Tom Bradford's mother passed away

Patty Bradford 1945-2007

Patty Bradford, mother of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Tom Bradford, passed away just before the Memphis race weekend. Tom sat that one out, but resumes his race schedule this weekend in Dallas. "It's what she would have wanted us to do," said Tom, driving to the Texas Motorplex with his father Lloyd "Brad" Bradford. "For my first ten years of racing, she was a big factor in my team. Driving to and from races, videotaping the passes, and holding it all together. It was all about everybody else more than it was for her. She was a great woman. Very loving and caring, and it didn't matter who you were, she'd welcome you into the home."

Patty was raised as a North Dakota farm girl before her family moved to Milwaukee when farming got tough. "Her dad got a job at American Motors," said Tom. "My was dad stationed in the Navy down at Great Lakes near Chicago. He'd come up to Milwaukee on leave, and that's how he met my mom. They were married for 44 years, and had me and my sister Christine Wallis. Mom was a grandmother of four.

"She'd been fighting cancer and put up a good battle for the last year. She also had a heart condition that ran in her family and ultimately, that's what she passed away from."

With his own heavy heart, Tom will reengage the competition in Dallas. "We just want to get to the track and get back to normal and get back in the game. My dad and I are driving the rig and the rest of the guys are flying in Thursday night. We've got a few things to try that we hope will improve our performance.

"I think the last time I raced at the Motorplex was with the AMRA back in, maybe, '95? '96? Back then I was riding one bike and Rob (engine builder Rob Schopf) was riding the other. We finished 1-2 (with Tom winning), and my mom was there for that one. Hopefully, we'll do well this weekend as a tribute to her."

Tom thanked The Sportsman Channel, Red Line Oil, Balbayis Asset Consulting, Stitch-it-Embroidery, Hal's H-D/Buell, CRD Inc., Bates Leathers, S&S Cycle, Buell Motor Co., T-N-S Machining, Autolite, Simpson, and EBC Brakes for their support of the Thunder Eagle/Tom Bradford Racing Team.

-credit: tbrt