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LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27, 2006) – Andrew Hines and the Screamin' Eagle/ Vance & Hines V-Rod Harley-Davidson team are so close and they know every point counts.
Hines is the current two-time defending NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. Right now he is second in the point standings with two races left this season. On Friday Hines rode his V-Rod to the top of the qualifying ladder with a 7.102-second pass at 187.13 mph.
Qualifying for the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway continues Saturday, but for now, the team is at the top of the ladder and is looking to earn as many points as possible in hopes of closing the 27-point gap between Hines and first place rider Antron Brown.
"It seems like we're going in the right direction due to my team and all the work they have put in trying to find as much horsepower as they can," Hines said. "Luckily we're in the running for a third championship and every point is important."
Hines said he earned the top spot with a less-than-perfect pair of passes.
"It's astonishing the way the bike ran because the bike felt like a bucking bronco," Hines said. "It tried to throw me past the handle bars about a dozen times. The good thing is that we have some good data and two more qualifying passes to make before final eliminations start on Sunday."
Teammate GT Tonglet is in the No. 7 spot after turning in a 7.152 run at 185.03.
"On the first pass we had some electrical problems but we got that figured out in the last pass and we turned in a 7.15 when the low time of the round was 7.11," Tonglet said. "We stayed close to the top of the pack and we're looking good for now. We need to stay with the top of the field and if we can, we'll be looking good for Sunday."
Tonglet is just 47 points out of the No. 10 spot in the standings. If he can move up during the last two events of the 15-race NHRA POWERade season, it will be his fifth top 10 finish of his six-year career.
Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying continues Saturday at 11 a.m. & 3:30 p.m. before final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. All the action from The Strip can be seen on ESPN2. Qualifying coverage will air Saturday at 10:30 p.m. (ET). Final eliminations can be seen on Sunday starting at 8 p.m. (ET).
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.
HINES RIDES SCREAMIN' EAGLE V-ROD TO THE TOP OF THE NHRA LADDER AT THE STRIP IN LAS VEGAS
Tonglet Qualified in the Top Half of the Field Too
LAS VEGAS (Oct. 27, 2006) – Andrew Hines and the Screamin' Eagle/ Vance & Hines V-Rod Harley-Davidson team are so close and they know every point counts.
Hines is the current two-time defending NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. Right now he is second in the point standings with two races left this season. On Friday Hines rode his V-Rod to the top of the qualifying ladder with a 7.102-second pass at 187.13 mph.
Qualifying for the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway continues Saturday, but for now, the team is at the top of the ladder and is looking to earn as many points as possible in hopes of closing the 27-point gap between Hines and first place rider Antron Brown.
"It seems like we're going in the right direction due to my team and all the work they have put in trying to find as much horsepower as they can," Hines said. "Luckily we're in the running for a third championship and every point is important."
Hines said he earned the top spot with a less-than-perfect pair of passes.
"It's astonishing the way the bike ran because the bike felt like a bucking bronco," Hines said. "It tried to throw me past the handle bars about a dozen times. The good thing is that we have some good data and two more qualifying passes to make before final eliminations start on Sunday."
Teammate GT Tonglet is in the No. 7 spot after turning in a 7.152 run at 185.03.
"On the first pass we had some electrical problems but we got that figured out in the last pass and we turned in a 7.15 when the low time of the round was 7.11," Tonglet said. "We stayed close to the top of the pack and we're looking good for now. We need to stay with the top of the field and if we can, we'll be looking good for Sunday."
Tonglet is just 47 points out of the No. 10 spot in the standings. If he can move up during the last two events of the 15-race NHRA POWERade season, it will be his fifth top 10 finish of his six-year career.
Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying continues Saturday at 11 a.m. & 3:30 p.m. before final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday. All the action from The Strip can be seen on ESPN2. Qualifying coverage will air Saturday at 10:30 p.m. (ET). Final eliminations can be seen on Sunday starting at 8 p.m. (ET).
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.
