NHRA U.S. NATIONALS - BME PRO STOCK BIKE NOTEBOOK
will bring you the stories behind the numbers and win-lights throughout the course of the weekend. Tune in daily for the latest news from the pits.Tracy Renck will bring you the stories behind the numbers.
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MONDAY NOTEBOOK - HECTOR HAMMERS THEM IN THE PRO STOCK BIKE FINAL
ARANA HAS NO PEERS - This season, Hector Arana has had a career revival in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.
He has gone from a championship pretender to a championship contender and Monday was just more evidence of that fact.
Arana, riding a Buell, rode past the Suzuki-riding Michael Phillips in the final round. Arana clocked a 7.026-second time, while Phillips slowed to a 7.086 seconds. This was Arana’s third victory of the year and his inaugural Indy title.
“This is the sweetest moment of my career,” said Arana, who made his Pro Stock Motorcycle debut in 1990. “I have struggled and I kept wondering when was my time? It’s true, I didn’t give up and finally this has happened. To win the US Nationals and to go to the finals of the Ringers (event), I couldn’t ask for anything more.”
Arana was quick to credit Larry Morgan, who tuned his engine, for his success.
“I talked to him and he told me, ‘Hector I don’t know what I can do for you, but why don’t you let me look at it,’. As soon as he said that, I just turned around and went right to the trailer and packed everything, and I didn’t even ship it I took it to him,” said Arana. “I didn’t even waste a moment. By the time he saw me there, he probably wondered that I took him literally. He looked at it and said, ‘we can do something for you,’ and as you can see my performance has changed and I have been doing well and I have to thank him a lot for my performance.”
Phillips lost in the finals to Eddie Krawiec at Reading, Pa., before losing to Arana in his second consecutive final round appearance.
WILD START - Nothing was normal about the opening round of the Pro Stock Motorcycle class eliminations Monday.
Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines, the top two riders in the points chase with a combined six wins, exited in the first round.
Krawiec, the defending 2008 world champ, qualified No. 8 and was upset by No. 9 Doug Horne. Horne came in at 7.048 seconds and Krawiec was at 7.039 seconds. Horne won on a hole shot, .031 seconds compared to .049 by Krawiec.
Hines, who won the Ringers Gloves battle Saturday, handed Craig Treble a first-round victory by registering a red light.
This was first time that Krawiec has lost in the first round this season. Hines has now lost in the first round three consecutive races at Brainerd, Reading and Indy.
Steve Johnson, who came to Indy 11th in the points, is not going to make into the top 10 and will be left out of the Countdown to 1. Johnson lost in the first round when he had red lighted against Chip Ellis.
Michael Phillips, Shawn Gann and Karen Stoffer, who were eight, nine and 10 in the points, all won in the opening round, so the 10 riders in the Countdown to 1 are set. Junior Pippin, who was No. 12 in points, also lost in the first round to Matt Smith.
The surprises continued in the second round as Smith was beaten by Horne.
GUIDERA STAYS IN COUNTDOWN - This weekend, the Pro Stock Motorcycle class has been in the spotlight far more than usual.
That’s namely a result of Matt Guidera being suspended for a year by the NHRA for failing to meet the requirements of the Substance Abuse Policy. Guidera actually has the ability to request for a stay, if NHRA grants the stay, he's allowed to compete until such time as his appeal is heard.
Steve Johnson, a fellow Pro Stock Motorcycle racer, said he understood Guidera’s plight.
“The guy's trying to race at the US Nationals, he's got a business to help run, he's just had a three week old baby, he's trying to figure out how to get his baby back cause they can't fly the baby,” Johnson said. “In my little world, I'm trying to help with public relations and marketing, trying to ride the bike, trying to review with the crew chief, and still train to be a driver and a team owner. So there's a lot of stuff. That's what makes it tough. But I understand the process.”
According to the NHRA, Guidera will remain No. 7 in the points and qualify for the Countdown to 1. Guidera, however, can’t compete in any races until until he is either granted a stay or wins his appeal, if he files one. he has an appeal granted by the NHRA to return. If Guidera isn’t granted an appeal, no one will replace him in the Countdown. He will just finish 10th in the points.
“Well, us not being in the countdown is our own fault,” Johnson said.
