CANADIANS RON HOUNIET & DAVE O'HARA LEAD THE PACK AT THIS WEEKEND'S SMITH BROTHER'S HARLEY-DAVIDSON THUNDER IN THE VALLEY NATIONALS PRESENTED BY SOUTHEASTERN BONDING

O'Hara

Houniet

Lehman

Kerrigan

Winston-Salem, N.C., August 6, 2002- The AHDRA is just days away from the fastest nitro action on the planet and it's all happening at Bristol Dragway, Saturday & Sunday, August 10th & 11th.

The hottest scoop of the week - Canadian Dave O'Hara has now joined the racer entry roster and will go head to head with fellow Canadian, Ron Houniet in a battle for the JIMS Top Fuel National points lead. Houniet, the current leader, announced his plans to compete at Bristol Dragway weeks ago and with O'Hara trailing by a narrow 24 points, he's loaded his eye-catching 70ft rig and bound for Tennessee. O'Hara plans a stop at Smith Brother's Harley-Davidson Kick Start party on Friday, August 9th, along with Top Fuel Champion, Steve Moore (Team VIP) for autographs. O'Hara and Moore will appear from 5-8pm.

While the one and two leaders head to Bristol with the advantage, there's still room for any one of the 20-plus Top Fuelers expected at Bristol Dragway to join the chase.

The HDAfterparts.com Pro Fuel point's race will provide an even closer contest, as Mike Lehman enters the race with only 17 points separating him from National Champion, Tim Kerrigan of California.

The fuel bikes provide the nitro show, but there's plenty of skill and high performance on tap from the top Sportsman racers in the country. In the Nonpareil Super Sport action, BR Nalley of H-D of Frederick, MD is looking to close the gap on Allen Nusbaum, who leads the competition by 40 points. A three-way battle heads up the Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts class as leader Donnie Huffman makes the trip with John Henderson and local favorite, Joe Perry (Team VIP) closing in. Add in a two-way tie for first and 2nd place in the Andrew's ET competition and there's a tire smoking, fire breathing show for the record books in store at Bristol Dragway.

The AHDRA will host 14 classes of competition at the Smith Brother's Harley-Davidson Thunder In The Valley Nationals presented by Southeastern Bonding including the pint sized Hayes Jewelers and Blackfoot Racing Junior dragsters ranging from 8 to 16 years old.

The action gets underway Friday, August 9th at Bristol Dragway, with a special test and tune session for riders, 4-10pm. Qualifying begins Saturday at 10:30am and eliminations start at 12:30pm on Sunday. Gates open both days at 8:00am.

Admission to Bristol Dragway is $35 for the weekend, $20 on Saturday and $25 on Sunday. Children 12 and under are admitted free, and H.O.G. members receive a $5 discount at the gate.

Special attractions include a Kick-Start party hosted at Smith Brother's Harley-Davidson on Friday, 5-8pm and Saturday evening features live entertainment at Bristol Dragway with "The Smyle Band" and kids 16 and under will enjoy a special pizza party with a live D.J and a visit from AHDRA Junior Dragsters.