The Nitro Voodoo Top Fuel Motorcycle Team have dominated the class for over a decade, but despite Chris Matheson’s retirement as a rider the team are still preparing for a full-on assault of the inaugural NDRC Top Fuel Motorcycle championship.
As they say, you can take Chris Matheson out of drag racing but you can’t take drag racing out of Chris Matheson. The Nitro Voodoo team principal will be back on the start line for round one of the NDRC at Dragway At The Bend – just not dressed in his racing leathers.
The eight-time National Champion achieved all his goals as a rider, including the historic first five second nitro bike pass in the Southern Hemisphere, and abruptly announced his riding retirement shortly after. The question of ‘what’s next?’ for Matheson and the Nitro Voodoo team has now been answered with team recently testing a Nitro Harley with Mark Drew aboard, and Matheson declaring a shift to a ambitious new goal of the first five on a V-twin in the world.
With the record-setting four cylinder Nitro Voodoo machine destined for life as a museum piece, Matheson has switched the to the V-twin. Nitro Harleys are not unfamiliar to Matheson, he rode the famed ‘Jack Hammer’ Nitro Harley a number of years ago as a replacement bike when Nitro Voodoo was undergoing repairs.
Keen to still stay in and give back to the sport, Matheson has put together a Nitro Harley hosting the all the latest and greatest gear, including being first bike to run the dual high output Fueltech FT spark ignition system. Tasked to ride the big cube behemoth will be veteran motorcycle racer Mark Drew. The West Aussie has a distinguished 35 year racing career that includes Australian title wins on the speedway circuit and three drag racing National Championships on fuel bikes, Drew is also the current Top Fuel Harley record holder.
“We enjoy what we do and I’m keen to improve a twin and chase results,” said Matheson. “I have had a taste of running and riding a Nitro Harley, a few years back when we built new billet four cylinder motors for the Nitro Voodoo bike. The twin is great! I believe it has enormous potential and will deliver consistent quick times.”
“Riding duties will be left to veteran Mark Drew who knows his way around the twins, while my Voodoo Team will tune and run the bike.”
Drew with Matheson by his side will front round one on the NDRC Series at the Spring Nationals Oct 21-22 against a formidable field of eight other riders all looking for early season success.
You can follow the Nitro Voodoo Team via there Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/chrismathesonracing