Outside of the inconvenience of testing, is there anything complicated about it, anything that could be misinterpreted about 24 hours?
“I think that's the biggest problem for me,” Johnson said. “I'm a team owner, I'm working the public relations, the marketing side; and also I'm the rider. So I just have...I feel like I just have a lot on my shoulders every day and when you throw that in there, you know it's just a hardship. But, you know...I mean you look at I go to schools all the time and they've got metal detectors when you walk in and there's some kind of drug testing. So it's a part of reality. And everybody knows it.”
If Guidera does remain suspended for a year, it brings up several questions that Johnson would like answered.
“Well, I guess I'd start backtracking, you know,” Johnson said. “Does the money go to him? You know, if he's gonna to keep the points then they need to pay him his money because he's gonna be No. 10. Like anybody, I'd like to see what the rules are completely, and understand that if he does get his points, he gets the check and it would start shutting more doors. If there was a thought that he didn't get his points or he didn't get his money, then I would start looking at other avenues and how all of that creates what the sanctioning body wants to do for the fan. And that's provide and entertain the crowd.”
RINGERS OUT – If the Ringers Gloves Pro Stock Motorcycle Battle continues beyond this year, it will need a new sponsor..
According to Anthony Vestal, NHRA Director of Media Relations, Ringers didn’t renew its contract to sponsor the season-long program.
The program awards drivers on where they qualify for events throughout year. The drivers with top eight points based on their qualifying points earn a berth into the Ringers event at the US Nationals. Andrew Hines won this year's Ringers event and the $25,000 winner’s check Saturday. This year’s Ringers event had a $61,000 purse.
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SUNDAY NOTEBOOK
SMITH BEATS HARLEYS - There’s no question that the Harley-Davidson team has been dominant in the Pro Stock Motorcycle series 
this season.
However, on Sunday Matt Smith, on his Don Schumacher Racing Nitro Fish Suzuki, stole the spotlight from Harley teammates Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines in the US Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park.
On his final qualifying pass, Smith clocked a 6.918-second time to capture the No. 1 qualifying spot. Hector Arana (6.936) and Hines (6.957) are second and third in the qualifying ladder. Krawiec is No. 8 at 7.018 seconds.
Final eliminations begin at 11 a.m. Monday.
“We have very good success here the last four years,” Smith said. “This is our third No. 1 qualifying position in four years here and we’ve been to three finals. We seem to shine here, and that’s a good thing. We’re looking forward to Monday.”
KAREN STOFFER'S INDY DIARY
Today was our second day of full qualifying and we started the day by going to the Racers for Christ church services. We had a represenation of about seven GEICO Powersports people there and had a nice service this morning by the Racers for Christ President Larry Smiley.We came back to the pits and were getting ready to make our 11 am run today, but as sometimes happens weather played a big role in things and the rain came. So we had to wait out the rain.
I went to the GEICO Powersports merchandise booth where I signed a lot of hero cards and t-shirts while visiting with many fans which is always nice. This race, we are also debuting our new GEICO Powersports diecast bike which is on display and available at the booth. We met alot of fans as they decided to stay dry hanging out underneath all the awnings due to the rain.
We then had a nice lunch with the team, friends and family while we waited out the rain. Debbie Johnson (team owner) made us all a great cowboy stew.
The rain was a pesky rain; it wasn't too heavy but it was definetly a constant rain for a long time creating a 4-5 hour delay to our original schedule. We should have been racing at 11 am, but we ended up qualifying at about 4 pm.
They gave us our call and we went down to make our qualifying pass. We didn't get two qualifying passes today; we just made one pass.
We made a pass and the motor stayed together which is good. We ran a 7.03 which is comparable to our 7.02 and ended up in the 10th spot. Now we are going to load the bike up, get ready for a nice dinner and then get ready for raceday on Monday.
“We hurt the motor when we ran against Hector in the second round,” Smith said. “We lost oil pressure and we lost vacuum. So, Steve (Tartaglia) took the motor out and worked until like 2 a.m. (Sunday) morning. The credit goes to him. When the bike came back out it was a rocket ship.”
Smith was a runner-up in the US Nationals in consecutive years from 2005-2007.
