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08.12.2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Matt King (414) 343-7634
matt.king@harley-davidson.com
HINES EARNS 11TH CAREER VICTORY; KRAWIEC MAKES SECOND
CONSECUTIVE FINAL ROUND APPEARANCE
Hines Clinches Countdown Spot While Krawiec Moves into Contention
BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 12, 2007) –Screamin'
Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson teammates Andrew Hines and Eddie
Krawiec faced off in the final round for the first time Sunday. Hines got
the best of the situation, earning his 11th career victory and first at
the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
It was Hines' 19th career final round appearance
and Krawiec's second career final. Krawiec was coming off his first ever
final at the national event in Sonoma, Calif., just two weeks ago. He only
joined the Screamin' Eagle squad this season.
"It was awesome to have an all-Harley final
with the new teammates," Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso
said. "It was such a big weekend for both riders in terms of earning
a position in the Countdown to the Championship so we couldn't be more
pleased with how well this Screamin' Eagle team did here in
Brainerd."
Starting this year, NHRA has developed a playoff
format for all professional categories. The top eight competitors in each
category will advance to the second round starting with the Aug. 29 U.S.
Nationals at Indianapolis. Hines was in third place and Krawiec was in
10th place going into the Brainerd event.
The final round appearance helped both riders
greatly. Hines not only moved into second place in the NHRA POWERade Pro
Stock Motorcycle standings, but he clinched a position in the Countdown
with one race left before the points are readjusted.
With the help from back-to-back final rounds,
Krawiec has steadily moved into contention for a Countdown position. He
was outside the top 10 following six of the first 10 races of the year but
has now moved into the coveted eighth position.
"My guys just made some great tuning calls
this weekend," Hines said after winning his third race this season.
"We were a little behind after the first round of qualifying, but we
figured it out. We just wanted to qualify and be ready for Sunday.
"We were able to clinch a Countdown position
and we won the race. It was a great weekend."
Krawiec has been as low as 13th place this season
and gives credit to his crew for even being in a position to grab the
eighth and final Countdown spot.
"We've been to back-to-back finals and I'm
really excited about that," Krawiec said. "That says a lot right
there about the team we have. The guys have been giving me such a
competitive motorcycle. The last two races show just how competitive we
can be. I'm lucky to have the team I do, helping me along the way.
"My goal was to be in the top eight in my first year. It's a tough
field in this Countdown year and I couldn't be any happier to be so close
to accomplishing that goal."
Hines beat Shawn Gann and the Race Girl/Lucas Oil
Suzuki in the first round. Hines recorded a 7.004-second pass at 190.06
mph to beat Gann's 7.150 at 187.00. Krawiec beat Steve Johnson in the
first round with a 7.051 at 188.91 on his V-Rod, beating Johnson's 7.184
at 187.47 on his Snap-on Tools Suzuki.
Hines beat the current category points leader, Matt
Smith and the Torco Racing Fuel Buell, in Round Two. Hines turned in a
7.018 at 188.81 over Smith's 7.025 at 186.90. Krawiec beat Chris Rivas in
the second round. Krawiec's 7.054 at 187.65 beat Rivas' 7.189 at 168.35 on
his Torco Buell.
Hines beat Peggy Llewellyn in the semifinals with a
better reaction time. Hines left the starting line in .039 while Llewellyn
left at .076. It mattered at the finish line. Hines' E.T. was slower, but
earned the win light because of his quicker start. Hines went 7.048 at
186.18 to beat Llewellyn's 7.039 at 187.50 on her Klement Motorsports
Buell.
Krawiec earned a trip to the finals by doing his
job on the starting line too. His semifinal opponent, Hector Arana, fouled
at the starting line and handed the win to Krawiec – who left on time.
Hines and Krawiec's first meeting in the final
round ended with a win for Hines. Hines went 7.009 at 188.20, beating
Krawiec's 7.077 at 183.94.
"The bike went perfectly straight down the
track all weekend," Hines said. "We even found a few things
before the final round that had been slowing us down all day and that
helped us pick up four-hundredths of a second.
"The final was a heads up race between two
teammates. He beat me in the second round at Sonoma by out-running me and
cutting a better light. This was payback. It's fun racing your teammate
because you know the team is going to win either way. But it seemed like
it took forever to get to the finish line. But now we're even, 1-1 for the
season."
While Hines, the 2005 runner-up at Brainerd, has
been to this event several times, it was Krawiec's first time making a
pass at Brainerd International Raceway. The track, Krawiec said, was only
half the fun.
"It was just a great weekend all around,"
Krawiec said. "Not only did I get to another final round, but I
finally went to the campground that is so appropriately named 'the zoo'
here in Brainerd. This has to be one of the most interesting and unique
places that we race at and now I know why everyone talks about this event
so much. We went out to the campground, met and mingled with a lot of fans
and just had a great time. There is such a positive, fun vibe here and it
made for an even better weekend."
The next NHRA event featuring the Pro Stock
Motorcycle class is the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway
in Reading, Pa., Aug. 16-19. It's the last race before the Countdown
points are reset for the top eight racers in each professional category.
"The more runs I make on the bike, the more
comfortable I get," Krawiec said. "That just gives me and the
team more confidence. The better we do, the more excited I get about going
to the next race. I really think this team has come around in the second
half of the season and it shows. Hopefully the momentum will carry both
Andrew and I into the Countdown."
Hines said the team has been working to be in a
position to win rounds on a regular basis.
"We have our combination together and we
finally feel like we're on track now," Hines said. "We struggled
a bit at the beginning of the season and now we're producing career-best
60-foot times. The bikes are easier to ride when they leave the starting
line so well and that's the key to winning races – making nice, clean
passes. Hopefully that won't change anytime soon."
Andrew Hines at Brainerd
E.T. MPH RT
Q1 7.113 188.02
Q2 7.042 189.50
Q3 7.032 188.07
Q4 broke No. 3
R1 7.004 190.06 .084
R2 7.018 188.81 .047
R3 7.099 185.54 .047
R4 7.009 188.20 .034
11th career victory; 19th career final round; First Brainerd win in two
final rounds there
Eddie Krawiec at Brainerd
E.T. MPH RT
Q1 7.112 188.89
Q2 8.164 117.47
Q3 7.063 187.00
Q4 7.075 188.60 No. 5
R1 7.051 188.91 .034
R2 7.054 187.65 .052
R3 7.099 185.54 .047
R4 7.077 183.94 .091
Second career final round; second consecutive runner-up appearance
2007 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle point
standings following 10 of 16 events:
1. Matt Smith, Buell 901
2. Andrew Hines, Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson
V-Rod 718
2. Angelle Sampey, Suzuki 703
4. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki 576
4. Chip Ellis, Buell 576
6. Craig Treble, Suzuki 514
7. Peggy Llewellyn, Buell 513
8. Eddie Krawiec, Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines
Harley-Davidson V-Rod 501
9. Steve Johnson, Suzuki 476
10. Chris Rivas, Buell 465
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.
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