2023 Shakedown Nationals XXI – Michael Thyen Wins 4.60
The FuelTech Shakedown Nationals XXI saw a number of changes leading up to race week, then the popular event was staring eye-to-eye with a less than desirable weather forecast on Saturday, originally scheduled as the main elimination day.
The rain-stricken forecast put a dent into the racer turnout and the affects were seen through the pit area as testing began on Thursday morning. Event officials made the tough decision to advance the elimination rounds into Friday evening after completing qualifying to try and complete the event for the racers and teams who attended the 2023 edition of the popular event that has seen primetime performances for so many years.
4.60 Motorcycle yielded a full field of motorcycles battling it out to run right on the 4.60 elapsed time number without going too fast. Category kingpin, Boo Brown, took home the #1 Qualifying honors with a dead-on 4.600 run to lead the 20-bike field into eliminations.
North Carolina’s Michael Thyen was the last man standing when the day came to a close, taking down Florida’s Spencer Allen in an ultra-tight final round, with the margin of victory being only .008 of a second at the finish line. Boo Brown was the lone semi-finalist.
ELIMINATIONS
| FINALS | ||||
| W – | Michael Thyen | 0.029 | 4.623 | 152.19 |
| RU – | Spencer Allen | 0.030 | 4.629 | 145.78 |
| SEMI-FINAL | ||||
| W – | Michael Thyen | 0.053 | 4.597 | 150.26 |
| L – | Boo Brown | -0.004 | 4.606 | 152.19 |
| W – | Spencer Allen | -0.011 | 4.598 | 153.18 |
| L – | BYE | |||
| ROUND 3 | ||||
| W – | Spencer Allen | 0.045 | 4.606 | 152.74 |
| L – | Ricky Butler | 0.097 | 4.587 | 149.02 |
| W – | Michael Thyen | 0.016 | 4.620 | 144.88 |
| L – | Troy Hausmann | 0.031 | 4.608 | 151.44 |
| W – | Boo Brown | 0.008 | 4.608 | 152.76 |
| L – | BYE | |||
| ROUND 2 | ||||
| W – | Spencer Allen | 0.025 | 4.667 | 133.99 |
| L – | Jim Shifflett | 4.346 | ||
| W – | Ricky Butler | 0.065 | 4.658 | 138.03 |
| L – | Kenny Morgan | 0.040 | 4.803 | 142.13 |
| W – | Troy Hausmann | 0.023 | 4.605 | 152.28 |
| L – | Broderick Jackson | -0.001 | 4.638 | 147.23 |
| W – | Michael Thyen | 0.001 | 4.617 | 145.34 |
| L – | Ronnie Procopio | 0.057 | 4.611 | 156.86 |
| W – | Boo Brown | 0.042 | 4.617 | 151.51 |
| L – | Mac McAdams | 0.060 | 4.591 | 146.07 |
| ROUND 1 | ||||
| W – | Troy Hausmann | 0.038 | 4.648 | 137.06 |
| L – | Rob Hunnicutt | 0.023 | 4.771 | 143.40 |
| W – | Ricky Butler | 0.015 | 4.700 | 129.65 |
| L – | Curtis Griggs | -0.006 | 4.899 | 126.77 |
| W – | Ronnie Procopio | 0.023 | 4.599 | 157.03 |
| L – | Durwood Rawlings | -0.142 | 4.663 | 132.61 |
| W – | Boo Brown | 0.121 | 4.666 | 131.95 |
| L – | Barry Pryer | 0.069 | 6.343 | 114.94 |
| W – | Spencer Allen | 0.062 | 4.624 | 146.96 |
| L – | Shawn Rainey | 0.072 | 4.694 | 149.66 |
| W – | Kenny Morgan | 0.168 | 4.751 | 144.35 |
| L – | Michael Stewart | 0.218 | 4.594 | 150.31 |
| W – | Mac McAdams | 0.001 | 4.627 | 155.74 |
| L – | Wes Hawkings | -0.011 | 4.668 | 151.20 |
| W – | Jim Shifflett | 0.030 | 4.763 | 136.88 |
| L – | Kelvin Bradley | 0.161 | 4.770 | 142.09 |
| W – | Michael Thyen | 0.001 | 4.662 | 140.71 |
| L – | Harvey Hubbard | 0.122 | 4.626 | 148.02 |
| W – | Broderick Jackson | 0.027 | 4.612 | 146.21 |
| L – | Joe Procopio | 0.085 | 4.580 | 156.70 |
FINAL QUALIFYING
| 1 | Boo Brown | Ptomac Falls VA | 4.600 |
| 2 | Jim Shifflett | Waynesboro VA | 4.603 |
| 3 | Ronnie Procopio | Wake Forest NC | 4.606 |
| 4 | Troy Hausmann | Severna Park MD | 4.609 |
| 5 | Ricky Butler | Culpeper VA | 4.611 |
| 6 | Michael Stewart | Great Mills MD | 4.613 |
| 7 | Broderick Jackson | McDougal GA | 4.616 |
| 8 | Michael Thyen | Sherrills Ford NC | 4.617 |
| 9 | Spencer Allen | Cape Coral | 4.623 |
| 10 | Wes Hawkings | Catlett VA | 4.624 |
| 11 | Mac McAdams | Dunkirk MD | 4.626 |
| 12 | Shawn Rainey | Waterford CT | 4.647 |
| 13 | Harvey Hubbard | Sedley VA | 4.675 |
| 14 | Joe Procopio | Wake Forest NC | 4.676 |
| 15 | Kenny Morgan | Lynchburg VA | 4.725 |
| 16 | Curtis Griggs | Monroe NC | 4.731 |
| 17 | Rob Hunnicutt | Hughesville MD | 4.763 |
| 18 | Durwood Rawlings | Prince Frederick Md | 4.824 |
| 19 | Kelvin Bradley | Alberquerque NM | 5.226 |
| 20 | Barry Pryer | Chesapeake VA | 5.541 |
The 2023 edition of the FuelTech Shakedown Nationals XXI was a tough battle for all involved with the weather challenges and the on-track competition but all-in-all, the event was completed and crowded champions in all categories. We are already working on the 2024 edition of the Shakedown Nationals and working to bring unique aspects to this event moving forward for years to come.
Read the full event recap, click here.
