AMRA Top Fuel Stars Shining March 21-23 at No Problem Raceway
PennGrade1 AMRA Cajun Nitro Nationals
No Problem Raceway, Belle Rose, Louisiana, USA
March 21-23, 2025
Coverage by Tom McCarthy
AMRA Top Fuel Stars Shining March 21-23 at No Problem Raceway
Top Fuel motorcycle stars will shine this weekend at the AMRA Cajun Nationals, held at No Problem Raceway, March 21-23, 2025. Test & tune, Friday 3-8 PM, Sat qualifying begins at Noon, Sunday eliminations will also start at 12 PM.
One highlight of the weekend is Nitro Harley royalty in attendance, with Johnny Mancuso dropping by to view his Circle M Ranch-sponsored Top Fuel Harley class in action, in person. Top Fuel Harley is a class Johnny raced in for over three decades until he decided to step back from driving duties in 2005, when he hired Jay Turner to drive for him.
With close to forty years of drag racing involvement, Johnny still has a hand in the sport by being the class sponsor of Top Fuel for the AMRA. The way Johnny sees it “I’m still involved with Harley Drag Racing. After my retirement, I have supported Jay Turner, and now my wife Jane and I at Circle M Ranch are supporting AMRA in their Top Fuel Class. I have been to a few events in the past couple of years and plan to attend more this year. It’s hard to leave Colorado in the summertime but it’s great to see old friends and to make new ones. We will be at No Problem Raceway this weekend, and we hope to see you there!”
On display throughout the weekend will be Johnny’s beautiful Top Fuel Harley, double engine Shovelhead bike he built in the early 1980’s. It features two 118 CID Shovelhead motors. During its competition years, the bike had a best elapsed time of 7.62 and a top speed of close to 181 MPH, one of the three quickest doubles in the history of Top Fuel Harley. This bike was run in the “DRAGBIKE!” sanction in the early 1980’s run by Tom Laughlin. It was a class winner in both Nitro Harley and Top Fuel motorcycle. Back then, the class winners of both classes would face off in a handicapped start based on class winning times and yes, this bike had its winning days over Jap bikes, side-by-side!
Fellow Texan Ricky House, was nice enough to stop by Johnny’s on the way to the Belle Rose race this weekend and bring Johnny’s old treasured fuel bike out to remind fans what old-time Top Fuel Harley was once like in all its double engine glory.
In contrast to this, his former Top Fuel pilot and good friend, Jay Turner will be in attendance with a full complement of the latest in Top Fuel Harley motorcycles out of the Jay Turner Racing stable. Jay not only has some of the quickest and fastest bikes in the class today at this race, but he is simultaneously developing tomorrow’s next generation of Top Fuel Harley’s at his home shop as seen in these photos (future story and photos soon to follow).
In other, Top Fuel class action this weekend: Johnny Toth will be on his newest build from Jay Turner Racing. Paul Anderson will begin his first full season of Top Fuel motorcycle competition on his mount; the former Doug Vancil Top Fuel bike created by Mike Romine Racing.
Jordan Peterson will be on his newest Top Fuel bike mount, formerly of the folks from the “Windy City.” That bike sat for the last 12 years and was purchased by Chris Stewart Racing in 2024. It went to Mike Romine’s shop for a complete tear-down and 2025 upgrades. This will be Jordan’s first time on the newly rebuilt bike. Jordan will also be racing in NFB owned by Phil Lower, built and tuned by Mike Romine.
Brian Conley Jr. will debut on the Chris Stewart Racing Pro Fuel bike this weekend. He is pitted alongside Chris and does all the maintenance on the bike with his dad, who assists. Ryan Peery and Buddy Johnson mentored Brian frequently during the last two seasons, and he’s definitely ready to step up. he’s visibly chomping at the bit, eager to get seat time in. Being an experienced racer, he knows there is no substitute for seat time.
Speaking of Chris Stewart Racing (CSR), Brian will be on the Pro Fuel bike, Sammu will be on one Top Fuel bike and Jordan Peterson on the other.
Another Nitro Rookie; Loren Potter has purchased the awesome bike formerly owned and raced by John McConnell of Maryland. Johnny rode that bike well during his time with it. Loren has acquired a proven mid-seven bike that can qualify well in Pro Fuel. 2025 will be his initiation to The Dark Side.
The overall amount of fuel bikes at Belle Rose already on the property, on Thursday, 20 March 2025, for early private test & tune, is impressive. The early lineup includes:
Bad Apple Racing’s Tracy Kile – (Top Fuel), Mary “Bam” Dangrow (Pro Fuel), Camron Gunter (Nitro Funnybike), Jimmy Mac (Top Fuel). Universal Fleet & Tire: Ray Robinson (Nitro Funnybike), Jason Leeper, (Pro Fuel) and (Nitro Funnybike).
Tim Kerrigan Racing is ready to rumble. His Top Fuel bike, tuned by Steve Vickers, is cocked and loaded, ready for 2025 action. Other fuel bikes on the property on Thursday include Ricky “Sharky” House, Michael Balch & Craig Caulk Racing,
| Coverage by
– Tom McCarthy |
For more info visit www.amralive.com / info@amralive.com / Facebook / Facebook Racers Group / Instagram
2025 Schedule
- March 21-23 / No Problem Raceway / Bella Rose, LA
- May 17-18 / National Trail Raceway / Hebron, OH
- June 28-29 / US131 Motorsports Park / Martin, MI
- August 8-10 / Byron Drgway / Byron, IL
- September 19-21 / Beech Bend Raceway Park / Bowling Green, KY
- October 25-26 / Rockingham Dragway / Rockingham, NC
ABOUT AMRA
The American Motorcycle Racing Association was formed 40 years ago and is the only officially sanctioned association that is exclusively dedicated to American made, V-Twin based motorcycle drag racing in the world. Whether you’re interested in E.T. based racing, set index racing, heads-up or Top Fuel Nitro Bikes, we have a class for you. Membership is easy and the events are carried out in a way that makes it easy for beginners and veterans alike. All class designations and rules for each can be found here as well as the membership application. We are happy to welcome new racers and offer help to get you started. Join today and we’ll see ya at the track.
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