<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/e_Krawiec_742529.jpg" alt="e_Krawiec_742529" align="left"borders="0"/>
MILWAUKEE (June 18, 2007) – Eddie Krawiec has spent his entire life in the Englishtown, N.J. area. He's a drag racer by nature and has made countless passes down the quarter-mile drag strip at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
Next weekend's ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals, however, will be slightly different. Krawiec is now a member of the Harley-Davidson factory-supported Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod team. Qualifying kicks off Friday and Krawiec finally gets to race in front of the hometown crowd on one of the top teams on the circuit.
"I'm very excited about it because I have a lot of friends, family and just great support overall at that facility," Krawiec said. "It's my hometown and my hometown track and to be able to go there as a member of one of the top teams in drag racing just makes it even better. I've been looking forward to this all season."
Krawiec has not only spent years racing on the drag strip, but he's worked on them too. He's been the drag strip manager at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park for several years. His new teammate, three-time defending NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Andrew Hines, is hoping to put Krawiec's track knowledge to good use when the team aims for their second consecutive win.
"I think it's going to be a benefit having Eddie with us this year because he has so much knowledge about the track," said Hines – winner of last weekend's NHRA event in Joliet, Ill. "He knows the ins and outs of the track and that should help the team prepare for a great weekend of competition."
Krawiec joined the team shortly before the season started in March. This will be the first time he will be racing on a surface that he's familiar with. The first five events of the 16-race season were at tracks that Krawiec had little or no experience at. Being at home, surrounded by familiar faces, sights and sounds will just help Krawiec.
"I'm anxious to have a great performance weekend in Englishtown and I think being at home is just going to help me," Krawiec said. "I'm more excited about being able to make some runs down a track that I know and I think all of my friends and family will help relieve the pressure that naturally comes from competing at such a high level."
Hines has earned one victory at Englishtown (2004) and one No. 1 qualifier (2004). He lost in the first round, however, in the last two appearances there.
"I've won there and set the national record there, but I haven't been past the first round since the victory," Hines said. "It's nice to go back to a track that you have had success at already because you know your team has what it takes to win. Our Screamin' Eagle crew won the Full Throttle Award for the most consistent team in qualifying in Joliet and that's something we've been aiming for.
"We want to make our big changes at the shop and in testing and just have to make the smaller, necessary changes at the track. We're learning how to be more consistent. The team is making great calls on the whole package and it's coming together. We're more confident about the motorcycle and what it will do when we make changes than we were at the start of the season."
Hines is in fourth place with one victory this season. Krawiec is 12th in points and his best finish so far was a semifinal appearance at the season opener at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway.
Krawiec thinks his favorite track would be the perfect place to make a move up the point standings.
"I'm the hometown guy who has grown up in Englishtown, I've seen the place grow and everything that has happened here," Krawiec said. "I love this place and I'm more comfortable racing here than anywhere. Hopefully I can make eight passes down the track this weekend and come out the winner. Our team has great momentum coming into the event and we're going to do everything we can to carry it forward."
Qualifying for the NHRA event will start Friday with two sessions at 3:30 and5:30 p.m., continuing Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
All the action of the ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals can be seen on ESPN2starting on Saturday with qualifying coverage at 11 p.m. (ET), continuing with three hours of final eliminations coverage on Sunday at 10 p.m. (ET). NHRA Race Day – a live magazine show filmed at the track – can be seen on Sunday at 11 a.m. (ET), also on ESPN2.
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.
KRAWIEC READY FOR FIRST APPEARANCE AT HOME TRACK IN ENGLISHTOWN AS SCREAMIN' EAGLE RACER
Pro Stock Motorcycle Racer is Hoping Experience Will Translate into Victory
MILWAUKEE (June 18, 2007) – Eddie Krawiec has spent his entire life in the Englishtown, N.J. area. He's a drag racer by nature and has made countless passes down the quarter-mile drag strip at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park.
Next weekend's ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals, however, will be slightly different. Krawiec is now a member of the Harley-Davidson factory-supported Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson V-Rod team. Qualifying kicks off Friday and Krawiec finally gets to race in front of the hometown crowd on one of the top teams on the circuit.
"I'm very excited about it because I have a lot of friends, family and just great support overall at that facility," Krawiec said. "It's my hometown and my hometown track and to be able to go there as a member of one of the top teams in drag racing just makes it even better. I've been looking forward to this all season."
Krawiec has not only spent years racing on the drag strip, but he's worked on them too. He's been the drag strip manager at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park for several years. His new teammate, three-time defending NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Andrew Hines, is hoping to put Krawiec's track knowledge to good use when the team aims for their second consecutive win.
"I think it's going to be a benefit having Eddie with us this year because he has so much knowledge about the track," said Hines – winner of last weekend's NHRA event in Joliet, Ill. "He knows the ins and outs of the track and that should help the team prepare for a great weekend of competition."
Krawiec joined the team shortly before the season started in March. This will be the first time he will be racing on a surface that he's familiar with. The first five events of the 16-race season were at tracks that Krawiec had little or no experience at. Being at home, surrounded by familiar faces, sights and sounds will just help Krawiec.
"I'm anxious to have a great performance weekend in Englishtown and I think being at home is just going to help me," Krawiec said. "I'm more excited about being able to make some runs down a track that I know and I think all of my friends and family will help relieve the pressure that naturally comes from competing at such a high level."
Hines has earned one victory at Englishtown (2004) and one No. 1 qualifier (2004). He lost in the first round, however, in the last two appearances there.
"I've won there and set the national record there, but I haven't been past the first round since the victory," Hines said. "It's nice to go back to a track that you have had success at already because you know your team has what it takes to win. Our Screamin' Eagle crew won the Full Throttle Award for the most consistent team in qualifying in Joliet and that's something we've been aiming for.
"We want to make our big changes at the shop and in testing and just have to make the smaller, necessary changes at the track. We're learning how to be more consistent. The team is making great calls on the whole package and it's coming together. We're more confident about the motorcycle and what it will do when we make changes than we were at the start of the season."
Hines is in fourth place with one victory this season. Krawiec is 12th in points and his best finish so far was a semifinal appearance at the season opener at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway.
Krawiec thinks his favorite track would be the perfect place to make a move up the point standings.
"I'm the hometown guy who has grown up in Englishtown, I've seen the place grow and everything that has happened here," Krawiec said. "I love this place and I'm more comfortable racing here than anywhere. Hopefully I can make eight passes down the track this weekend and come out the winner. Our team has great momentum coming into the event and we're going to do everything we can to carry it forward."
Qualifying for the NHRA event will start Friday with two sessions at 3:30 and5:30 p.m., continuing Saturday at noon and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations will begin at 11 a.m. on Sunday.
All the action of the ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals can be seen on ESPN2starting on Saturday with qualifying coverage at 11 p.m. (ET), continuing with three hours of final eliminations coverage on Sunday at 10 p.m. (ET). NHRA Race Day – a live magazine show filmed at the track – can be seen on Sunday at 11 a.m. (ET), also on ESPN2.
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.
