Jul. 5—The number plates on motorcycle racer Brandon Price’s bike were decked out in Maryland flag colors for Sunday’s Barbara Fritchie Classic at the Frederick Fairgrounds.
The state flag theme was fitting. Exactly two years earlier, the last time the Barbara Fritchie Classic was held, Price became the first racer from Maryland in 30 years to win the main event at the annual Fourth of July event in Frederick.
The number, 92, on the plate was also fitting. The late Rodney Farris, the last Marylander to win the Barbara Fritchie Classic before Price, wore national No. 92.
And on Sunday, Price did something else Farris had done decades earlier — he became a multiple winner at the Barbara Fritchie Classic.
Taking the lead on the first lap and never relinquishing it on his Indian, Price won the Expert Twins main event by a half a lap for his second Barbara Fritchie Classic.
Price, who hails from White Hall, is the first racer to win two straight main event checkered flags at the Barbara Fritchie Classic since Sammy Halbert accomplished the feat in 2010-11.
Of course, there was a one-year gap between Price’s titles because the coronavirus pandemic forced last year’s Fritchie Classic to get canceled.
“We didn’t race last year because of COVID,” Price, 21, said. “But it was awesome to get two in a row.”
Price’s latest victory came during a big day in the race’s long history. Not only did the event return after a one-year hiatus, but this was the 100th year for the Barbara Fritchie Classic.
Those factors, along with the addition of a concert and fireworks to the Frederick Fairgrounds’ lineup of holiday activities on Sunday, might help explain an uptick in attendance for this year’s race.
Attendance was about 2,100, based on money taken in at the gate, according to race organizer-sponsor Richard Riley. And that total didn’t count kids under 7, who got in free.
“It was a fantastic turnout,” Riley said. “We have not had a turnout like this in years.”
Spectators got to hear the nearby concert, which began while the Fritchie Classic finals were being held, and they got to see Price demonstrate his familiarity with a track he first raced on as a 12-year-old in 2012.
Coming off his win in the Dash for the Cash, Price didn’t get off to a sizzling start in the Expert Twins final. Cory Texter, who won the Barbara Fritchie main event in 2018, headed into the first turn with the lead.
“I didn’t get the best of holeshot,” Price said. “But I made quick work and I led from lap one all the way to the finish, it was a great race.”
How did Price overtake Texter?
“I was able to kind of dive underneath of him and push him wide a little bit, just try to take the line and move up the track a little bit,” he said.
Instead of riding the Yamaha he’s used to put himself atop the AFT Production Twins standings this year, Texter rode a Yamaha he calls his “play bike.”
“I bring it out here every year, dust the cobwebs off,” he said. “And to come out of here with a podium, I’ll take it. I want to win, but hats off to Brandon, he rode a great race.”
After Texter had trouble keeping up with Price earlier in the day, some adjustments were made to his bike, although they didn’t produce the desired results.
“It actually made it run really crummy,” Texter said. “So, the first couple laps, the bike was like shutting off on me and just hesitating really bad in the corners.”
He thought of pulling off the track but then figured he might be able to get a podium.
“And then it came alive there at the end. I guess when the bike got hot, it started running better,” he said. “So I made a charge.”
Texter passed Bromley, who finished third, on the outside of turn No. 2. He also made an outside pass on Ryan Varnes (who placed fourth in the final) in a heat race.
‘[The track] was getting some big holes off of turn 2, and I ride the low line usually,” Texter said. “I made two passes today around the outside, which is kind of new for me.”
He said he was just happy to get a second-place finish on an “iconic track.”
Price also thought the track was challenging.
“It was a really good track, besides the holes developing toward the end,” he said. “But that’s always something that’s going to happen.”
Winners in other classes at Sunday’s event were: Aidan Roosevans, All Star Singles and Super Singles; Shane Livingston, Open Vintage; Kevin Varnes, Senior 40+;Evan Renshaw, 250 Amateur; Josh Young, Hooligan; Johnny Bova, 450 Amateur; Jacob Vanderkooi, Open Singles.