This isn’t your typical hair loss due to high levels of stress. Gateway International Raceway’s Drag Racing Manager Jason Dukes made a bet with Pro Bike racer and friend Bing Bingham that Dukes may be regretting. They became friends partially because they had very respectable afros (although Bing’s girlfriend, Michele, didn’t respect it and no one respected Jason’s)/ However Bing went against their friendship and cut his hair due to Michele not liking the look.
“I guess she was tired of me having really long hair,” said Bingham.
Dukes didn’t think it was a matter of girlfriend taste; it was a matter of fraternity.
“The day that Bing came to the track with no hair, it made me look at myself harder to decide if it was time for me to shave my head too, but I didn’t have a girlfriend so it didn’t matter. But I made a public pledge that if Bing won in Pro Bike, I would let him shave my head in front of everyone,” said Dukes.
Bingham went winless for the rest of 2006 and the bet seemed to wear off, but 2007 was a new season and the bet seemed to have expired. GIR’s announcer Rich Trivitt, known as Radical Rich, remembered every word of that bet and made sure they followed through on June 30th when Bingham won in Pro Bike.
“I really didn’t even remember the bet until Rich reminded me that night. I was so excited about winning I wasn’t even thinking about Jason’s huge afro,” Bingham said.
“I definitely remembered the bet, but was keeping to myself hoping that no one else remembered. But then I heard Radical Rich announcing it over the PA and knew there was no way I was getting out of it now,” said Dukes.
On June 30, Bingham won his first race since and Dukes said good bye to his hair at the next event in front of a big crowd.
Dukes stated: “I always got a kick out of Bing taking his helmet off and watching his hair just expand.”
-story by Brody Bernshausen
“I guess she was tired of me having really long hair,” said Bingham.
Dukes didn’t think it was a matter of girlfriend taste; it was a matter of fraternity.
“The day that Bing came to the track with no hair, it made me look at myself harder to decide if it was time for me to shave my head too, but I didn’t have a girlfriend so it didn’t matter. But I made a public pledge that if Bing won in Pro Bike, I would let him shave my head in front of everyone,” said Dukes.
Bingham went winless for the rest of 2006 and the bet seemed to wear off, but 2007 was a new season and the bet seemed to have expired. GIR’s announcer Rich Trivitt, known as Radical Rich, remembered every word of that bet and made sure they followed through on June 30th when Bingham won in Pro Bike.
“I really didn’t even remember the bet until Rich reminded me that night. I was so excited about winning I wasn’t even thinking about Jason’s huge afro,” Bingham said.
“I definitely remembered the bet, but was keeping to myself hoping that no one else remembered. But then I heard Radical Rich announcing it over the PA and knew there was no way I was getting out of it now,” said Dukes.
On June 30, Bingham won his first race since and Dukes said good bye to his hair at the next event in front of a big crowd.
Dukes stated: “I always got a kick out of Bing taking his helmet off and watching his hair just expand.”
-story by Brody Bernshausen
