 Tom
Perry
Owner/Rider
Hometown: Venice, FL
DOB 9/22/58
Occupation: Owner Perry Concrete, Perry Homes
Married: Tammy
2 dogs: Boss and Lucky
Tom Perry began his
drag racing career racing his 1966 Mustang out of high school.
His first street bike was a 1978 Suzuki GS 750 which saw time
on the drag strip. The 750 quickly evolved into a true drag bike.
With the addition of wheelie bars the bike became race only and
a 1983 GS1100 was purchased for street use.
In the early 1990's
Perry raced a GS1150 in Super Comp. In 1993 he made the jump to
the Pro ranks, purchasing a Pro Stock roller from C&W Cycle Works.
The bike was fitted with a 4-Valve GS motor and was run in Pro
Stock in AMA/Prostar competition before it was stripped of itÕs
fairing, fitted with nitrous and ran in Pro Mod.
Perry started his Funnybike
career in a partnership with Jay "Hayes" Regan of MRE
in 1996. Two years later Perry and longtime chew chief Rhodney
Dobson went on their own to run the Funnybike.
"I like the diversity
of the Funnybike class," says Perry. "I also really
enjoy the challenge of it. To work to lay down one big number
and then be able to do it again. It is very difficult to balance
the fuel system with the turbo and effectively utilize the power."
Perry feels a great
deal of his success has to do with crew chief and longtime friend
Rhodney Dobson. "I couldn't do it without him," said
Perry. "He spends 20-40 hours per week maintaining the equipment.
I have the utmost confidence in him and that is something that
comes after years of working together. He has become very skilled
at tuning the bike and setting the timing."
Perry was born and raised
in Venice, Florida. Out of high school he worked for his father
in the masonry business. In 1990 Tom started Perry Concrete. Based
in Southwest Florida Perry Concrete boasts 25 employees and a
fleet of 10 trucks. Tom also recently started Perry Homes, a homebuilding
contractor.
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Rhodney
Dobson