Flawless Victory: Larry McBride Claims Second Consecutive Top Fuel Motorcycle Championship
Let’s be honest for a second. Most people get a little nervous just merging onto a busy highway. Then there are people like Larry “Spiderman” McBride.
To call what he does “racing” almost feels like an understatement. Strapping yourself to a Top Fuel Motorcycle is an act of bravery that borders on insanity. Following a flawless performance this year, the living legend has secured his second consecutive Top Fuel Motorcycle world championship, cementing his legacy as the undisputed king of the two-wheeled nitro world.
A Season For the History Books
In the world of motorsports, the term “perfect season” is thrown around as the ultimate, often unattainable, dream. Mechanical failures happen. Reaction times slip. Parts break. Especially when those parts are subjected to the violence of a nitro-methane engine. Yet, McBride managed to do the unthinkable in the 2025 season: he went undefeated.
We aren’t just talking about scraping by with a few lucky wins. McBride was an absolute buzzsaw. He didn’t just win the championship; he ran the table. Four events, four Wally trophies, and zero round losses. He finished the year with a staggering 384 points, leaving his closest competitor, Bob Malloy, trailing in the distance with 250 points.
For fans who have followed the class since the passing of the iconic Elmer Trett in 1996, seeing McBride carry the torch has been nothing short of spectacular. He was the first rider to break into the five-second zone back in 1998, and decades later, he isn’t slowing down—he’s actually getting faster.
McBride and the Path To Perfection
The road to the title began in Chicago at the Gerber Collision & Glass Route 66 NHRA Nationals. McBride set the tone immediately, qualifying No. 1 and setting both the low elapsed time (E.T.) and top speed of the meet. While he ended up taking a solo run in the final after Malloy couldn’t make the call, the message was sent: Spiderman was here to hunt.
He kept that momentum rolling right into his home race in Richmond. There’s always a little extra pressure when you’re racing in front of a home crowd, but McBride thrives on it. He faced Malloy again in the final round, but this time it was a drag race. McBride laid down a blistering 4.831-second run, the quickest of the weekend, to light the win lamp.
Clinching the Title In Record-Breaking Fashion
By the time the tour rolled into Brainerd two months later, the competition was scrambling to find an answer for McBride. They didn’t find one.
Brainerd was where the season turned from “great” to “historic.” McBride didn’t just win; he shattered expectations. In the final round against Mitch Brown, he clocked a 4.779-second pass. For the uninitiated, that was the first time a Top Fuel Motorcycle had ever dipped into the 4.70s on a 1,000-foot course. It was a mic-drop moment that clinched the championship title before the season even reached its finale.
Even with the big trophy secured, McBride didn’t lift. He arrived at zMax Dragway in Charlotte looking to complete the sweep. On his final run of the year, he posted a 4.797 at a mind-bending 248.71 mph. It was a fitting exclamation point on a perfect year.
It’s All About the Fans For McBride
Despite the records, the trophies, and the sheer dominance, what makes Larry McBride truly special is his heart. He’s been in this game for 47 years, and if you talk to him, it’s rarely about his own ego.
After clinching the title, McBride’s thoughts went immediately to the people in the stands. “I just love coming here to NHRA and putting on a good show for the fans,” he said. “Most weekends, my pits are filled with kids, and I do it for them.”
That connection with the next generation of gearheads is what keeps him going. He knows that for every kid staring wide-eyed at his bike, a seed is planted for the future of the sport.
The Team Behind the Machine
Of course, no one goes undefeated in Top Fuel racing alone. McBride is quick to deflect praise to his corner. It takes a village to keep a beast like that motorcycle running, and McBride’s “village” is one of the best in the business.
He credited his brother Steve, along with Roland and Chuck Stuart, and Braylon Rooker for their tireless work. He also highlighted the unwavering support of his wife Kathie, his daughters, and his grandchildren. When you combine that support system with backing from sponsors like Pingel, Red Line Oil, and Trim-Tex, you get a winning formula that is nearly impossible to beat.
As we look back on 2025, we witnessed a master at work. Larry McBride isn’t just riding a motorcycle; he’s riding into legend status, one 240-mph pass at a time.
