John "Mr. Flathead" Bradley's

Report on The ADRA Inaugural Race

at Fallon, Nevada, April, 2001

The American Drag Racing Association (ADRA) is a new organization dedicated to "classic drag racing," as they like to call it. The following E-mail is an unedited reply to my inquiry about flatheads at the Fallon, Nevada ADRA race. This was the first event for the ADRA. They were reported by many to be quite racer friendly at this event. Unfortunately, since the Fallon event, ADRA has had some problems. The organization is struggling financially and Bill Chapman has been removed from office. Their web site has more information. If you want to know more about them, click this link - ADRA.

Now here is John's report along with my disclaimer that all opinions expressed are those of the author, John Bradley:

"The track at Fallon is likely the best, longest and smoothest track I have seen in my fifty years of racing! No need for the parachute at all; just coast clear to the end....They treated us like we were royalty, and the $$$$ man Bill Chapman, came to my pit, and we talked for several minutes about anything I could think of to improve the show....Only some more paved pit area was the only thing I could think of....Everything else was near perfect...

"There were four fuel flatties, all running in the nine's (5100 foot corrected alt)...Myself, Tony Lloyd (Kathy Lloyd driving); Ron Sterbank, and Jaffe with the blown car.....I made a mistake when I put the two disc clutch in my car (high gear only), and installed the slippery discs....no way to make it launch hard, even tho I tried everything known to man....never under 1-70, at 60 ft...but it locked up at the 1/8th, and hauled ass from there...Set top MPH at 146, but only a 9-90 ET......I took out the Jaffe car, first round....he staged and then backed up to move over, or something.....Wrong!!! instant red light for him! I raced the Lloyd car second round, and had it won, but dummy me, I had fattened it 10, and it started bubbling at the thousand ft mark, and Kathy beat me by two feet! One helluva' race! Kathy then had to race a roadster, with a dodge red ram engine, and the roadster just barely beat her, for the 400 dollar win money..she got 200 for runner up, and we got one hundred for losing.....no entry fees, so it was all-around good race, for the flatties people....Was treated a hundred times better than the GG, or wally world races, where they take your money, and then forget you...I called the GG people about running their Bkrsfld race, and they wanted 40 dollars more to accept my NHRA super comp license! Told them where to stick it!!!

"I will for sure race for the ADRA outfit, anytime and anyplace that I can....and I hope they make it a good thing for racing all the front-motored cars....Helluva' top fuel show...all side-by-side races, and in the low six second bracket....well worth seeing.....

"Gotta go pull the engine and change the clutch discs to the "sticky" ones that I should have installed before!!! severe case of the CRS, and I'm only 75!!!!!!!!

"Peace.........JB

"PS....Use this e-mail on your site if you want........

"John Bradley

"AKA "Mr Flathead "

Bloomington, Ca."

Back