing season.

Henson is locked in a battle with Charlotte's Lee Shierts and Alphonso "L'il Butch" Thompson of Blades, Del., for the 2003 Velocity Racing World's Fastest Street Bike championship which will be decided at Rockingham.
Each of the combatants for the World's Fastest Championship has won one time previously this year, Henson in the Spring Open, Thompson in Schnitz Summer Sizzler and Shierts in most recent race in the series, the September Fish's Customs Autumn Bike Nationals.

Actually, both Henson and Thompson were winners in last year's Fall Bike Nationals although Thompson's victory came in the Mickey Thompson Performance Tires 60-Inch Sport Bike class, one of three categories in which champions are crowned using accumulative points from races at both Rockingham and Maryland International Raceway.

Although Henson can't yet celebrate a second straight World's Fastest title, Mike Slowe of Besalem, Pa, and Joseph Long of Hialeah, Fla., have already clinched championships in Schnitz Outlaw Pro Street and 60-Inch Sport Bike classes, respectively. Each series champion earns a $2,000 bonus.

In the hotly-contested Cycle Concepts Heavyweights series, for riders weighing in at 240 pounds or more, Ehrin Litten of Louisburg will try this week to hold off the challenge posed by a pair of Michigan riders – John Vermuelen of Clarkston and Shane Ratliff of Roseville.

In addition to the featured categories, champions also will be crowned in the Honda-Suzuki of Sanford 5.60 Heads-Up class, in Nitrous Express pro bracket and in Dragbike.com street bracket.

The race also will feature a fast two-wheeler of a different type, Danny O'Day's supercharged wheelstander.
Gates open Saturday at 9 a.m. with pro qualifying at 1 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and bracket eliminations at 1:30 p.m. Gates open Sunday at 9 a.m. with time trials at 10:30 and first round racing at 12 noon.

Adult tickets for the race are $20 each day or $35 for a special two-day ticket. Kids six through 12 are $5 daily. Children under six are free when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Parking is free in the main lot. Preferred parking inside the track is $5 additional.