Tommy Bolton has a long history of drag racing across the USA. In the summer of 1989 he traveled to Spokane, WA for the Dragbike USA Northwest Cyclebration. Tommy made the finals and had the top time in qualifying, but a bit too much nitrous at the end relegated him to second place for the day. Below is the article in Dragbike USA about this event.
Below is the text from the article…
In the competition… Top Fuel Eliminator action boiled down to the semi-finals, with national champ, Mike Malone, new star, Tommy Bolton (lone Los Angelino taking on the Phoenix clan), Ed Bogedain on the new Kawa-turbo and Sam Terranova on the Kawa Phoenix entry (three turbos vs nitro; three Kawasakis and a Suzuki). In the semi, Bolton soloed on the Mr. Speed Suzuki as the Bogedain Kawasaki stalled at the line with Bolton hitting a casual 8.25 at 174.71 mph. In the other semi, Mike Malone mustered a 7.74 at 178.92 to top Terranova’s off pace 11.45 at 70 mph.
In the final, supercharged nitro Kawasaki faced turbocharged nitrous Suzuki, as the Accutronix/MC Engineering/Copper Gaskets
entry bet their fortunes on Malone, with Tommy Bolton carrying the flags of Mr Speed and Lord DC Imports into the final. ON the go, a great even start had the fans on their feet and then nearly off them again as Bolton’s turbo fish-tailed wildly at the top end of the track and crossed the centerline of the track and edged toward Malone. The usually excellent handling Suzi had behaved well until the finale — with 180 MPH passes the usual — but according to Bolton, “I just grabbed for too much nitrous and she got away for a second. And that was it!” Wisely, Bolton had pulled the plug on the pass to keep from endangering Malone, who was given the win with Bolton’s lane violation. Malone had clocked a 7.56 at 166.66 in winning and Bolton, of course, received no time because he went through the traps in Malone’s lane just behind him. Whatta wild finish!!