Melissa
Surber’s
Actions
Speak Louder
than Words
This talented
newcomer
has the
makings
of a future
Pro Stock
Motorcycle
star if she can
overcome her
one big fear
S
he did her best to put on a brave face but it was painfully obvious that Melissa Surber was uneasy. Surber tried to quell
her fears by repeatedly telling herself to keep calm. The little voice
in her head repeated over and over “act naturally and everything
will be just fine” but even that wasn’t enough to cure the anxiety.
As she neared the breaking point, it was more and more obvious
that the up-and-coming NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle rookie was
nervous as hell. Far less obvious was the fact that Surber’s angst
wasn’t in any way triggered by the prospect of straddling her Buell to make a 195
MPH run in front of a jam-packed crowd of spectators at the NHRA Gatornationals.
Nope. This time, it was nothing more than the arrival of the FOX Sports television
crew that sent the petite 21-year-old into a frenzy. ¶ You see, riding a motorcycle
comes naturally for Surber, the daughter of longtime California-based racer and
chassis builder James Surber, but conducting interviews, speaking in public, signing autographs, dealing with large crowds, or anything else that runs counter to
her introverted nature is another matter entirely. ¶ “You guys want to talk to me?”
Surber meekly asks the TV crew, already knowing the answer. “Okay, I’ll do my best.”
94 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
By Anthony
Michaels
Photographs by
RICK BELDEN