For the Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle team ridden by Chip Ellis, the term better late than never has a special meaning.

The team's trailer housing encountered an axle problem on the east side of Indianapolis on Thursday as the team began its journey from the Brownsburg, Ind.-based Don Schumacher Racing shop to this weekend's 24th annual NHRA Nationals at  Maple Grove Raceway.
 
The repairs took nearly 12 hours and delayed the team's arrival in Mohnton, Pa., by 35 hours. The crew finally left Indianapolis at 11 p.m. Thursday night and arrived at Maple Grove at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

For the Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle team ridden by Chip Ellis, the term better late than never has a special meaning.

The team's trailer housing encountered an axle problem on the east side of Indianapolis on Thursday as the team began its journey from the Brownsburg, Ind.-based Don Schumacher Racing shop to this weekend's 24th annual NHRA Nationals at  Maple Grove Raceway.
 
The repairs took nearly 12 hours and delayed the team's arrival in Mohnton, Pa., by 35 hours. The crew finally left Indianapolis at 11 p.m. Thursday night and arrived at Maple Grove at 9:30 a.m. Friday.
 
"The right rear trailer wheel bearing went out," said Ellis, who helped the team remove the wheel and was still able to catch his scheduled flight into Philadelphia Thursday night. "The damage was so severe it took the spindle out and in order to fix it we had to have the spindle cut off and a new one welded on. My teammates and crew, Tom Patsis and Jason Jones, hung right in there and made sure the people working on the trailer were following the proper procedures with the repair."
 
Ellis actually met the team where they had broken down and they took the tires off themselves. Then they chained the axle up and Patsis and Jones brought the truck to a nearby truck repair center on 16 of 18 tires.
 
"It's not something that happens that often, but the same thing happened on the same wheel to this truck last year," added Ellis. "I don't know if they just did a patch job last year just to get it to the track, but I think they've got it fixed right this time. They made it here with time to spare. The truck's a little dirty but we got everything here and everyone's safe and that's all that matters.
 
"That's commitment to this team and that's why I'm here," said Ellis. "Just getting here was an ordeal for them and my hat is off to them and I appreciate it."
 
Schumacher Electric Suzuki crew chief Steve Tartaglia said that the delay would not affect the team's preparation for qualifying today. "We're good," he said. "It's no problem. If would they would have arrived any later it would have been a problem. It was worrisome but everything seems like it worked out. The crew has probably been up for the last two days, so they get an A-plus for effort."

Ellis was the No. 3 qualifier in the first Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying session today.