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Drag Bikes: Rookie Rider Becomes the Youngest Winner in Pro Stock Bike History

13 July 1998

JOLIETT, ILLINOIS - Pro Stock rookie Shawn Gann put his first win in the books today at the Inaugural AMA/Prostar Street Fighter Nationals, held at Route 66 Raceway.

Gann, 20, from Stoneville, North Carolina, qualified in the number one position and continued his domination all day through elimination's. "It's a dream come true" shouted Gann as he received his trophy in winners circle.

He and his father, Blake Gann, have been racing as a family effort for four years now, this year they decided to pursue Shawn's dream and build a Pro Stock bike.

This weekends race marks his third event in the class, and he plans on marking many more wins in his column in the years to come.

In the Top Fuel class, Larry "The Spiderman" McBride ended his six-year streak of no wins when he defeated Cocoa, Florida, resident Tony Lang in the final round. Lang qualified but it was McBrides day in the spotlight as he cruised to the win in the final round with a 6.62-second, 184 MPH blast down the quarter mile. McBride, from Poquoson, Virginia, ended the '97 season with the number two plate, "I hope to be changing that real soon" he explained in an interview earlier this year.

In other categories contested this weekend, Gary Clark and Rick Bunting both claimed their third wins of the season in the Funnybike and Pro Modified categories, respectively, and it was Team Kawasaki rider Rickey Gadson who double hit in both the Pro Superbike and Streetbike Shootout/Modified classes. Gadson, a resident of Sicklerville, New Jersey, competed in six different categories this weekend, and worked his way to three different final round appearances.

In the 600 Supersport class, Columbus, Ohio resident Keith Dennis defeated Michael Phillips in the final round, 10.41-seconds to 11.14-seconds, elapsed time.