The late Jim McClure was one of the greatest drag racers of all time, winning 19 National Drag Bike Championships. Supported by his wife Phyllis throughout his career, McClure was also a global manufacturer and distributor of the Overkill Engine and parts for nitromethane-powered Harley-Davidson drag bikes.
McClure was the first person to go 200 mph in the quarter-mile on a normally aspirated Harley-Davidson drag bike. He accomplished the feat in 1995. His success also went beyond his own racing efforts. McClure was a renowned tuner who provided the crankshaft and bearings for the bike on which Andy Gotsis logged the first 200-mph run on a supercharged Harley in May 1995.
For decades, the McClures were pillars of the drag-racing community. Two of the most-respected people in the paddock, they were responsible for helping inspire the careers of many of today’s stars. The S&S Jim McClure Nationals, held at Virginia Motorsports Park, continue in Jim McClure’s honor.
Jim and Phyllis McClure were inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2001. Jim McClure died in April 2004.