Bike Week races into Kil-Kare

Here’s the best tip to know about Ohio Bike Week’s event at Kil-Kare Raceway, a three-day festival that starts today.

“The tip would be plan on coming out and having a good time, enjoying the weekend,” said Kil-Kare dragstrip competition director William Tharpe.

The American Motorcycle Racing Association roars into Kil-Kare with its high-performance AMRA Spring Nationals show that includes the pro fuel, pro gas, modified, eliminator and outlaw street classes among others.

A test-and-tune session runs tonight with qualifying Saturday and racing Sunday. Gates open at noon today and 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit kilkare.com or amraonline.com for more info on the schedule.

Tharpe said between 200 and 250 competition bikes could show up. As many as 4,000 bikes could be on the Kil-Kare grounds counting spectators, and if the weather cooperates it could reach 7,000 bikes.

“They came to us and said they wanted to really kick off the Ohio Bike Week at Kil-Kare and felt it would be a really good fit with what we offered their customers,” Tharpe said. “It was a win-win for everybody.”

The event is presented by Buckminn’s D&D Harley-Davidson in cooperation with Thunder Road Magazine, Ohio’s motorcycle magazine. Live music, a bike show, vendors and exhibitors will also be on the Kil-Kare grounds.

Cost is $20 per day. A weekend pass is $40. Kids 12-and-under are admitted free. Admission is also free with an Ohio Bike Week VIP all-access pass.

Tharpe said this year’s inaugural show is a work in progress and knows tweaks will be needed for 2016.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg for what the event’s going to offer,” he said. “We’re hoping to grow this into a major bike event that people put on their calendar.”

Edgewater Sports Park: The National Dragster Challenge highlights Saturday's racing along with the super pro, pro, sportsman and motorcycles.

Shadybowl Speedway: The late models, modifieds, street stocks, tuners, compacts and pure stocks return to the track Saturday.

Waynesfield Raceway Park: It's meet the driver and DARF night on Saturday with the non-wing sprints, mini sprints, modifieds, trucks and compacts all in action.

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