Rate this article:
Speed Addicts: Grand Prix Racing
Speed Addicts is the complete and definitive illustrated book of grand prix motor racing, told in the form of a human story.
Our Price: $34.99 ON SALE!
Mickey Thompson: The Fast Life and Tragic Death of a Racing Legend
The complete story of this true American legend is one worth slowing down for.
Our Price: $25.00
Victory By Design: Ferrari DVD
Alain de Cadenet, a long-time Ferrari enthusiast and aficionado, drives some of the great sports racers and sports cars.
Our Price: $24.95
Written by:
SPEED Staff
SPEEDtv.com
SPEEDtv.com
06/20/2008 - 12:12 PM
Budd’s Creek, MD
Rickey Gadsen ยป More Photos
Taking immediate advantage of a break in the HTP Performance True Street rules allowing two extra inches of wheelbase for big bore motorcycles like his ZX14, Rickey Gadson scored the first MiRock Superbike series pro class win ever for a Kawasaki.
“All winter I had been reading about MiRock’s newest class called True Street,” said Gadson. ”I contacted Rob Muzzy back in January and asked if he would be interested in sponsoring my effort in MiRock. With Muzzy’s shortage of ZX14 engines, because of his NHRA Pro Stock program, I missed the first race at Rockingham and just made the second at one at Budds Creek. Man, I was armed with a switchblade in a fight with Al-Qaeda! I had to run my stock ZX14 with an NOS dry shot, but the dry shot wasn't working and I only qualified 12th.”
Eliminations were rained out that weekend and rescheduled to run on Saturday of the June race at Maryland International Raceway, a delay that worked in Gadson’s favor. “The extra time allowed me to get my two inch oil pan, straight link, and new Adams Performance dogbones from Coby Adams. Coby also sent me a swingarm, but forgot about the nitrous bottle holder. So that first week of June had me splitting time between customer bikes at my Sportbike Zone shop and my True Street bike. Two days before the race, I am sure that there were some upset customers as I had everyone employed at the shop working on something related to getting me out the door to test!”
So on Thursday night before leaving for Maryland, Rickey took the black ’14
Gadson unloaded in unseasonably oppressive heat and humidity, even for swampy south Maryland. Two races in one weekend, with ambient temperatures of at least 98 degrees and humidity levels around 80%, had the atmosphere at MIR like a pressure cooker. “Our first pass off the truck, the bike didn't spray and ran a 9.18 at 146,” said Rickey, who showed up with no crew for the weekend. Fortunately, Kawasaki die-hard Chad Kinser and Gary Purnell of the famous Purnell Twins rolled up their sleeves and pitched in. “We lifted the bodywork and found a bad NOS solenoid. We changed that, but were also concerned with the weather and how that would affect the big bike’s performance. A lot people there were surprised when we came back out and ran a 8.31 at 169 in the first round of qualifying, but me and Richard knew that was just the tip of the iceberg.”
Page 1 of 2
View All Comments
