Sun, 22 Jun 2008, 02:10 PM Pro Stock Motorcycle Round 1 Eliminations

By Larry Sullivan

ENGLISHTOWN, N.J. - Results of round 1 eliminations in Pro Stock Motorcycle at the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, 39th annual Lucas Oil NHRA SuperNationals:

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   25 Matt Guidera                            7 Eddie Krawiec                
E1                   0.026  7.063 187.89     ****WINNER****  0.025  7.033 187.76
 Qualified:             #8  6.997 190.78                        #9  6.997 189.90

1:51 p.m. Weather conditions: air temperature 78 degrees, relative humidity 56 percent, barometer 29.89 inches, adjusted altitude 2,030 feet, track temperature 107 degrees.

Guidera won the motorcycle opener this year, at Gainesville, and is currently fourth in points. Krawiec is a hometown favorite.

Chalk up one for the home boiy, in a close race. Eddie Krawiec's incremental margins: 60ft(0.003), 330 ft(0.017), 660ft(0.024), 1,000ft(0.032). MOV: 0.0314 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    8 Karen Stoffer                           9 Steve Johnson                
E1                  -0.009  7.035 189.10     ****WINNER****  0.029  7.039 189.79
 Qualified:             #7  6.992 190.65                       #10  7.002 192.36

Stoffer has been to two finals here, in '05 and '06. This is Johnson's 21st E-Town race, the first coming in '87, his first-ever Pro Stock Motorcycle race.

First red light of the day...probably not the last.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    6 Craig Treble                          235 Hector Arana                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.037  7.044 189.36                    -0.011  7.153 183.84
 Qualified:             #6  6.990 191.38                       #11  7.005 191.16

Treble is the defending event champion. Arana's first E-Town race was in '91 and he has yet to go past the second round here. Treble is 3 - 1 against Arana in prior events.

'Nuther red light.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    5 Angelle Sampey                        205 Shawn Gann                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.043  7.070 187.18                     0.044  7.101 187.83
 Qualified:             #4  6.956 190.83                       #13  7.058 188.62

Sampey won here three years in a row, '98, '99 and '00. Gann won here in '03, did not run here yesterday, reportedly with medical problems. Sampey is 21 - 5 against Gann in prior events.

They left together and that was not good news for Gann, Sampey pulling away on the top end. Angelle Sampey's incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.002), 330 ft(-0.002), 660ft(0.022), 1,000ft(0.033). MOV: 0.0323 seconds (approximately 9 feet).

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
   44 Chris Rivas                           308 Ryan Schnitz                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.127  6.979 190.19                     0.028  7.364 176.37
 Qualified:             #1  6.923 191.92                       #16  7.442 173.01

Rivas comes in with his second #1 qualifier in a row, running career-bests in both ET and speed to get the top spot here. This is Schnitz' first start since the final race of the '06 season - and he's on the only Kawasaki in the field. This is the first time Rivas and Schnitz have faced each other in eliminations.

Schnitz had a huge starting line advantage, but could not run the number and Rivas won with the fitrst six of the day. He will have lane choice against Krawiec in round two.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    3 Chip Ellis                            310 Joe DeSantis                 
E1   ****WINNER****  0.019  6.923 192.49                     0.154  7.161 185.49
 Qualified:             #2  6.937 192.88                       #15  7.207 186.56

Ellis is aboard the quickest Suzuki in the field, the Schumacher stable development bike. This is the first time Ellis and DeSantis have faced each other in eliminations.

Ellis had a great light and a great run, tying Rivas for low ET of the weekend and almost matching his own top speed of the weekend. He has lane choice against Johnson next round.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    2 Andrew Hines                          573 Mike Berry                   
E1   ****WINNER****  0.058  7.043 188.81                     0.040  7.066 186.15
 Qualified:             #5  6.973 188.25                       #12  7.049 185.77

Hines won here in '04, was runner-up last year. Berry is usually on a Suzuki, but has been running Matt Smith's second Buell here, trying to sort out handling problems that produced some scary runs with Angie McBride aboard. Hines is 6 - 4 against Berry in prior events.

Hines nipped Berry in the lights for the win. Andrew Hines' incremental margins (negative if behind): 60ft(-0.039), 330 ft(-0.046), 660ft(-0.032), 1,000ft(-0.012). MOV: 0.0052 seconds (approximately 17 inches). Hines has lane choice against Sampey in round two.

Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT-----ET---Speed----Bike#-Rider-(Opp'nt)-RT----ET---Speed
    1 Matt Smith                            371 Wes Wells                    
E1   ****WINNER****  0.037  6.966 189.87                    -0.038  7.157 188.67
 Qualified:             #3  6.952 191.38                       #14  7.181 188.36

Smith won here in '06. Wells is making his seventh start, still looking for his first round win. This is the first time Smith and Wells have faced each other in eliminations.

Wells left early and Smith went into the sixes to earn lane choice against Treble in round two.

Timing data courtesy of CompuLink