The A1 Cycles Cash Days 3 event at Shadyside Dragway on April 25-26 showcased the best of the Harley-Davidson Bagger drag racing community. “Burnout Bruce” Emanuel dominated the competition, sweeping all three top classes: Pro Bagger, Street Bagger, and True Street Bagger.
Emanuel, who continues to impress with his wild wheelies, expressed gratitude, saying, “First of all, I wanna give all the glory to God for it all. I’ve won Cash Days every year, but this Cash Days 3—to win every pro class on three different bikes—was amazing.” His Pro Bagger, the “Elite Diesel,” showcased its strength, running a best of 5.11 seconds.
In the Pro Bagger semifinals, Emanuel faced Jason Broski, but Broski’s bike was stuck in neutral when the tree dropped. “Left in neutral, rider malfunction,” Broski explained. In the final, Emanuel faced Brook McCabe, winning with a time of 5.29 seconds at 145 mph.
Emanuel’s Street Bagger bike was a blue and gray machine, allowing him to secure another victory against Charlie Ange. “That was the first time I ever rode that bike,” said Ange, who finished with a 6.45.
One of Emanuel’s highlights came from riding the “Moonshine” True Street Bagger, which consistently launched its front wheel. He faced Jorge “CaCa” Lopez in the final and won with a time of 6.16 seconds as Lopez finished at 6.41.
“True Street Bike—64 inch, stock clutch, true foot shift—was definitely the most rewarding class because it’s a RIDER’S class!” emphasized Emanuel. He thanked sponsors and participants, noting, “$25k in payouts, the most Baggers in Bagger Racing History on one premises.”
In the non-bagger DMR Hot Street class, a father-son final featured Brad Barnes defeating son Harrison. Barnes said, “Both of us won all our races and ended up in the finals together. Very special moment.” He noted his son’s impressive performance on the tree, cutting lights between .010 and .099 throughout the day.
Jason Crisp took the Non-Bagger title with an all-motor twin cam bike. “I guess we showed up to Cash Days Saturday morning flying under everyone’s radar,” said Crisp. Despite struggling with a migraine, he triumphed in the final with a 5.51-second run at 126 mph.
While Cash Days pro classes focused on Harleys, bracket racing allowed all makes to compete. Chris Edwards emerged victorious aboard a Suzuki Hayabusa, meeting Kaidyn Pasour’s Honda Grom in the final. Pasour’s red light handed the win to Edwards, who praised Pasour’s potential.
In the Friday night Gamblers Race, Byron Cass won after overcoming a red-light start by his opponent. “This year my plan was to win Friday night and do it again Saturday,” Cass said, reflecting on his successful run.
Cash Days 3 concluded with other award winners, including Brad Bodigon, who won Best Appearing Bike, and Raymond Agent, recipient of the Long Distance Award. The next Cash Days event is set to return to Shadyside either the last weekend of April or the first weekend of May.
“Cash Days is the biggest, baddest, and richest Harley race of the year,” said event organizer Mike Beland. “Thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for making our race the best of the year.”
