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10.30.2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2007 PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP ON THE LINE
AT SEASON FINALE IN POMONA
Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson Rider Andrew Hines Has Points Advantage
Screamin' Eagle Harley-Davidson Rider Andrew Hines
Has Points Advantage MILWAUKEE (Oct. 30, 2007) Ð It all comes down to
this. Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Motorsports rider Andrew Hines has
a 39-point lead going into the season finale NHRA POWERade event at the
Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.
This one race will decide the championship.
The 24-year-old Southern California native has more
than just a points advantage, however, going into the pressure-packed
event. He's the three-time defending NHRA POWERade series champion, so he
knows what it is like to battle for a title.
"Pomona is such a fun race track and the fans
there are amazing," Hines said. "It's a huge venue and it's in
my old stomping grounds of Southern California where I spent most of my
young life. We have all of the employees of Vance & Hines Performance
out at the track and there is always plenty of drama to keep everyone
busy."
Hines was the runner-up at the Auto Club NHRA
Finals in 2005 but has yet to earn a victory there. He's hoping he can
take the first steps toward changing that when qualifying starts on
Thursday.
"It seems like Pomona has never been boring
for us," Hines said. "We had a chain come off the bike one year,
we've had all kinds of things throw us for a loop there. But this season
we're going in making sure we are 100 percent ready for anything. This is
the one race that decides it all and we want to make sure we control our
destiny. We don't want to leave it to anyone else."
Qualifying will take place Thursday and Friday at
1:30 p.m., continuing on Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Final
eliminations start at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
"With one race left we have a 39-point lead
and that's a great position to be in," Harley-Davidson Racing Manager
Anne Paluso said. "The team has worked extremely hard to overcome
some challenges this season and put us in a position to compete for the
championship. The work paid off this weekend. It was a great race and
we're proud of the way everyone performed under the pressure of battling
for a record number of championships."
Screamin' Eagle teammate Eddie Krawiec is still
searching for his first career NHRA victory. With his first full season of
NHRA racing coming to a close, it's difficult to say what he's more
anxious about: winning a race or visiting Pomona for the first time.
"I've always heard so much about Pomona and
I'm excited that I finally get to go there and race there with a great
V-Rod under me," Krawiec said. "Pomona is one of the birth
places of drag racing. It's such a historical site for our sport, it's the
home of NHRA and in general it just has a lot of meaning for drag racing.
The season starts and finishes at Pomona because it's so special. I want
to win that race."
Kraewiec's biggest threat to the event victory
could come from inside his own pit area. After all, Hines has history to
think about and a win would ensure the Screamin' Eagle team a
championship.
Hines is tied with two other racers, older brother
and current crew chief Matt Hines and Angelle Sampey, as the only riders
in NHRA history to win three consecutive titles. If Hines can win the
championship this year, he will be the first rider in NHRA history to win
four consecutive crowns.
"It's nice knowing we have a little bit of a
cushion in the point standings going into Pomona, but that won't change
our goals of trying to win rounds and win the race," Hines said.
"Almost any other time of year it's nice to have a week or two off
after you win a race so you can savor the victory. But I'm very happy we
race before the week is out. The team is focused and I'm excited about
this Countdown to the Championship."
All the action at the Auto Club Finals can be seen
on ESPN2 starting Saturday with one hour of coverage at 7 p.m. (ET),
continuing with another hour of coverage at 11 p.m. (ET) later that
evening. Eliminations will air on Sunday at 7 p.m. (ET).
ScreaminÕ Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by
and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle
racing. ScreaminÕ Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use
applications, while ScreaminÕ 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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