Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines rider Andrew Hines advanced to the final round of the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle eliminations at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park. Riding a Harley-Davidson V-Rod, Hines lost by a margin of just 0.008 seconds to Snap-On Suzuki rider Steve Johnson in the final.

“I’ve guess I’ve won and lost by smaller margins,” said Hines. “I can’t hang my head. I got a great start and hit all my shifts, but Johnson ran me down at the end of the track and beat me by maybe six inches. But this was an exciting weekend for the Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines team, and both our riders are in great position for the Countdown.”

It was the 26th trip to the final round of an NHRA event for Hines, but the first to the finals at the prestigious U.S. Nationals for the three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. Hines qualified third for the event with a run of 6.969 seconds, and then defeated Rocklin Motorsports Buell rider Peggy Llewellyn in round one, Indicom Electric Buell rider Angie McBride in round two, and MB Precision Machining Suzuki rider Mike Berry in round three to make it to the final. Hines got an outstanding start, with a reaction time of 0.009 seconds and beat Johnson, who left in 0.037, off the line. But Johnson caught Hines in the final 100 feet of the track. Hines had an ET of 7.063 to 7.034 for Johnson.

Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines rider Eddie Krawiec, who won the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle bonus event on Saturday, rode his Screamin’ Eagle V-Rod to the seventh spot in qualifying with a run of 6.990 seconds. Krawiec then lost to Berry by just 0.002 seconds on a hole-shot run in the first round of eliminations. Krawiec had a reaction time of 0.066 seconds and an ET of 7.041 seconds, to the 0.012/7.093 run posted by Berry.

“I was off a little on my reaction time,” said Krawiec, “I try to be in the 40s on every run. But it was a great weekend for the team with the Ringers win and Andrew in the finals. Now we wipe the slate clean for the Countdown, and I’m just 80 points out of first place.”

The NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series now moves into its playoff season as the top-ten riders in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class will compete in the five-race Countdown to One, which begins on Sept. 11 at the NHRA Carolina Nationals at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C. Both Hines and Krawiec have qualified for the Countdown. Season points are reset, with the number one qualifier, Matt Smith, earning a 30-point lead over Hines, the number two qualifier. Krawiec, seeded seventh, starts the Countdown 80 points behind Smith.

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycles will race next September 11-14 at the NHRA Carolina Nationals at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, N.C.

Used with permission from H-D®.