NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Let’s face it, most racers wouldn’t have the nerve to even throw a leg over a Top Fuel Motorcycle, much less go out and attempt to win a race, and perhaps that’s what helps make Larry “Spiderman” McBride a rare and special breed.

Following the untimely death of class icon Elmer Trett in 1996, McBride has become the face of the Top Fuel Motorcycle class, and he has carried the mantle ever since. In 1998, McBride was the first rider in the five-second zone, and he has topped 268 mph during quarter-mile exhibition runs. During his career, which now spans nearly a half-century, McBride has won more races and set more track records and class records than he can remember. Now, McBride can lay claim to the title of back-to-back champion after winning his second straight Pingel NHRA Top Fuel Motorcycle Series championship.

The Virginia-based McBride dominated the class in 2024, winning three of four events, including races in Richmond, Brainerd, and Charlotte. The only blemish on his record came at the opening event of the four-race series in Chicago, where he suffered a rare round-one loss. McBride still coasted to the title, winning by a comfortable margin against Mitch Brown.

Going into 2025, McBride and everyone else who followed the class knew that would be a tough act to follow, but somehow, someway, McBride became even more dominant in 2025 as he ran the table by winning all four events in Chicago, Richmond, Brainerd, and the fall Charlotte event. This time, McBride racked up 384 points, well ahead of the respectable 250-point score of runner-up Bob Malloy.

Opening his title defense at Route 66 Raceway, McBride won the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals presented by Peak with a single in the final after Malloy was unable to make the call. McBride had earlier qualified No. 1 and set low e.t. and top speed of the event, a theme to be repeated at all four events.

Carrying the momentum of his Chicago win to his home event in Richmond, McBride once again defeated Malloy in the final, and he ran 4.831 in the process to set the quickest elapsed time of the weekend.

Two months later in Brainerd, McBride blistered the clocks with a 4.779 en route to a final-round victory over Mitch Brown. It was the first time that any Top Fuel Motorcycle had run 4.7s to 1,000 feet.

McBride was so dominant that he was able to clinch the title after just three of the four scheduled events, locking up first place prior to the fall event held at zMax Dragway near Charlotte.

“I’ve been doing this for 47 years, so I don’t know any better or any different,” said McBride, following his title-clinching Brainerd win. “I just love coming here to NHRA and putting on a good show for the fans. Most weekends, my pits are filled with kids, and I do it for them. To me, it’s just great to be out here, and I couldn’t do it without the support of Pingel, Redline Oil, Fox, and everybody else who helps out.”

Perfect seasons are almost unheard of in any sport, but McBride pulled it off by scoring his fourth win of the season at zMax Dragway in Charlotte. On his final run of the season, he uncorked a 4.797 at 248.71 mph to beat Malloy, who smoked the tires. It was the first 4.7-second run by a motorcycle on the 1,000-foot course.

All told, McBride went to the starting line 12 times in eliminations and turned on the win light in each of them. That’s a staggering feat for any racer, but it becomes even more impressive when one considers the fickle nature of Top Fuel Motorcycles, where parts breakage and aborted runs are a part of everyday life.

After what has easily been one of the greatest seasons of his career, McBride once again thanked his crew, including brother Steve, Roland and Chuck Stuart, and Braylon Rooker, and his family — wife Kathie, daughters Christine and Natalie, and grandkids Emma Ward and Jax Martin — and his many sponsors, including Pingel Enterprises, Trim-Tex, Drag Specialties, Final Swipe, APE.PR Factory Store, Mickey Thompson Tires, Beringer Brakes, and Bill Miller Engineering.