Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/727617
84 nOctober 2016n www.thunderpress.net THUNDER PRESS INDIANAPOLIS, IND., SEPT. 6— Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle/ Vance & Hines rider Andrew Hines charged from the middle of the pack to earn a hard-fought Pro Stock Motorcycle victory at the NHRA Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway. After qualifying seventh, Hines battled his way through the fi eld as his Harley-Davidson V-Rod motorcycle gained performance in the hands of the experienced Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines team. The win moved Hines into the Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead and makes the defending champion the top seed head- ing into the six-race 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs. "The Screamin' Eagle team really had to work hard to get my V-Rod run- ning right today, but we saved that best run for the fi nal," said Hines, who also won at the prestigious U.S. Nationals event in 2012. "This race is our biggest show. It's the Super Bowl or Indy 500 of drag racing. It's a long weekend and there's so much tradition and everyone is racing hard; it's really challenging to win here on Monday. To do it twice and put the Harley-Davidson bike back in the winner's circle is a real honor." After fi ve rounds of qualifying, Hines had posted a best run of 6.864 seconds, good for the seventh spot in the 16-bike fi eld. According to the NHRA no rider has ever won the U.S. Nationals from that deep in the qualifying order. Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines rider Ed Krawiec qualifi ed third with a run of 6.848 seconds on the team's other V-Rod race bike. Hines has won fi ve times in seven fi nal-round appearances in 2016, and now has 47 career Pro Stock Motorcycle fi nal-round victories. Krawiec lost in the second round and gave up the Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead he'd held all season to Hines. The points standings will re- set as the top-ten riders in the Pro Stock Motorcycle fi eld qualify for the Countdown playoffs, with a 10-point increment between each rider and a 20-point bonus to Hines for being the points leader. "Earning the number-one seed is a 30-point swing for me," said Hines, "and we met our goal of getting the two Screamin' Eagle V-Rods in the Countdown fi eld and seeded 1-2. The Countdown brings out the best in every competitor and we can't let anyone sneak up on us. This is a very stout fi eld. We have our work cut out for us if we want to repeat as champi- ons." Heading into the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship, Hines is seeded fi rst with 2,110 points. Krawiec has the second seed with 2,080 points. —Press release 2016 NHRA HARLEY-DAVIDSON DRAG RACING SERIES Oct. 28–30 Rockingham Dragway Rockingham, NC Nov. 4–6 The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas, NV 2016 NHRA MELLO YELLO PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE SERIES Sept. 23–25 AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals St. Louis, MO Sept. 29–Oct. 2 NHRA Keystone Nationals Reading, PA Oct. 13–16 AAA Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Dallas, TX Oct. 27–30 NHRA Toyota Nationals Las Vegas, NV Nov. 10–13 Auto Club NHRA Finals Pomona, CA 2016 AMA VINTAGE DIRT TRACK NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Sept. 24 Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track) Cuddebackville, NY Sept. 25 Oakland Valley Race Park (Short Track) Cuddebackville, NY 2016 AMA PRO FLAT TRACK SCHEDULE Sept. 25 Santa Rose Mile, Ramspur Winery Santa Rosa, CA SPRINGFIELD, ILL., SEP. 6— Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle Wrecking Crew rider Kenny Coolbeth Jr. executed a perfect last-lap pass to score a thrilling victory in the Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines main at the historic Springfi eld Mile. Aboard a Zanotti Racing/Gator H-D Harley-Davidson XR750 motor- cycle, Coolbeth stalked race leader Bryan Smith for the entire 25-lap main before making his move for the win as the pair blasted out of the fi nal turn on the legendary dirt oval at the Illinois State Fairgrounds. The strategy paid off for the veteran Harley-Davidson racer as Coolbeth beat Smith to the fi nish line by 0.009 seconds. "I knew I wouldn't get all the way around him going down the straightaway like a legit draft pass," said Coolbeth, who has now won fi ve times at Springfi eld, "so I buried it off in there just like I did when I beat him the other time and it worked out." Coolbeth, a three-time AMA Grand National champion, has more wins than any active rider in series. The win at Springfi eld is the 36th of his career. Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle Factory Team rider Brad Baker fi nished fi fth at Springfi eld, 1.357 seconds behind Coolbeth. Harley- Davidson Screamin' Eagle Wrecking Crew rider Jake Johnson fi nished in 13th place on the Zanotti Racing/ Classic H-D Harley-Davidson XR750. The Harley-Davidson Wrecking Crew riders compete with legendary intensity befi tting the long history of Harley-Davidson racing. Part of that story is currently being told at the Harley-Davidson Museum in its spe- cial exhibit "Racing Machines from the KR to the XR" that explores the role the Harley-Davidson engineering team played in creating the legendary bikes that have dominated race tracks for three decades after World War II. After 13 of 14 races on the 2016 Harley-Davidson GNC1 presented by Vance & Hines fl at track series, Johnson is third in points with 169, Coolbeth is sixth with 134 points and Baker is seventh with 124 points. —Press release NHRA U.S. NATIONALS Hines and Harley-Davidson battle to Pro Stock Motorcycle win Passes teammate Krawiec to top points standing AMA PRO FLAT TRACK SPRINGFIELD MILE II Harley-Davidson XR750 carries Coolbeth to thrilling victory Notches 36th career win