From a press release issued by BIR:

BIR to Make History with the ‘Big Race’

All-motorcycle drag race expected to feature 1,000 racers, all major manufacturers

BRAINERD, Minn. – The largest motorcycle drag race in history is scheduled this summer at Brainerd International Raceway, featuring a $150,000 purse and as many as 1,000 drag bikes from both domestic and import maunfacturers. The event is scheduled for July 21-27.

The BIR Big Race will be a historical event because the total payout is the largest ever and it’s the first all-motorcycle race that will involve every major manufacturer. The top racers from the All Harley Drag Racing Association, National Hot Rod Association, AMA/Prostar Series and affiliated racing groups around the world will compete on BIR’s quarter-mile drag strip.

According to BIR officials, the key to the event is when domestic bikes face off against the imports. Harley-Davidson dragsters, for example, rarely race against the imports, but the BIR Big Race’s Pro Stock category will feature separate ladders for domestic and import drag bikes, with the winners of each facing off in the finals.

“Nobody’s ever attempted anything like this in the history of drag racing,” BIR President Bill Singleterry said. “We’ll have the fastest drag bikes and the best riders from around the world competing for big prize money. For those who love motorcycle drag racing, it doesn’ get any better than the BIR Big Race.”

The race will feature 12 classes, including everything from the fastest racers in the Top Fuel category down to Junior Racers. All racers will be competing for substantial prize money. Friday of the event will feature a separate $35,500 E.T. Shootout, which is the largest Sportsman payout in motorcycle drag racing history.

“We felt the time was right for an event like this, especially since it coincides with the 100th anniversary of Harley-Davidson,” Singleterry said. “Harley will have a substantial presence at this event, as will every other major motorcycle manufacturer.”

BIR is a subsidiary of Michigan-based Sports Resorts International Inc., a publicly traded company on the NASDAQ exchange (SPRI). Now in its 34th season, BIR is one of North America’s largest racetracks, featuring 800 acres of rustic camping, nearly 200 full-service RV sites and on-site condos. BIR is about 120 miles north of the Twin Cities, and it now has a new concrete drag strip that is one of the flattest and fastest in the country. Visit www.brainerdraceway.com.

For more information, visit the BIR Big Race Web site at www.birbigrace.com or contact PR Coordinator Geoff Gorvin at 218-821-9513.