Event No. 13 / Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals / September, 15 - 18 / Reading, Pennsylvania

Motorcycle fans attending the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals in Reading, Pennsylvania, were treated to a sight never before seen at an NHRA National event, the last NHRA legal Pro Stock Kawasaki, owned by Pete Briggs, being ridden by one of the last independent Suzuki riders, Mike Berry.

"Pete and I talked last year about me riding his Kawasaki, but we really never got serious about it so it just never happened," said Berry. "Pete and I are on the same page with a lot of our ideas involving racing and NHRA, and that makes for a really good working relationship."

The Berry / Briggs teamwork stared a week before the Reading event with a test session in Indy, which produced numbers that convinced both the Kawasaki should qualify well into a sixteen bike field in Reading.

"Our best pass testing was a 7.19, and I figured that was pretty good considering the short amount of time Pete and I have worked together on the bike," said Berry. "The numbers made me optimistic enough to believe we could go to Reading and qualify the Kawasaki."

An opening pass of 7.213 / 184.50 in Reading qualifying put the MB Precision Kawasaki into the No. 6 spot, followed by a 7.281/187.42 which dropped the team to the No. 8 position as Friday qualifying ended.

"We had a great run right out of the trailer." said Berry. "We hope we can build off of it tomorrow and stay close to where we are on the ladder."

Saturday's two qualifying session offered no improvement for the Berry / Briggs team. An early session 7.244/180.77 pass, and a final attempt 7.266/183.15 left the team in the ninth qualifying spot.

"We changed our set-up trying to find a better combination, but now we will go back to our original one and get the Kawasaki ready for first round."

The Sunday morning round one pairing would be against G.T. Tonglet on one of the dreaded Vance & Hines V-Rods, Tonglet who is second in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle POWERade points, qualified his V-Twin bike with a sub par 7.166 / 190.03 to earn the No. 8 position.

In the round one match, it was Tonglet from wire-to-wire, running a strong 7.123 / 187.55 to Berry's game but slower 7.242 / 184.75.

"I don't like losing to the V-Twin's, but considering that Pete and I have just started to work together on this bike, I feel it was a good weekend," said Berry. "We both learned a lot and ended up helping each other out on quite a few things, so I think it was positive for everyone involved."

"We don't know exactly what we are doing for the last two races of the year, but as is stands now I think the Pete Briggs Kawasaki will be running out of the MB Machining trailer in Vegas and Pomona."