REACTION TO SUSPENSION OF GUIDERA - When Pro Stock motorcycle rider Matt Guidera was suspended Saturday afternoon by the NHRA for not complying with the Substance Abuse Policy, it sent a shockwave through the pits at the US Nationals.
NHRA suspended Guidera immediately for a year, but he’s going to appeal the decision.
“I heard about it (Guidera’s suspension) after the second round (of the Ringers Gloves event) Saturday,” said Hines, who won the Ringers race on his Screamin’ Eagle Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson.
“Someone told me that he was not on the qualifying sheet anymore and they said don’t say anything because it hasn’t been officially announced yet. It’s a bummer deal, but it says right there when they serve you with the papers that you have 24 hours and you have to sign your signature to make sure that you’re going to be there.”
Hines was also drug tested at Indy.
“I got summoned, and my sheet said 10:55 a.m. Friday morning,” Hines said. “I had to be there within 24 hours and test. I believe almost every person in Pro Stock Motorcycle was summoned to a drug test.”
Hines said he took his drug test at 3 p.m. Friday.
“We knew that they had summoned Eddie (Krawiec), but they could never meet up with him at the same time to give him the paperwork, so he just went over there and did it,” Hines said. “Chip Ellis, this is his first race on his Vance & Hines Suzuki, and he was summoned. They got everybody. You see them driving up and down the pit road, you’re like ‘so, who got tested?’ Then, they pull up to your trailer and it’s like ‘Oh well, it doesn’t really matter, I’m just going to go over there and do it.’ This is the third time I’ve been tested in the last calendar year. I got tested in Dallas last year, Gainesville this year and here.”
According to Hines, he had not been tested in his first seven years of competing in the NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Hines made his debut in the class in 2002.
“This is just part of the deal, if you get picked, you have to go,” the 26-year-old Hines said.
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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - HINES WINS BIG MONEY, GUIDERA SUSPENDED
GUIDERA RESPONDS TO SUSPENSION - When the NHRA announced they had suspended Matt Guidera for one year for failing to comply with they Substance Abuse Policy, they could have been a bit more forthcoming.According to Guidera, he tried to comply. He just failed in his effort.
“Well, I’m disappointed that I didn’t go up there and perform the test on time,” Guidera said Saturday night. “I wish it was different, but I understand that the NHRA has rules and they have to stick to them, and I certainly wish I was racing here on Monday and qualifying Sunday, but they’ve told me that I can’t.”
According to Guidera, he was issued the paperwork from the NHRA to take a drug test at 4 p.m. Friday. Guidera then had 24 hours to go take a drug test.
“I went up there in enough time, and I wasn’t able to perform a specimen for them,” Guidera said. “I did do a urine sample, but it wasn’t enough. I didn’t pee enough. I wish I would have because I wouldn’t be in this predicament. He (the drug testing official) said that I didn’t pee enough, you have to do another sample and said ‘ok.’ I sat there and I drank water and I drank water until I couldn’t drink anymore water and I couldn’t go to the bathroom yet. He (a drug testing official) said you have to try and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t pee, and I told him that I couldn’t pee and he said come on out here, go talk to these people and I talked to the NHRA and they said ‘your suspended.’ That’s you’re suspended. They didn’t give me anymore time. I was over the 24 hours, and they were unwilling to allow me anymore time. At that point, I was getting closer to going to the bathroom and I walked out and then walked back in and I was ready to go to the bathroom, and they said ‘no you can’t go, you’re done.”
Guidera, who is seventh in the points chase, already is planning his next move.
“I’ll appeal it (the suspension), as soon as I get the paperwork in the mail,” Guidera said. “I have an option to appeal it and it states that in the (NHRA) rulebook. I definitely will appeal it because I felt that I was there in an adequate amount of time to perform a sample and I tried to, due to a technicality, they didn’t take it. I wouldn’t appeal this if I wasn’t optimistic, that why you appeal. I’m going to do that and hopefully they (NHRA) will see to it to allow me a chance to redeem myself. I’m not doing any substances that are banned. I have nothing to hide, I just got timed out is what happened. I understand that NHRA has rules, and they stick to them and they’re very serious about their rules because this is a very serious sport out here and I want to be a part of it. This is where I want to be. I want to be racing with the best in the world. I have a little minor setback. Life could be worse. I’m not happy about it, but I will deal with it.”
