Deby
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BROWNSBURG. Ind. (June 25, 2008) – Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Chip Ellis had only a few days to savor his first win of the season and sixth of his career in Englishtown, N.J., last Sunday before getting right back into competition at this weekend's second annual NHRA Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio, the seventh of 17 races scheduled for the class in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Ellis is looking to maintain his winning momentum after a dominating performance last Sunday, in which he had the quickest motorcycle during all four rounds of eliminations, set top speed of the event and tied the low elapsed time for the weekend before defeating No. 1 qualifier Chris Rivas in the final.
This weekend's race marks the second time the NHRA has held a national event at the premier facility in Norwalk after adding it to the schedule in 2007, but Ellis is no stranger to the Ohio facility. "The track in Norwalk is really, really nice," said Ellis, who moved up from third to second in the point standings with last weekend's victory. "I've also raced there when I competed in the ProStar series. It's a great track and the people there are great. I'm very excited about returning there and it's always good going into the next race coming off of a win.
"I feel a lot better than I did after Chicago, I can tell you that," said Ellis, who lost in the first round for the only time this season three weeks ago in Joliet, Ill. "Obviously, I think the team's confidence is a lot higher than it has been, not that it's been low. It's always good coming off of a win. My goal is to just stay focused like I was this past Sunday and try to go four rounds again."
Only five races remain for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class until the beginning of the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship for the top 10 riders in the point standings following the U.S. Nationals Labor Day weekend, but Ellis isn't thinking about being in the top spot entering the Countdown.
"I never really thought about going into the Countdown leading the points," admitted Ellis, who is 78 points out of first place. "I want to be No. 1 every time all the time. My goal is to just go out there and do the best job I can every round and I think the team's goal is the same. We want to win and be the quickest bike every round and I don't think anybody out there is any different. Whether you're in a Top Fuel dragster or a Funny Car or whatever, everybody's goal is the same: they want to be the best. That's why we all race. It's not just one round, it's every round."
CHIP ELLIS QUICK FACTS:
* Second in the point standings after six of 17 events (one victory in two final rounds, three semifinal finishes, one first round)
* Has won six races in nine career final-round appearances
* Qualified No. 2 at last season's inaugural event in Norwalk, lost to Andrew Hines in the semifinals
* Career round win/loss record is 80-50
* 2008 is first season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Recorded second 6.8-second run (6.892) in Memphis in 2007
* Finished career-best third in the points last season, just eight points shy of winning the championship
* Went down to the final round at the final race to decide the 2007 championship
* Qualified for all 56 NHRA races he has competed in Pro Stock Motorcycle since 2004
* A graduate of the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School at Gainesville Raceway
* Had two runner-up finishes and five No. 1 qualifiers in 2007
* Qualified No. 1 12 times
* Won first national event at Las Vegas 2 during his rookie season in 2004
* Qualified No. 1 in his NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle debut at the 2004 U.S. Nationals
* Ran an abbreviated 2004 rookie season with a No. 1 qualifier at U.S. Nationals, No. 4 at Reading, No. 2 and event win at Las Vegas, and No. 1 qualifier and semi-final appearance at Pomona
* Born in Daytona Beach, Fla., on 2/20/70
* Lives in Brownsburg, Ind., with wife Kathy and daughter McKenzie (10/23/01)
* AMA/ProStar Formula Super Bike champion in 2003
* AMA/ProStar Funny Bike champion in 2002
KEEPING UP WINNING MOMENTUM IS ELLIS’ GOAL FOR NORWALK
BROWNSBURG. Ind. (June 25, 2008) – Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Chip Ellis had only a few days to savor his first win of the season and sixth of his career in Englishtown, N.J., last Sunday before getting right back into competition at this weekend's second annual NHRA Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio, the seventh of 17 races scheduled for the class in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series.
Ellis is looking to maintain his winning momentum after a dominating performance last Sunday, in which he had the quickest motorcycle during all four rounds of eliminations, set top speed of the event and tied the low elapsed time for the weekend before defeating No. 1 qualifier Chris Rivas in the final.
This weekend's race marks the second time the NHRA has held a national event at the premier facility in Norwalk after adding it to the schedule in 2007, but Ellis is no stranger to the Ohio facility. "The track in Norwalk is really, really nice," said Ellis, who moved up from third to second in the point standings with last weekend's victory. "I've also raced there when I competed in the ProStar series. It's a great track and the people there are great. I'm very excited about returning there and it's always good going into the next race coming off of a win.
"I feel a lot better than I did after Chicago, I can tell you that," said Ellis, who lost in the first round for the only time this season three weeks ago in Joliet, Ill. "Obviously, I think the team's confidence is a lot higher than it has been, not that it's been low. It's always good coming off of a win. My goal is to just stay focused like I was this past Sunday and try to go four rounds again."
Only five races remain for the Pro Stock Motorcycle class until the beginning of the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship for the top 10 riders in the point standings following the U.S. Nationals Labor Day weekend, but Ellis isn't thinking about being in the top spot entering the Countdown.
"I never really thought about going into the Countdown leading the points," admitted Ellis, who is 78 points out of first place. "I want to be No. 1 every time all the time. My goal is to just go out there and do the best job I can every round and I think the team's goal is the same. We want to win and be the quickest bike every round and I don't think anybody out there is any different. Whether you're in a Top Fuel dragster or a Funny Car or whatever, everybody's goal is the same: they want to be the best. That's why we all race. It's not just one round, it's every round."
CHIP ELLIS QUICK FACTS:
* Second in the point standings after six of 17 events (one victory in two final rounds, three semifinal finishes, one first round)
* Has won six races in nine career final-round appearances
* Qualified No. 2 at last season's inaugural event in Norwalk, lost to Andrew Hines in the semifinals
* Career round win/loss record is 80-50
* 2008 is first season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Recorded second 6.8-second run (6.892) in Memphis in 2007
* Finished career-best third in the points last season, just eight points shy of winning the championship
* Went down to the final round at the final race to decide the 2007 championship
* Qualified for all 56 NHRA races he has competed in Pro Stock Motorcycle since 2004
* A graduate of the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School at Gainesville Raceway
* Had two runner-up finishes and five No. 1 qualifiers in 2007
* Qualified No. 1 12 times
* Won first national event at Las Vegas 2 during his rookie season in 2004
* Qualified No. 1 in his NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle debut at the 2004 U.S. Nationals
* Ran an abbreviated 2004 rookie season with a No. 1 qualifier at U.S. Nationals, No. 4 at Reading, No. 2 and event win at Las Vegas, and No. 1 qualifier and semi-final appearance at Pomona
* Born in Daytona Beach, Fla., on 2/20/70
* Lives in Brownsburg, Ind., with wife Kathy and daughter McKenzie (10/23/01)
* AMA/ProStar Formula Super Bike champion in 2003
* AMA/ProStar Funny Bike champion in 2002
