MADISON, Ill. – Andrew Hines moved to the top spot in Pro Stock Motorcycle before rain washed out the first two rounds of qualifying at the 15th annual O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway International Raceway.
Persistent rain showers forced NHRA officials to postpone the first rounds of professional qualifying for Top Fuel, Funny Car and Pro Stock at the seventh of 24 events on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Hines was able to power his Screamin’ Eagle Vance &Hines Harley-Davidson to a 6.920-second run at 189.73 mph before rain storms moved into the area. Pro Stock Motorcycle was the only professional category to complete a round of qualifying.
“It was a long wait but it worked out in our favor because we had to pull our V-Rod apart three times before we got to run,” said Hines. “We fired it up this morning about 10-o’clock and it was huffin a bunch of smoke out of the front cylinder. We pulled the engine apart and checked it out everything seemed to look OK, put it back together fired it up again and it was still huffing smoke. We pulled the front cylinder head off and had to change a couple of valve seals that were leaking pretty bad. We got it back together and everything was ok. We got it right together at 1:55 and we were called up at 2 and we were good to go. The little bit of rain allowed us to get lunch and it worked out in our favor.”
Two rounds of pro qualifying are scheduled for Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Eliminations are scheduled for Sunday at 11 a.m.
NHRA Midwest Nationals Qualifying
Friday after the first one of four rounds of qualifying for the 13th annual O’Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol at Gateway International Raceway, seventh of 24 events in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. Qualifying will continue Saturday for Sunday’s final eliminations.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Andrew Hines, Harley-Davidson, 6.920, 189.73; 2. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 6.965, 190.46; 3. Eddie Krawiec, Harley-Davidson, 6.983, 192.00; 4. Karen Stoffer, Suzuki, 6.986, 189.71; 5. Michael Phillips, Suzuki, 7.009, 191.46; 6. Angie McBride, Buell, 7.016, 186.64; 7. Matt Guidera, Buell, 7.024, 186.87; 8. Junior Pippin, Buell, 7.031, 186.02; 9. Hector Arana, Buell, 7.068, 187.70; 10. Bailey Whitaker, Buell, 7.108, 183.29; 11. David Hope, Buell, 7.173, 185.36; 12. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.210, 183.97.
Not Qualified: 13. Mike Berry, 7.257, 179.71; 14. Wesley Wells, 12.028, 64.35; 15. Craig Treble, 23.889, 23.48; 16. Douglas Horne, 41.594, 22.05; 17. Shawn Gann, broke; 18. Joe DeSantis, broke.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