Vick Guidera, Matt’s father and team owner of his Pro Stock Motorcycle, was stunned about what transpired with his son.
“He presented himself within the 24 hours and I don’t know what the hell they’re doing,” the elder Guidera said. “I haven’t got a clue. It was shocking. To me, common sense would have said, ‘hey pee’ when you get your sample ready we will test you. He appeared within 24 hours and presented himself for a pee test. I went and asked those guys (the drug-testing officials) what was going on and they told me that he (Matt) was in the bathroom trying to give his sample and his time was up.”
HOLDING NOTHING BACK - This season, the Harley-Davidson teammates of Eddie Krawiec and Andrew Hines have dominated the Pro Stock Motorcycle series.
Krawiec and Hines are first and second in the points series and have four and two race wins, respectively.
Blake Gann, the crew chief for his son Shawn and Bailey Whitaker, who ride Buells, didn’t hold back when talking about Harley-Davidson’s success.
“You will never be able to compete with a series with the Harleys since they bought the series,” Blake Gann said Saturday at the US Nationals. “It’s bought and paid for. Long as it’s bought and paid for it’s a done deal. That’s just a fact, that’s just the way it is. All we can do is come out here and have fun and play with the crowd and everybody else. Even if the series is bought and you can’t win, I still would rather be out here racing and have a sponsor, and getting paid do something that you like, even if you can’t win.”
KAREN STOFFER'S INDY DIARY
Saturday started with a fairly leisurely morning because we didn'thave any commitments until 10 am. We are pitted next to the Sportsman cars so we get to wake up to the smell of racing fuel and cars warming up which is nice. I started off the day with a Ringers Gloves autograph session at the Full Throttle pit on the other side of the racetrack. We had a lot of fans come by to see all eight riders and get autographs on a special hero card with all eight riders for the Ringers Gloves battle. It was a lot of fun to see all the fans who support us. I got to do a little back and forth bantering with our opponent
and the other riders so we had some fun with that as well.
Also, to kick off the Ringers Glove battle we do a special introduction for the fans.
Because of the position I was in, the GEICO Powersports team was actually the first pair out with my opponent Matt Smith. Matt had a 6.96 et to my 7.02 so he won and I lost in the first round of the Ringers Gloves battle. But the good thing with the Big Go is that we have another chance to go out and race and that will be Monday.
That counted as a qualifying session which was good because I hadn't had a good qualifying pass all weekend.
We seem to have what I like to call a little gremlin on our back when we come to the Big Go and we are trying to bump the gremlin off our back since we have been struggling a little bit going through a couple of motors here and there and
having some issues with the cone flying across and hitting me yesterday.
We did get another shot at qualifying today and again we had some motor challenges, but we will overcome.
So the boys get to work hard tonight while I head to the GEICO Powersports souvenir trailer to sign more autographs and watch some racing. The team is working hard to swap out motors so we will be ready to do some stout qualifying tomorrow.
Gann, a 6-time NHRA event winner, is qualified fourth in the US Nationals and Whitaker is 11th.
“The key for us here is just to be consistent,” the 31-year-old Gann said. Friday, Gann had an interesting run in qualifying. While racing against Karen Stoffer, Gann hit the timing cone with his left foot right before the finish line. Both Gann and Stoffer had their runs disqualified because he hit the cone.
“I’ve never done that before,” said Gann, who took off his shoe and showed his swollen and black and blue left big toe. “The bike was drifting a little bit to the center and thought that this aint so bad. Then, right after the 1,000-foot (mark), it started making a hard move, and I totally didn’t expect it to make a hard move. It was just one of those deals.”
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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK -
ARANA ATOP THE LADDER - During his last 11 seasons in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, Hector Arana had limited success. His best 
finish in the points chase was 11th, last year, winning the only race of his career.
This year, Arana has had a revival. Arana, whose hometown is Miami, is third in the points chase, with two wins. He also has four No. 1 qualifying positions, and it could be five. After Friday’s qualifying run, Arana is tops in the class with a 6.985-second elapsed time at 190.30 mph. Andrew Hines is a close second at 6.989 seconds, followed by Matt Smith at 7.018 seconds.
