When you ride a 225-mph, nitro-burning, Top Fuel Harley-Davidson weird stuff is bound to happen. The oddness typically transpires on the drag strip.

For CatSpot Organic Cat Litter-sponsored rider Rickey House, things got weird on the 2000-mile journey to Epping, New Hampshire for this weekend's NHRA New England Nationals

"The wheel bearing on the race trailer broke on the way up here, and the whole wheel came off and actually passed me as I was slowing down," House said. "Luckily it didn't hit anything or anybody, and I was able to find it and get it back. It chewed the axle and spindle up. I don't know if it lost its oil or what happened, but we'll get it fixed.

"I only had 187 miles to go, so we limped it to the track. Now we've got it all torn apart, and I got some leads on a new axle, and hopefully, I'll get something in here this weekend and get it fixed. In the meantime, I have to work on the race bike and get it going because I've got to do better than I did at the last race in Bristol. I didn't even qualify there, and that's just weird."

A DNQ certainly is out of character for House, who was runner-up to the world championship last season. Currently, fourth in the points with one win to his credit this year, House knows things can turn around quickly in the world's fastest motorsport.

"A few years ago, I went down to Bradenton (Fla.) for an IHRA event, and the same thing happened, we didn't qualify," House said. "The very next weekend -- I didn't change anything but zip codes -- I go to West Palm Beach, and I was No.1 qualifier and went to the finals. It just goes to show you.

"I want to change my bike back to the way I had it before Bristol because I have to make sure I do well here. I made some changes before Bristol, and I'm not saying that's what was wrong with it but I thought what I did was going to work and it didn't. You know, you have to experiment at times, but maybe a national event ain't the right place. On paper, it should have worked but, in reality, it didn't so it's time to scrap that science project. I'm going to put it back the way I had it because I know that worked."