ELLIS COLLECTS NO. 4 IN SONOMA QUALIFYING
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SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2008) – Chip Ellis qualified the Schumacher Electric Suzuki in the No. 4 position today for the 21st annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. The Pro Stock Motorcycle rider made his quickest qualifying effort during the third session, racing to an elapsed time of 6.980 seconds at 190.48 mph to enter eliminations from the top half of the field for the ninth time in nine races this season.
Ellis also recorded runs of 7.019/190.27 (No. 3) and 7.000/188.62 (No. 2) on Friday, and a 7.109/185.89 (No. 4) in his final try today under a hot California sun. The Schumacher Electric Suzuki improved on each of his first three attempts, slowing in the final session due to the heat and a strong head wind.
"We improved on every run until the end of the day today," said Ellis, who is third in the PSM class point standings. "The track temperature was over 130 degrees on that last run and it was really hot out there. On a normally-aspirated deal, the motors just don't make that much horsepower when it's that hot and we slowed a little bit. Overall we made four decent runs.
"The ultimate goal at every race is to go four rounds on Sunday. I just want to focus on riding the Schumacher Electric Suzuki the best I can and I think if I do that I've got a bike that is good enough to win.
"The crew has been doing a great job, pretty much a flawlessly," added Ellis, who won this event in 2006. "I say it time and time again, (crew chief) Steve Tartaglia is the man. We're going to go out there and prove it tomorrow."
Ellis faces No. 13 qualifier Peggy Llewellyn during the first round of eliminations on Sunday.
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/c_ellis_814944.jpg" alt="c_ellis_814944" align="right"borders="0"/>
SONOMA, Calif. (July 26, 2008) – Chip Ellis qualified the Schumacher Electric Suzuki in the No. 4 position today for the 21st annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals at Infineon Raceway. The Pro Stock Motorcycle rider made his quickest qualifying effort during the third session, racing to an elapsed time of 6.980 seconds at 190.48 mph to enter eliminations from the top half of the field for the ninth time in nine races this season.
Ellis also recorded runs of 7.019/190.27 (No. 3) and 7.000/188.62 (No. 2) on Friday, and a 7.109/185.89 (No. 4) in his final try today under a hot California sun. The Schumacher Electric Suzuki improved on each of his first three attempts, slowing in the final session due to the heat and a strong head wind.
"We improved on every run until the end of the day today," said Ellis, who is third in the PSM class point standings. "The track temperature was over 130 degrees on that last run and it was really hot out there. On a normally-aspirated deal, the motors just don't make that much horsepower when it's that hot and we slowed a little bit. Overall we made four decent runs.
"The ultimate goal at every race is to go four rounds on Sunday. I just want to focus on riding the Schumacher Electric Suzuki the best I can and I think if I do that I've got a bike that is good enough to win.
"The crew has been doing a great job, pretty much a flawlessly," added Ellis, who won this event in 2006. "I say it time and time again, (crew chief) Steve Tartaglia is the man. We're going to go out there and prove it tomorrow."
Ellis faces No. 13 qualifier Peggy Llewellyn during the first round of eliminations on Sunday.
