Stripbike

[Garyhl]

JUNIOR PIPPIN TESTS IN PREPARATION FOR 2008 NHRA SEASON

ADEL, Ga. – Junior Pippin of Conyers, Ga. recently tested at South
Georgia Motorsports Park in preparation for the 2008 NHRA POWERade
drag racing series' pro stock motorcycle division.
Pippin was able to make six passes on his Stone Mountain
Harley-Davidson/Granite Mountain Harley-Davidson-sponsored Buell
during test sessions on Feb. 7 and 8.
"I'm really pumped; testing went well," said Pippin, a four-time
defending series champion of the All-Harley Drag Racing Association's
pro stock division. "I'm feeling more comfortable on the bike."
The two-day test session gave Pippin and Crew Chief Bob Taft, owner of
Rat's Whole Place in Decatur, Ill., a chance to work with several
different clutch combinations and shake off some winter rust.
"Junior re-acclimated himself to the bike quickly; he was riding
well," Taft said. "I was really happy with his riding, and he was
hitting all his marks.
"As always, I'd like to go faster, but realistically, it was a good
test session."
Pippin and Taft plan on running in the All-Harley Drag Racing
Association's Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts Bike Week Nationals at
Gainesville, Fla. on Feb. 29 thru March 2. This is in preparation for
the National Hot Rod Association's ACDelco Gatornationals in
Gainesville on March 13 thru 16.
"We're pretesting for the test (at the AHDRA Gainesville event)," said
Taft. "I wanted to get Junior back on the bike and comfortable again."
Pippin Racing continues to pursue sponsorship opportunities for its
2008 NHRA racing efforts.

[Britt]

When I first moved to Georgia in the mid 80's, I would go down to Atlanta Supershops Dragway...and bracket race my Kawasaki 750, there was this guy down there on an older blue KZ650, I think it ran like 13.20's....really nice guy ridng it, easy to talk to and always friendly, Junior Pippin..

Haven't seen him in years...but I still think of him from time to time.
_________________
Britt Lynn

[Pup]

I built a bike for (Rat) Bob Taft and Jr in the early 80's, They wanted to run a Kawasaki transmission but it ran the wrong direction so we turned the motor around and mounted it backwards so the belt spun the transmission in the right direction..Bob couldn't get the motor timed right till he realized he was trying to time it off the front cylinder which was really the rear cylinder.
Bob said that people would walk by at the track and glance at the bike then take about 5 steps and turn around and look again. The carb and pipes were on the wrong side... Haaaaaaaa... It seemed to work pretty good and got a lot of comments..
I hope they have a successful season this year..

pup..