“Just to come over here to the U.S. Nationals, that alone is a lot of pressure,” Arana said. “We just freshened up the motor. We had zero runs on that engine. I was really, really nervous because I didn’t know what the motor was going to do. I saw some of the guys going 7.0s and close to 6.90 and I was wondering who was going to be the first in a 6.90 run. The run felt all right, it wasn’t the perfect run. But, I will take a 6.98 for the first hit. Before this run, I called Larry Morgan and told him I needed his help and I sent him my stuff and they touched it up, and obviously the motor is still good or better than it was.”
BAD TIMING - Karen Stoffer appeared to claim the top qualifying spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle. She clocked a 6.951-second elapsed
KAREN STOFFER'S INDY DIARY
Since it was Friday I had to work doing a couple conference callsthen going through the 150 emails in my inbox. A few hours later, I joined the seven other PSM racers who qualified for the Ringers Gloves event this weekend at a press conference held in the track's Top Eliminator Club which where we were introduced, met with the media, took group photos and signed autographs for the guests at the TE club.
We then went over some of our race preparations and I met with a couple people in person that I have been conversing with on the internet about my racing performance this year.
The GEICO Powersports team then had our first qualfying pass of the weekend at around 5:45 pm. We had a great pass and I loved the bike, went straight, went fast; I always have fun on the GEICO Powersports Suzuki .
But unfortunately, Shawn Gann hit the cones and they couldn't tell if whether it was an accurate pass so they disqualified us both which was a letdown because that was an exceptionally good pass we had.
After debriefing and talking to reporters about the pass, I got to relax with about 20 family and friends including fellow PSM riders Jimmy Underdahl and Katie Sullivan in the GEICO Powersports pit.
The night ended by supporting my GEICO Powersports teammate Morgan Lucas for his first qualifying session.
Looking forward to Saturday which starts with a Ringers Gloves autograph session at the Full Throttle exhibit. Look forward to meeting with many of our sport's incredible fans. Hope to see you there.
Her run was disqualified by NHRA officials, however, because Shawn Gann, who she was racing against on her qualifying pass, hit the timing cone right before the finish line. Gann also was disqualified.
“That was a beautiful run,” Stoffer said. “I looked on the computer back in the trailer, in the transporter, the Geico Powersport Suzuki was on a beautiful pass, and I honestly believe that was a 6.95 pass. You look at the video and you see the reflector go behind my bike, no where in front of it. But you know that's the rules and you've got to abide by the rules. But it was a beautiful pass, I had a nice clean light, nice good shift points. You could probably put that up to one of the...I know there's no perfect pass, but it was darn near close to being a perfect pass, if it wasn't perfect. You know it was...it's one of those things. It's drag racing. It's the first time down the race track for us here this weekend and things happen and we saw a couple of other riders actually go over and hit the cones. I think we took out two cones in that whole session if you were to look at it, I believe, I'm not sure. But it's unfortunate that we were on the other side and we got disqualified, as well as him. It's an un
fortunate situation, but that's really the rules and I agree with the rules.”
CHRISTMAS TREE ISSUES - It seems like a race hasn’t gone by where a Pro Stock Motorcycle rider doesn’t red light during eliminations.
Matt Smith, who pilots the Don Schumacher Racing Nitro Fish Suzuki, is aware of the problem.
“These bikes react so quick because they’re so light,” Smith said. “They react quicker than anything else out here. NHRA needs to do a better job for us and change our tree for the guys. We’re basically on a 370 tree, all of the pro classes. They changed that when we went to this LED light, from a 400 to 370 because a lot of the Top Fuel Funny Car guys were seeing the tree better, and so were the Pro Stock cars. I guess they made the tree faster, so they wouldn’t red light. They need to go the extra step and go to 350 for us and that will help us out tremendously.”
According to the Smith, if NHRA would make that change, the light would come on faster, and, the Pro Stock Motorcycle drivers would not react as quick.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE RINGERS - This season, Eddie Krawiec has been dominant in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class.
He has won four races, including the last event at Reading, Pa. Krawiec leads the season points standings with 1,026 points. He’s well in front of second-place Andrew Hines, his Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines teammate, who has an 837 total.
Krawiec, the defending 2008 Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ, and Hines, a three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ, will try to continue their winning ways during the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle at O’Reilly Raceway Park Saturday. This is a special bonus event for the top eight Pro Stock Motorcycle riders. The Ringers Gloves event takes place at 1:15 p.m., 5:30 p.m., and 7:40 p.m. today.
