Joliet, Ill., Sunday: David Hope and the Vroom Racing team enjoyed a collection of bests this weekend at the United Association Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway. The Nevada, Mo. Pro Stock Motorcycle rider, clocked his career best E.T. and mph which landed him in the top half of the field for the first time in his young NHRA career.
Hope made this spectacular run, a 7.005 at 188.99 mph right out of the trailer in the first qualifying session. This run was good for the No. 8 qualifying spot and that is where Hope settled in for the remainder of the weekend.
“We are so pleased with that run,” said Hope. “It was a career best for both John (Hammock, team owner) and I. The run was so smooth and fast and felt good, but I wasn’t sure how good. And John kept a good poker face as he came around to get me, so I had no idea at first. And when he told me, it was incredible. It felt so rewarding to have that result after all the hard work we’ve been doing, especially John.”
The rest of his qualifying was not as exciting, as Hope slowed on the rest of the runs. He ran a 7.141 at 182.90 in the second session, a 7.360 at 173.18 in the third and a scary, 12.241 on his last qualifying lap. Here, Hope got dangerously close to the wall so he smartly let off the throttle and coasted on down the track.
“On our second run, the bike just didn’t act the way we thought it should,” explained Hope. “On the third, it kept cutting out through every gear and we found we had an electrical issue. We’re not positive what happened on the last pass. We think I may not have gotten the tire completely cleaned off in the burnout and when I hit the gas the tire spun, moved out from under me and shot me to the wall. I had no choice but to get out of it.”
Hope and the team were pleased with being in the top half of the field for the first time. But it meant a tough task on race day as they had to face the reigning world champion, Eddie Krawiec in the first-round of eliminations. And even though Hope was up for the challenge, his first win will have to wait until another day. Hope had a troubled run and he posted a 7.314 against Krawiec’s 7.110.
“I was really anticipating running Eddie,” said Hope, “and I was feeling confident. But the bike shut off on me in high gear and I watched him sail on by. I think it would have been a much closer race if that wouldn’t have happened. I do think I gave him a run for his money. I feel good because I did what I felt I could. I got off the line first, I was good on my shift light, I was ahead of him and then it shut off in high gear. I really felt I had a chance to go a few rounds, but that will have to wait until next time.
“I’ve never felt go good going into first-round and I think it was the confidence and charisma we had in the pit. It’s contagious and it makes everything so much more fun. I feel so blessed to be able to race to begin with and then to experience such a high just makes me so much more excited to get back on the track. The more races I attend and the more runs I make down the track just helps me realize my own path and makes me feel that I’m coming into my own.”
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., next weekend for the United Association SuperNationals. Hope would love to be back on the S & S powered Buell that soon but the mechanical issue that caused the team’s early exit today appears to be a serious problem that will take time to repair.
“We tried to figure out went wrong on that run we got back to the trailer,” said Hope, “and we think there is an internal problem in the engine. There’s no way we can get it fixed in a few days, so we’re going to have to skip Englishtown. I’m disappointed but I understand and won’t dwell on it. Instead I’ll take everything I learned this weekend and apply it and get ready for the next race in Norwalk.”
Hope made this spectacular run, a 7.005 at 188.99 mph right out of the trailer in the first qualifying session. This run was good for the No. 8 qualifying spot and that is where Hope settled in for the remainder of the weekend.
“We are so pleased with that run,” said Hope. “It was a career best for both John (Hammock, team owner) and I. The run was so smooth and fast and felt good, but I wasn’t sure how good. And John kept a good poker face as he came around to get me, so I had no idea at first. And when he told me, it was incredible. It felt so rewarding to have that result after all the hard work we’ve been doing, especially John.”
The rest of his qualifying was not as exciting, as Hope slowed on the rest of the runs. He ran a 7.141 at 182.90 in the second session, a 7.360 at 173.18 in the third and a scary, 12.241 on his last qualifying lap. Here, Hope got dangerously close to the wall so he smartly let off the throttle and coasted on down the track.
“On our second run, the bike just didn’t act the way we thought it should,” explained Hope. “On the third, it kept cutting out through every gear and we found we had an electrical issue. We’re not positive what happened on the last pass. We think I may not have gotten the tire completely cleaned off in the burnout and when I hit the gas the tire spun, moved out from under me and shot me to the wall. I had no choice but to get out of it.”
Hope and the team were pleased with being in the top half of the field for the first time. But it meant a tough task on race day as they had to face the reigning world champion, Eddie Krawiec in the first-round of eliminations. And even though Hope was up for the challenge, his first win will have to wait until another day. Hope had a troubled run and he posted a 7.314 against Krawiec’s 7.110.
“I was really anticipating running Eddie,” said Hope, “and I was feeling confident. But the bike shut off on me in high gear and I watched him sail on by. I think it would have been a much closer race if that wouldn’t have happened. I do think I gave him a run for his money. I feel good because I did what I felt I could. I got off the line first, I was good on my shift light, I was ahead of him and then it shut off in high gear. I really felt I had a chance to go a few rounds, but that will have to wait until next time.
“I’ve never felt go good going into first-round and I think it was the confidence and charisma we had in the pit. It’s contagious and it makes everything so much more fun. I feel so blessed to be able to race to begin with and then to experience such a high just makes me so much more excited to get back on the track. The more races I attend and the more runs I make down the track just helps me realize my own path and makes me feel that I’m coming into my own.”
The NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series heads to Raceway Park in Englishtown, N.J., next weekend for the United Association SuperNationals. Hope would love to be back on the S & S powered Buell that soon but the mechanical issue that caused the team’s early exit today appears to be a serious problem that will take time to repair.
“We tried to figure out went wrong on that run we got back to the trailer,” said Hope, “and we think there is an internal problem in the engine. There’s no way we can get it fixed in a few days, so we’re going to have to skip Englishtown. I’m disappointed but I understand and won’t dwell on it. Instead I’ll take everything I learned this weekend and apply it and get ready for the next race in Norwalk.”
