<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/A_Hines.jpg" alt="A_Hines"align="left"borders="0"/>
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 Country Selector for
more information.
The Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team is
sponsored by Ford Truck, Dunlop, Matco Tools and S100.
HINES EARNS 11TH CAREER VICTORY; KRAWIEC MAKES SECOND CONSECUTIVE FINAL
ROUND APPEARANCE
Hines Clinches Countdown Spot While Krawiec Moves into Contention
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 Country Selector for
more information.
The Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team is
sponsored by Ford Truck, Dunlop, Matco Tools and S100.
