PASS OF THE YEAR 268.30 MPH IN TOP FUEL MOTORCYCLE AT NHRA VIRGINIA NATIONALS ||||||||||||||||||||||||

When Larry “ Spiderman ” McBride laid down a record pass aboard his Top Fuel Motorcycle at the 2022 NHRA Virginia Nationals , it sent shock waves of excitement through the drag racing community .

McBride recorded the fastest motorcycle pass in drag racing history – 268.30 MPH , clocking in at 5.61 seconds , shattering his previous record of 265.95 MPH at South Georgia Motorsports Park in 2021 . The new record pass was made at his home track of Virginia Motorsports Park , something that McBride said was special to him .

As a matter of fact , McBride actually ran into some trouble on Friday night during his first quarter-mile pass . He broke the drive belt and lost the round . However , McBride rebounded and made history the next day .

“ We just kind of hopped the bike up a little bit and calmed it down low and out in the middle ,” said McBride of the record tune-up . “ It got a little bit loose , and I had to pedal it a little bit – you know , just grabbed the rear brake – to get it caught back up , and , boy , really run a good back half . I knew I went awful fast . I didn ’ t really realize I went 268 , but I knew it was really fast .”

During his interview on the starting line postrun , the 64-year-old received a standing ovation from the crowd at Virginia Motorsports Park .

“ I ’ ve been treated like a king here ; it has been

awesome that all the Top Fuel car guys and Funny Car guys who have helped me and all the support that I ’ ve gotten ,” said McBride .

“ Spiderman ,” as he ’ s fondly referred to after an announcer at the 1980 U . S . Nationals saw him nimbly moving on the bike during a run , admitted to pedaling the bike after the impressive pass . McBride was sure if he was given another attempt that night , he could have easily cracked 270 MPH and possibly gone past it .

“ I just wanna do everything I can do for drag racing . We ’ ve had a lot of help from people like Bobby Lagana , Bill Miller Engineering , and Dave Grubnic ,” McBride said previously . “ We ’ ve had a lot of people who have pitched in to help us a little bit to get the thing calmed down enough so we wouldn ’ t blow the tire off and we could do the show that we were brought here to do .”

As far as “ Spiderman ’ s ” technique , he said , “ Hold on tight . Stay down low . Throttle works both ways .” – KAYLA ZADEL DI

PHOTOS : NHRA AND CYCLEDRAG

NOMINEES : TROY COUGHLIN JR . BEATS ERICA ENDERS BY . 0001 FOR FIRST PRO STOCK WIN / ERICA ENDERS ’ 6.450 IN PRO STOCK AT NHRA GATOR NATIONALS / BRITTANY FORCE ’ S 338.94 MPH IN TOP FUEL AT NHRA FINALS / MELANIE SALEMI ’ S 3.568 IN PRO BOOST AT PDRA EAST COAST NATIONALS / ROB GOSS ’ 4.108 IN X275 AT NO MERCY 13

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