KRAWIEC QUALIFIES FOR COUNTDOWN WITH READING RESULTS

“It’s great to have that slot in the Countdown locked up before the U.S. Nationals,” said Krawiec. “Now we can go to that big event at Indy without the added pressure of racing to grab one of the last spots.”

Krawiec qualified a Harley-Davidson V-Rod motorcycle in fourth position at Maple Grove with a 6.943-second run. Hines qualified another V-Rod seventh at 6.972. NitroFish Buell rider Matt Smith was the number-one qualifier with a 6.909-second run, and 10 of the 16 riders who qualified for Sunday eliminations ran under seven seconds.

Sunday turned into a festival of red lights, as six of the eight first-round matches and three of four second-round races were decided when one rider fouled at the start line. Hines was a red-light victim in his first-round race with Geico Suzuki rider Karen Stoffer. Krawiec was on the winning end of a red-light start when his first-round opponent, Rocklin Motorsports Buell rider Matt Guidera, left early. But in round two, it was Krawiec who drew the red light, handing a win to Snap-On Suzuki rider Steve Johnson. For the second week in a row, Smith defeated Rush Racing Products Buell rider Angelle Sampey in the final round to take the event win.

“That was the most red lights I’ve seen at an NHRA event, at least in the last year or two,” said Hines. “Unfortunately, we were part of it. And while it’s disappointing not to win, the up side is that I feel like we really turned a corner with the bikes this weekend, and we are about to get back to it.”

Hines and Krawiec also locked up positions in the eight-rider Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, a lucrative bonus event held during qualifying for the Labor Day weekend Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis. The Battle winner will receive $25,000 of a $76,000 total purse.

After 11 rounds of the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series, Smith moves into the lead in the Pro Stock Motorcycle season standings with 922 points. Hines is second with 849 points, followed by Chip Ellis with 774 points, Sampey with 668, and Chris Rivas with 662. Krawiec moves up to sixth with 643 points, followed by Guidera with 626. Krawiec, Sampey and Guidera join Hines, Smith, Rivas and Ellis as Countdown to One championship qualifiers. The final three slots will be decided at the U.S. Nationals.

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycles will race next August 27-September 1 at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O’Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Ind.

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The Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team is sponsored by Ford Truck, Dunlop, Matco Tools and S100.