5 Questions With The Spider
By: Jack Korpela

Larry McBride looks to build upon his perfect season at this weekend's AMA/Prostar Orient Express U.S Nationals from Atco, NJ. The Spider is red hot, coming off his fifth victory and fifth pole-position of the year at last month's Pingel Thunder Nationals from Indianapolis, IN. With an Atco win, McBride will remain inline to do what no other Top Fuel motorcycle drag racer has ever done.

JK - You have won the championship the last three seasons which surely has raised your expectations, but, did you ever envision a perfect season?

SM - Absolutely Not. I feel extremely fortunate to be where I am, at this point in the season. I attribute much of our success to maintenance. We've worked very hard to keep the bike together.

JK - Does the thought of keeping the perfect season intact bring about any added pressure?

SM - No. I would be lying if I told you it wouldn't be nice to do it, but we are trying to not even think about it. I don't need any distractions from what already takes an awful lot of concentration. If it happens it happens, if it doesn't, it doesn't.

JK - Looking back, what has been this season's most memorable moment?

SM - No question about it; going 5.88 at my home track in Dinwiddie, VA. It was an unreal weekend. We ran four back-to-back fives. What made it extra special was that all of my family and friends were there.

JK - What are your thoughts on Atco, the tour's only eighth-mile event?

SM - Atco is definitely a great race, but unfortunately, the top-end has just gotten a little too rough for us. Atco has always been a special race for me. It was the place where I set my first ever national record way back in 1991. I went 6.49 for the record and beat Elmer in the finals all in one weekend. Another reason I like Atco is because it is only a six-hour drive for me. It's the second closest race to my house.

Note - McBride has won four of Atco's last nine Top Fuel races.

JK - Since eight-mile records are up for grabs at Atco, how do you feel about your chances of breaking your own 4.010 elapsed-time record, or Elmer Trett's seven-year-old speed record of 190.43 mph (again)?

SM - I think we can break both records this weekend. I have already broken Elmer's speed record but I refused to accept it. I went 192 mph last year and if I claimed the record I would have taken Elmer's name out of the books. If I reset it this year, I still won't take it. I just want to be able to leave his name in the record books.

When I interviewed Larry he was in the middle of putting the final touches on the motors for this weekend and felt very optimistic as to the performance they will yield. This weekend's (Sept 6th-7th) U.S. Motorcycle Nationals has the potential to be a historic event by harboring the sport's first official three-second eight-mile run.