Contact:           Matt King, (343) 414-7634

matt.king@harley-davidson.com

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

   

HINES AND KRAWIEC ANXIOUS FOR A CHANCE TO WIN THIS WEEKEND'S ROUTE 66 RACEWAY EVENT

Pro Stock Motorcycle Racing Returns After Month-Long Schedule Break

  MILWAUKEE (June 6, 2007) – Andrew Hines is not normally one to be patient between NHRA POWERade events. The defending three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion is happiest when he's at the race track, preparing to ride his Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod down the quarter-mile surface.  

Hines, 24, also works on the V-Rods, so he can appreciate the time it takes in the shop just to make the bikes race ready and competitive. But he does have his limits.

 Hines and the rest of the Pro Stock Motorcycle category will rejoin the NHRA series this weekend after a month-long break. Professional qualifying for the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet , Ill. , starts on Friday.  

"Route 66 Raceway is one of my favorite tracks on the circuit," Hines said. "I get such a good feeling from the place when we roll in. It looks really cool, it's the only stadium on the tour and the entire facility is just great. So I'm happy we're finally going to race again, but just as excited about where we are racing."

 Eddie Krawiec joined the Screamin' Eagle team just before the season started. He will be making his first career appearance at Route 66 Raceway.

 "It's about time we get back to the track," Krawiec said. "I'm excited to get back on the bike and do some racing. I have heard so many great things about Route 66 Raceway that I can't wait to check it out. A month is a long time to wait between races. I feel like when you're just sitting at home, you get out of your race day rhythm. So I'm excited to get back on the bike and make some quick passes down the track."

 Hines was the runner-up at Route 66 Raceway in 2004 and two of his 19 career No. 1 qualifying awards have been earned in Joliet (2004, '05). He said the Screamin' Eagle team has worked nonstop in hopes of making another final round appearance and turning that into a winner's circle celebration.

 "I've had some success there in the past and have come close to winning but just haven't gotten there yet," Hines said. "Hopefully that will change soon. We've done lots of testing at our local track in Indy (O'Reilly Raceway Park) so we can try and figure out how to get these V-Rods off the starting line quicker. We're trying to take baby steps toward picking up some more horsepower.

 "The time off has been good for us because we've been productive. Hopefully it will show during that first pass. We've accumulated some great data that we can use throughout the season but I'm anxious to get back out to a race."  

Once the NHRA race is over, the Screamin' Eagle team will travel to Milwaukee to visit Harley-Davidson headquarters. Hines and Krawiec will first be joined by their Screamin' Eagle AMA Flat Track teammates, Kenny Coolbeth, Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Joe Kopp to help launch a summer meals program for kids. Fueling Young Minds provides meals for kids during the summer months when school is not in session. The Screamin' Eagle racers will be at one local school – Bethune Academy – to help kick off the program.

 Shortly after that the racers will be at Milwaukee Children's hospital to pass out gift bags for the admitted child patients.

 On Tuesday the team will be at Harley-Davidson headquarters, greeting employees, answering questions and racing employees on the V-Rod dyno bikes that are part of the interactive Acceleration Nation display that travels to all 23 NHRA POWERade events.

 Qualifying for the NHRA event will start Friday with two sessions at 3:30 and 7 p.m., continuing Saturday at noon and 3 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

 All the action of the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals can be seen on ESPN2 starting on Saturday with qualifying coverage at 5 p.m. (ET), continuing with three hours of final eliminations coverage on Sunday at 4 p.m. (ET). NHRA Race Day – a live magazine show filmed at the track – can be seen on Sunday at 11 a.m. (ET), also on ESPN2.

 Screamin’ Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin’ Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin’ Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.

  The Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team is sponsored by Ford Truck, Dunlop, Matco Tools and S100.