The race-day purse for the Ringers Glove race is $61,000. The winner will will take home $25,000 of the purse.
“We’ve had a lot of success at this event, and we’ve won a lot of rounds,” said Hines, who has won the Ringers race three times. “This (the Ringers) race is for bragging rights and a chance for us to win some money and kick some back to the team. I know I would like to win that $25,000 check.”
Arana is the No. 1 qualifier for the Ringers event, thanks to his four No. 1 qualifying positions this season. Arana faces off against Matt Guidera in the opening round, while Hines clashes with Steve Johnson and Kraweic meets Craig Treble. Smith will race Stoffer in the final first-round match-up. If Kraweic and Hines both win, they face each other in the semis.
“If we have to race against one another, that’s fine,” Hines said. “It seems like we’re racing each other all of the time. We just want one of the Harleys to win.”
Besides the cash bonus, Hines believes the Ringers race has an additional benefit.
“At Indy if you win the Ringers event and the race, you can make 11 runs, and that would great for us to collect data off of 11 runs,” Hines said. “The maximum number of runs we would get at any other race would be eight.”
SMITH’S ROLLER-COASTER RIDE - This has been an up-and-down season for Pro Stock Motorcycle driver Matt Smith. He’s presently fourth in the points chase on his Don Schumacher Racing Nitro Fish Suzuki.
“It has been strange this year,” said Smith, who had four wins a year ago, but has yet to capture a victory this season. “We have had a lot of stupid things happen to the bike. It’s nothing that anybody is doing wrong, we’ve just had little gremlins come up. We’ve had so many electrical problems or a wire breaking, like I said stupid stuff.”
Smith is upbeat that he will get in Victory Lane in the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle. Smith has made it to the semifinal three-consecutive years.
“We want to go and win this thing,” Smith said. “I have been to the semifinals the last three years and I need to take things one step farther this year and at least get to the finals.”
Although Smith switched to a Suzuki from a Buell this season, it’s has been an easy transition.
“The adjustment has been minimal for me,” Smith said. “I jump back and forth, I will ride a Suzuki here and then I will go back home and test the Buell for Angie (McBride) or go to Quatar and ride the Buell over there. So, I go back and forth and do good on both of them. They’re both pretty equal on power, it’s just according to how the guy tunes the bike on which one runs the best.”
Actually, Smith not only is competing for DSR this weekend, but he also is campaigning riders with his own team at Indy.
Angie McBride, Smith’s fiancée, and 19-year-old LE Tonglet are riding Buells for Smith. This will be Tonglet’s debut race on a Buell.
“We’ve run Angie four times this year with Nitro Fish and this is the first time we’ve brought out our second bike,” Smith said. “This is the biggest race of the year, so if you have another bike at home, you might as well bring it out. As a owner, I want them to do good over there, but as a rider, I want to win. So, if I go up against them, I’m expecting to beat them because that’s what I want to do.”
McBride would like nothing more than to send Smith to the trailer if they meet on the track.
“Absolutely,” said McBride, when asked if she was allowed to beat Smith. “I told him he was not allowed to come to our pit when we race each other. I said he's not allowed to come over there. But he tunes my bike, so I kinda...”
McBride also would enjoy colliding with Smith in Monday’s finals.
“The ultimate (final) would be to line up against Matt, but it would also be to beat Matt,” McBride said. “Because when you beat Matt, you know you've beat a champion, and not only that I've beat my fiancée. So I get to call all the shots in the house until the next race!”
JOINING THE PACK - Katie Sullivan is entered in the Pro Stock Motorcycle U.S. Nationals field this weekend. Sullivan is leasing a Suzuki motor from Stoffer’s, Doug Johnson-owned GEICO Powersports Suzuki.
Sullivan is competing out of Jim Underdahl’s Pro Stock Motorcycle camp. Underdahl is running Stoffer’s second bike.
“I would love to take Katie under our belt, but right now it’s not in the budget or anything and we’re just a one bike team,” Stoffer said. “Currently, she is just leasing the motor for this weekend, and we’re hoping, if she does well we can keep her doing that (leasing motors).”
