Sun, 6 Dec 2009, 10:58 AM Pollard Nitrosports 2009 End of Season Report

Courtesy of Jory Elliott, Driven Marketing Media A Personal Note from Greg and Geoff Pollard

DORCHESTER, ONTARIO -- What a great first season for Pollard Nitrosports!

After an exciting debut in 2008 there were high expectations and some self inflicted pressure to run some big numbers in 2009. After a slow start at Martin (Michigan) and our first Grand Bend (Ontario) event, Pollard Nitrosports came on strong with some record setting runs including two AMA national event Top Fuel wins, a final round appearance at Valdosta (Georgia) and membership in the MTC 5-second club. Quite a first season!

Our plan for the year was generally to end our season at Norwalk (Ohio) and leave the Valdosta trip as a maybe, depending on funds, vacation time remaining, etc. We had pretty much decided it was a no go until some people stepped up and offered to help us go. We have to thank Melissa Prong, Milton Transmission (Harry Manovich), Ted Glinny, Mike's Transmissions (Mike Konopacki), Dave Wainman, Dave Vantine, McKay Fuels (Graham McKay). Along with these people, members of our own team stepped up to help split the remaining costs from their own pockets.

We went to Valdosta with one goal in mind, to run a 5; of course we wanted to win the race but decided that every run we made that weekend would have 5 second potential.

We made four runs with a new tranny gear at Norwalk, but with the cold weather and some tranny problems we didn't know if the gear change was positive. We did see something on the computer after the last run that showed us we were headed in the right direction.

We skipped the Friday test session and prepared for the first qualifier Friday night (at Valdosta). After watching Korry (Hogan) make his much talked about 5.88 run while scrapping the wall, Geoff had to collect himself and follow Korry down the left lane, where we had some excitement of our own. After going thru the beams for our first 5, the bike lost the chain, Geoff got over on the left side of the bike and scrapped the outer frame rail. After Tony told us Geoff was OK we all celebrated.

Honestly, the rest of the weekend was gravy for Pollard Nitrosports. The chain had done some damage, we celebrated, but had to work hard to be ready for our second run Saturday afternoon. With essentially the same tune up we ran the same 1/8th mile time and a very respectable 6.004. Qualifying was over and we had Larry (McBride) 1st round. Our goal for Sunday morning was to improve slightly and make our best pass ever. If Larry went 5.80 so be it. The track was there and after a minor repair first thing Sunday morning the bike was ready. There was a real chance for the first ever side by side 5's, but it wasn't meant to be. Larry had an almost unheard of fuel leak at the line and Tony had to shut him off. For us, the third 3.92 1/8th mile time but some more top end charge, 5.932 at 241.84, the fastest pass ever by a non U.S. motorcycle. We were thrilled and in the finals against Chris Hand who had just run an awesome 244 mph.

We went to the final with the same set-up as our morning pass. The track had been great all weekend and we thought it would hold. Geoff left first and got out on Chris but then we shook the tire hard and the bike went right, Geoff headed for the centerline and had to let off. The end of an absolutely awesome season for Pollard Nitrosports!

Summary of Season Accomplishments
* Spring 2009 - 7 Show awards including 2 Best Engineered awards and the Best in Show award for Non-Professional Builders at the Toronto Spring Motorcycle Show
* August 2009 -AMA Top Fuel National Event Win at Indianapolis - Reset Canadian Dragbike ET & Speed record in the final of that event (6.044 sec at 232 mph)
* September 2009 - Grand Bend Night of Nitro - Set a new elapsed time record on Canadian soil of 6.14 seconds on the Saturday night run. Canada had never seen a run like that before.
* October 2009 - Captured our 2nd AMA Top Fuel win of 2009 at the Norwalk Track or Treat Nationals.
* November 2009 - Became the 5th member, and the first Canadians, of the MTC 5-second club with a 5.96/233.32 mph Friday night run at the AMA finals in Valdosta, Georgia. Bettered that mark on Sunday with a 5.93 at 241.84 blast during eliminations.
* Reset our Canadian ET & speed record with the 5.93 run, we are now #5 for ET and #4 for speed on the all time motorcycle drag racing list worldwide. We are also the fastest non U.S. dragbike in the world.
* The 5th member of the MTC/AMA 5-second club.

Geoff and I have so many people to thank for a great year,

The people and businesses above who helped us get to Valdosta and achieve a dream that we have been after since we moved to Top Fuel in 2001.

Our team, Aaron Langford, Jack Learment, Ron Jury, Tayler Brabandt and Tyler Priddle for a season of hard work, sharing cost to get to Valdosta and putting up with Geoff and I. (not always easy to do)

Our spouses, Stephanie Pollard, Bonnie Campbell & Jen Jury. Their hard work and dedication keeps the team running smooth.

Larry, Steve and the McBride team for their help on and off the track since our project began 4 years ago.

We are proud to thank Brad Penn Oil, the "Official Oil" of Pollard Nitrosports, CGS Automotive and Refinishing, Plating Master, Sparky's Performance and Vanhoucke Siding Contractors, for their support throughout the 2009 season.

Congratulations to Chris Hand for an awesome 244 mph pass and his win at Valdosta. Congratulations to our good friends Keith, Roger and Leonard for their 4th (AMA) Funnybike championship and congrats to Mike Konopacki for 3 (AMA) championships in one season, Wow!!!

We are working to put together an exciting 2010 season. See you next year.

Greg & Geoff Pollard

About Pollard Nitrosports
On the track since the mid 80's Geoff Pollard has piloted several types of racing motorcycle to event championships and national elapsed time and speed records. In 1993 Pollard Racing Canada was formed with the introduction of the teams Alcohol Funny Bike. In 1999 Geoff scored a Pro Star national event victory and became the first Canadian to eclipse 200 miles per hour on a motorcycle. After a close battle for the national point's championship in 2000 the Pollard's passion to go faster led them to the Top Fuel Motorcycle division. The team excelled out of the gate in 2005 setting the Canadian national record for the class and winning another Pro Star national event making Geoff the first rider in Pro Star history to win an event in Funny Bike and Top Fuel competition.

The Pollard NitroSports team debuted a new Top Fuel Motorcycle in 2008 and proceeded to reset both ends of the Canadian record with a 6.08 elapsed time, 231 miles per hour blast in November of that same year. 2009 offered more record-breaking performances for the team as they became only the 5th members of the MTC Engineering 5-second club with a 5.96 second elapsed time. The team also captured two AMA Dragbike national event wins in 2009 and recorded the quickest drag bike run in history on Canadian soil. They finished the 2009 campaign with a runner-up finish at the season ending AMA XXX Racing Fuels National Finals, en route running a stunning 5.93 elapsed time at 241 miles per hour, giving them the distinction of being the fastest, non-U.S. based drag bike in the world.

For more information about Pollard Nitrosports visit www.pollardnitrosports.com.