All Harley World Shootout

Story and photo yA an Dockery

h, the smell of race g as and

nitromethane plus the roar of Harley-Davidson race bikes was a great way to help bikers get back to normal this spring. Paul Watson of Lumbee Racing held the All Harley World Shootout at 710 Dragway, in Pembroke, NC, on the first Saturday of June.

This was my first race of the year and it was so good to see friends, racers and fans again. Since the All Harley World Shootout is mainly a street bagger type race, not a nationally sanctioned points event, it was the kind of race bikes I like and the folks I hang with. It features big motor baggers and no wheelie bars. Ya gotta ride those bikes and keep the front end down.

Four Pro Fuel Bikes put on their own Nitro Harley Shootout for fans who love an even louder roar and the sting of nitro in the air. And there were some screaming smoking two stroke four wheelers making fast passes. That odd smell in the air when they ran was Castrol.

I love little country drag strips and 710 is a nice one. The pits were filled with race bikes and at one end there were some vendors and exhibits. A bunch of those big wheel baggers were there showing off their designs, builds and awesome paint. Those guys have mega stereos on baggers. They even have contests to judge who has the best stereos. I am not sure how to judge that, but oh, man, did they sound good!

I was chilling in the shade when not on the strip since it was hot and muggy down there in Robeson County. But the action was going down on the 660 feet of dragstrip.

Michael Beland, owner of A1 Cycles in Maiden, NC, was the man to beat in Extreme Bagger. He brought “Meth Beth” to the track and was ready to show folks the quickest way to the end of the strip. That machine worked so well! No drama, it hooked up and hauled straight down the strip, pass after pass. Mike also won the Draggin’ Bagger Class on a bike he

called “The Bus”.

“I ran another personal best,” Mike said, “This was a wellrun race and I can’t wait to go back and win both classes again. These wins show A1 Cycles’ dominance in the performance segment of the motorcycle market.”

I saw some racers and fans I hadn’t seen in a while. Billy Leonard was there with the prettiest race bike at the All Harley World Shootout. A real street sleeper. The stretched fender and saddle bags got your attention before you noticed the S&S 143 inch motor.

Two things folks dig about Outlaw Street Bagger Style Racing is the championship belts for trophies and good payouts for winning. Paul gave away a bunch of belts and more than $13,000 in cash for the winners.

Jay Beasley, of Winston-Salem, NC, was riding” Miss Haley”, Bobby Hoover’s cool old blue Pro Fuel Bike. They won $2,000 and the Hawes Racing Outlaw Grudge Belt. Preston Bartlett was riding the Team LSR Pro Fuel Bike and won the Nitro Harley Shootout Championship and The AHDRA belt sponsored by Bill Rowe. They came up to North Carolina from Florida to race. So did longtime famous Nitro Racer Kirby Apathy. Tyler Wilson, of Jay Turner Racing and Wilson Concrete, won the Tii Tharpe belt sponsored by his team.

Paul, owner of Lumbee Racing, and event coordinator for The All Harley World Shootout, put on a good event with a big crowd on a Saturday afternoon at the dragstrip. It was a great way for bikers to hang with friends and show what all those

fancy parts you bought for that bike will do.

“I would like to thank the people of Robeson County for their continued support of this event,” Paul said, “My goal is, and will continue to be supportive of my Lumbee heritage and giving back at every opportunity to the community of Robeson county. Our race was packed with champions in a lot of categories and competitors from nine states were represented, along with Bill Rowe of the AHDRA, RMJ Promotions, Fort Bragg HD, and Cox’s Double Eagle HD, we are planning on several events this year.”

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