NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Heading into the 2021 season, David Barron had hoped to race in a full season of Pro Stock Motorcycle races for the first time in his career. Barron prepared for his most ambitious season yet by purchasing a Buell V-Twin entry from Cory Reed’s team. Barron attended the first six events of the season, and qualified in Las Vegas and Denver, even after suffering a few bumps and bruises during a testing accident in South Carolina.

Barron skipped the last two legs of the Western Swing in Sonoma and Pomona, but he’s got a perfectly legit excuse. As the owner and operator of Universal Medical Systems, Barron services, maintains, and repairs MRI, CT, X-ray, and C-Arm machines. From his home in Waxahachie, Texas, he’s on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19, and with a recent spike in new cases, his services are very much in need.

Regarding his recent absences, Barron sent a note to NHRA officials that included the following during last weekend’s Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtectTheHarvest.com:

“I hope everyone is staying cool and hydrated,” he wrote. “I just wanted to mention why I couldn’t race the two California stops and to see if you could tell everyone I wish I was there and miss them, maybe? The rise in COVID concerns has the majority of frontline workers busy with the country slowly opening and recovering, so I had to dedicate my time to this as part of my responsibilities as a frontline worker, service engineer, as well as business owner.

“Cory Reed and Joey Gladstone help me haul and tune the Buell I bought in the offseason. I’m rooting for them and everyone else and sure wish I could be there. As we speak, I’m working on more repairs at hospitals and helping them battle the influx of patients with COVID-related concerns and the reopening of the country.”

Barron also included a photo [right] that shows him working to repair a CT (Cat Scan) machine. He noted that X-ray and CT diagnostic scans are currently in high demand, and he went on to explain that a CT is basically a diagnostic tool that uses a combination of low dose of X-ray along with computer imaging that creates a detailed image of organs, bones, and other tissue and helps doctors with patients battling COVID as well as normal intended use for diagnostic scans on non-COVID patients.

In closing,  Barron offered the following, noting that he plans to return in time for the Dodge//SRT NHRA U.S. Nationals next month:

“PS. Let everyone know they can get vaccinated at no cost. Check with your local doctors, hospitals, and pharmacy, etc. I’ll be in the trenches. Until then, stay safe, and I’ll see everyone in Indy.”