AMRA this Weekend at US 131 Dragway in Martin, Michigan

On FRIDAY, June 26, 2026, the American Motorcycle Racing Association will roll into US 131 Motorsports Park, in Martin, Michigan, for the third race of a six-race series, with the AMRA motorcycle drag racing sanction. This is a mighty important race for all championship point racers as race number two at Hebron, Ohio, was a total washout, which was canceled by the track due to weather.

Now that the 2026 racing season for AMRA racers has become a five-event series for the year, anyone who does not make this event in Michigan will find themselves squarely behind the 8-ball come September. This is a must-attend race for the AMRA faithful.

Race rigs will begin pouring into the US 131 Motorsports Park facility as racers are eager to do some Friday night Test & Tune at this excellent racetrack. On Saturday, registration begins at 9am and qualifying for all 14 classes starts at 12 noon.

AMRA class racers who won during the season opener at Belle Rose are all the current class point’s leaders. Racers and fans can expect all hands on deck for all respective classes to defend their points’ leads.

In Circle M Ranch, Johnny Mancuso sponsored Top Fuel, Samu Kemppainen of Finland currently leads the class after his opening 20206 season win at Belle Rose. Samu, tuned by the very capable Mike Romine Racing crew, is out to secure the #1 plate that eluded him by one round in 2025. Hot on his heels is Top Fuel racer Paul Anderson, who is very much at home on the US 131 racing surface. Ryan Peery, the 2025 champion, plans on being there racing, expect big things from Top Fuel at this race.

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In Armon Furr Racing Nitro Funny Bike, USMC proud racer Jimmy Doyle of Springfield, Massachusetts, took the win at the season opener, and he’s looking forward to the Michigan event, as is number two points man Kenneth “Stubby” Hultman. Ken’s AMRA NFB, is ready for a good thrashing and he’s just the man for the job.

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Hawaya Racing Pro Fuel class at Martin, MI will see veteran P/F pilot Jim Martin on his nitromethane-powered monster trying to fend off Mary Dangrow, who will be relentless in her efforts to defend her 2025 number 1 plate. Expect at least two dozen nitro bikes at this AMRA national event.

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Pro Outlaw’s number one dominator, Billy Doherty, of Louisiana, will be at this event, ready to defend his championship lead. He would welcome worthy challengers to step forward into his beloved class.

AMRA Pro Bagger – Nick Boey is riding high in the number one spot coming into the Michigan race. Bert Baker of Baker Drive Train is in the number two spot, and both racers are fully aware of the other sharks circling the waters of Pro Bagger. No one is safe in Pro Bagger class from the Megalodon big Pro Bagger bikes that have yet to appear at a 2026 AMRA event. A point’s lead change can happen at any time in this class. Nick will have his hands full at this event and he’s capable of winning this one for sure.

Zippers Performance Products Modified class, currently lead by Cody Hayworth of North Carolina, will see him out there twisting the throttle, hoping to secure win number two of the season.

Hot Street, sponsored by Axtell Cylinders, has Chad Trayner, of Kentucky in the championship lead and while the bike count was lean in Belle Rose at the first race, racers and fans can expect the bike count to go up in Michigan, as this is a very popular, highly competitive class that can produce great numbers across the board.

Thunder Max Street Bagger, currently under the championship leadership of Nick Boey, will see a serious threat from national #1 plate holder Jimmy Maikranz, and his teammates Jeff Boudreaux and David “Paco” Cartwright. The Texas contingent will not go quietly from their dominance of Street Bagger racing. All true Texans LOVE a good fight. Expect to see one in Thunder Max Street Bagger.

Top Eliminator, will be a tightly contested class for all remaining races of the AMRA 2026 season. The quick 9.30 index class has great racers who can run the number and win at every event. The current championship lead belongs to Cody Hayworth, who is a frontrunner in multiple classes. David Doremus is right on Cody’s wheelie bars and will fight him round for round all season. This class will go all the way to the last race of the season before a clear winner will emerge.

Huffman Performance and Service, 9.90 Super Gas class, has racer Jimmy Smith, #92 leading Tom Krava by a slim margin, as the current point’s leader. There will be many rounds of racing between now and October before this class can be settled for a national champion. Donnie Huffman will be watching closely from above and whoever wins the championship will know – they earned it.

BK Electric 10.30 Super Pro, led by Chad Caplingler, of Ohio, will see Chad ready to defend his points lead, just ahead of Robert Mallory. This 10.30 index class is heavily populated with AMRA heavyweights who will fight savagely for the number one spot during the remaining three races of the season. It’s way too early now to predict who it may be.

S&S Cycles 10.90, Pro Eliminator class will see dog-fight action between the class leader, John Powers, and Jeremiah Disbrow, William George and Chad Trayner, during the US 131 event. Pro Elim is a heavily populated class and the more rounds a racer trades punches, the greater the points totals at the end of the event. Expect leadership in this class to change hands most every event in 2026. It’s really brutal, difficult, motorcycle drag racing to win in this class.

Thunder Max 11.50 Street Eliminator at Michigan will be a brawl between current leader John Powers, John Poett III, Bryce Creek and Tom Krava. Now add a full frontal assault from Austin “Hammer Head” Hughes and the Clarke Clan, and you’ve got the street fight that Thunder Max 11.50 Street Eliminator will be every race till the 2026 season concludes. GREAT RACING!

The Baker Drive Train Eliminator class is arguably the toughest within the fourteen AMRA classes of competition to win a championship. The bike count is always deep double digits, and the rounds of racing required for any racer to place well, never mind win an event, is grueling to say the least. E-class racers will go ten to twenty laps during a race weekend, easily. The challenges on the racers are as demanding on them physically as are the demands on the race bikes. Winning in this class does not come easily. Bryce Creek of Kentucky is currently the man to beat, and he’s ready to rumble at all times. It will be sometime Sunday evening when this class finishes racing, to be sure.

SUNDAY eliminations for all classes will begin with the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag, followed closely by our National Anthem at 12 noon. As eliminations progress, the run order on Sunday will be Top Fuel, Nitro Funny Bike, Pro Fuel, Pro Outlaw, Pro Bagger, Modified, S/G 9.90, P/E 10.30, T/E 9.30, S/E 11.50, St/Bagger, S/P 10.30, Hot/St, and Eliminator.
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Until Next time… – Tom McCarthy E-mail Tom on Facebook

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ABOUT AMRA
The American Motorcycle Racing Association was formed 40 years ago and is the only officially sanctioned association that is exclusively dedicated to American made, V-Twin based motorcycle drag racing in the world. Whether you’re interested in E.T. based racing, set index racing, heads-up or Top Fuel Nitro Bikes, we have a class for you. Membership is easy and the events are carried out in a way that makes it easy for beginners and veterans alike. All class designations and rules for each can be found here as well as the membership application. We are happy to welcome new racers and offer help to get you started. Join today and we’ll see ya at the track.