Press Release | May 12, 2021
Russell Hendron Named AHRMA Classic Motofest Drag Race Grand Marshal
The following is a press release from AHRMA…
Photos Courtesy of AHRMA
Elora, TN (May 10, 2021) – A legend of vintage drag racing—also known as the “quickest man on an H-D”—Russell “Russ” Hendron will be the AHRMA drag-race grand marshal at the AHRMA Classic MotoFest in the Heartland scheduled for May 29, 2021 at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.
Russell Hendron
The event is part of the AHRMA Classic MotoFest in the Heartland (May 28-30).
Hendron will make exhibition runs on his dual-engined Harley-Davidson “Black Betty” before racing head-to-head against the AHRMA Vintage Superbike road-racing class champion later in the evening.
He will also be in the NHRA Winners Circle following the drag-racing program to present trophies to each race winner and runner-up.
“We’re really excited to have Russ Hendron be such an active Grand Marshall for our first classic drag racing event,” said Arthur Kowitz, Chairman of the AHRMA Board of Trustees. “He’s not just going to be signing autographs and waving to the fans, he’s actually going to be racing ‘Black Beauty’ for real. Seeing and hearing that beast on the quarter-mile will be incredible.”
Black Betty is a 192 cubic-inch, twin-motored, nitro-methane Harley Davidson Ironhead owned by Ray Sender of American Air Cooled Motors out of Louisville, Kansas.
“This event is already a dream come true for me and with Russ stepping up to be grand marshal and race ‘Black Betty,’ too? It’s now even more awesome,” said Luke Conner of Luke’s Racecraft, the 2021 series sponsor. “This is an incredible chance to see two drag-racing icons, a rider and his bike, going at it against some unique competition.”
Hendron personifies vintage drag racing. In 1983 he built his first nitro-powered Harley-Davidson drag-racing motorcycle and began racing the following year. He went on to win four consecutive AMRA/HDRA National Championships from 1987 through 1989. He is still active in nitro-fuel drag-racing working from his Crazyhorse Garage workshop in North Judson, Indiana.
For more information, visit www.ahrma.org