Sullivan of Corning, Calif., clocked a 7.594-second time during his first qualifying run.
SOMETHING'S COOKING – Angie McBride, Pro Stock Motorcycle rider, revealed today that she will be driving a Matt Smith-owned Nitro Fish Buell at zMAX Dragway in two weeks, and when the tour stops in Ennis she will be atop another bike.
“I will be in Ennis, I won't be driving for Matt Smith and I won't be sponsored by Nitro-Fish,” said McBride, a coy smile on her face. “That is all I can say right now. I will be in Ennis.”
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THURSDAY NOTEBOOK -
MCBRIDE READY FOR INDY - After spending the last two months and four NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle races on the sidelines – working on a new house with fiancé Matt Smith while cheering for him as he contends for the 2009 series title – Angie McBride is ready to resume quarter-mile competition this weekend.
“I am really excited to be racing in the U.S. Nationals,” said McBride, who will again wear Nitro Fish colors. “I’ve raced four times this year and got to the semifinals in my last two races. The last time I raced was at Norwalk (Ohio) in June. I was bummed because I couldn’t go to the next couple of races, but I am looking forward to this weekend.”
“Matt has partnered with Karl Klement on a motor program and I’ll be running a Klement motor. It has good horsepower. That program is definitely a good thing for us. I hope to be racing in the next three races, and we hope this will be the start of something that will lead to a Wally (NHRA national event win).”
Smith’s birthday gift to McBride was an entry for the Norwalk event. She responded well, qualifying sixth and winning her first two rounds before losing to Eddie Krawiec. He also doused her title hopes in the same round at St. Louis.
“We had a good motorcycle at Norwalk and a good day,” she commented. “I haven’t made a lap since. It’s going to be fun being with Nitro Fish again. I love the Nitro Fish bodywork on the bike. It always gets a lot of response from the fans.
“We want to go rounds Monday and do well at the U.S. Nationals because for us it is the biggest and most important race of the year.”
THE OTHER SMITH RIDE - Teenage rider L.E. Tonglet will be a member of Matt Smith’s MSR Racing Pro Stock Motorcycle team for NHRA’s Mac Tools U.S. Nationals.
Smith announced Tuesday his plan to add the 19-year-old Tonglet as a teammate of Angie McBride. Tonglet will be aboard the Frameworksmg.com Buell Smith rode to the 2007 NHRA Full Throttle championship.
Oona Elmore, owner of Frameworks Marketing Group, said she was pleased to help Tonglet – the youngest son of former rider Gary Tonglet and the brother of GT Tonglet – gets his first Pro Stock Motorcycle ride at the U.S. Nationals. “L.E. is a talented rider and we are looking forward to watching him race this weekend,” said Elmore.
Frameworks Marketing Group is a vinyl company that creates vinyl wraps for race teams (including NHRA), transporters, trailers and motor coaches in addition to trucking fleets. It is located on South Pointe Boulevard (also known as Nitro Alley) in Brownsburg, Ind.
“Frameworks provided the opportunity for us to run a second bike for this prestigious race,” said Smith, who rides the Don Schumacher Racing Nitro Fish Suzuki, “and I wanted to give L.E. a shot to see what he can do. He’s young, small and he’s already run a couple of races this year.”
McBride, Smith’s fiancée, will be aboard the Nitro Fish Pro Stock Buell that won four times in six final rounds last season. “We were going to be at Indy already, so it was just as easy to take two bikes,” added Smith, the 2007 Pro Bike champion. “She will be running the Karl Klement motor that I built for him and L.E. will have one of my motors.”
“I can’t wait,” said Tonglet. “I’m excited. I’ve never ridden a Buell before, but it should be an easy learning curve. I rode a Suzuki at Houston and Atlanta this year, but the motor blew up at Atlanta.”
The elder Tonglet said L.E. won the 2007 and 2008 AHRA (All Harley Racing Association) championships with power from a V-Rod. “He ran in the low 6.90s (seconds), and he did run 7.04 and 7.09 at Atlanta” before the engine expired.
Because U.S. Nationals’ tradition includes five qualifying runs – one more than usual – L.E. will go for his initial Buell ride Friday night. Two more sessions are slated Saturday and Sunday, followed by Monday’s Labor Day eliminations.
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