Harley-DavidsonPress Release: The Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson team set out this weekend to defend the 2004 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship they earned with rider Andrew Hines. The 15-race season started with the Mac Tools NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway and so far, the season looks very promising.
On Friday, returning champion Hines put Harley-Davidson into the record books with a 6.991-second pass at 196.10 mph. It was the first pass in the six-second range and the honor was worth a $10,000 bonus from the Mickey Thompson 6-second Club. Hines later improved his speed, reaching 197.45, setting both ends of the national record.
Hines qualified in the top spot with teammate GT Tonglet closely behind in the number two spot. Tonglet set a track record, going 197.45 for a career-best speed along with a career-best elapsed time of 7.007. He and Hines recorded the same speed, but the track record went to Tonglet because he made the run first.
"We came into this event wanting both bikes to qualify in the number one and two positions," Tonglet said. "We did that and we got into the six-second range too. I really wanted that mark but if I couldn't do it, I'm just glad it stayed with the Screamin' Eagle team.
"It's disappointing that we both lost and in the second round too," Hines said. "Breaking the six-second record was amazing and it topped the entire weekend, but it would have been better to finish the weekend in the winner's circle. This is a great accomplishment for the entire team, our family and Harley-Davidson. It's even better that it came at the start of the season.
"Now we have to focus on winning rounds and winning races. We need to start running for our second championship, and we have 14 races left to make that happen."
For an inside look at the2005 NHRA Pro Stock season and the battle that is shaping up between theV-twin powered Harley-Davidsons and Buells and the inline-four-cylinderSuzuki Pro Stockers, keep watching for the July 2005 issue of SuperStreetbike, which will feature SSB contributor Scott Odell's exclusive,behind-the-scenes story about the G2 Motorsports Buell Pro Stock effort aswell as the Schumacher Racing/US Army Suzukis. For more information aboutHarley-Davidson's V-Rod Pro Stock campaign, visit www.harley-davidson.com.