Joe & Pat Smith

Joe Smith Nostalgia Drag Bike

All Harley Drag Racing Forum

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Nostalgia Motorcycle Drag Racing

2006 Bowling Green reunion

Bunch of old guys at the 2006 Bowling Green Reunion.

Standing; Me(no face), Joe Thronson(same long beard but gray), Mel Disharoon, Sam Wills, Roland Stuart, Bob Davis(triple 1000cc Kaw), "Granddaddy" Joe Smith, TC Christenson, Larry Welch, Boris Murray, Duke McDonald, John Dixon and Don Kummler. Don purchased Marion Owen's Bowling Green winning double Harley in the late seventies and still has it. He had it at the Reunion along with my old double(Elmers old bike), Campos' single Harley(seen a few pages back on this thread when he was racing it over 30 years ago) and his 300 mph Easy Rider streamliner, Roland Stuart's Suzuki fueler he raced in the eighties, TC's triple Norton, Pete Hill's blown "nucklehead", and Jerry Cox's old single Harley. Jerry is in the picture somewhere

E-mail I received from Frank Spittle.
Hello “Grandaddy” Joe
It is unbelievable you ran almost 190mph on a T/F Motorcycle in 1974! And at Indy! No one can ever question the clocks since it was at an NHRA national event.
The experimental alcohol injected turbo gas engine sounds promising. I wonder why a diesel/electric hybrid has not been developed. It seems to be capable of 60 plus mpg.

Frank Spittle

Marc Powe Wrote

UPDATED COMMENTS FROM JOE SMITH

Marc,

The thing you did on my single on the 2nd page was really good. A lot of guys don't know that bike only weight 192 lbs dry. In the pits I could crack the throttle and the front wheel would come off the ground a little, it use to freak out the spectators. You didn't know how small that bike was until you stood next to it. I use to keep the front end on the ground because of the seat I had on it. I use to pull my weight forward over the handlebars trying to keep the front end down. Didn't work. Clem Johnson (Barn Job Fame) told me a little secret years ago when we raced together as a team. You have to slide back when the front end begins to lift, (no pressure on the rear pegs, no pull on the handlebars), to lower the center of gravity, that and a little fancy clutch work kept the front end down. All the years of racing my singles, that was a big speed secret of mine. I loved it. It was almost as good as the colored water for the burn out!!!!! That's a good story. It involved Leo Payne. Bless his heart.

Granddaddy Joe Smith