NHRA News: Hines becomes youngest NHRA POWERade series world champion (11/13/2004)

Hines becomes youngest NHRA POWERade series world champion

11/13/2004

Andrew Hines

Andrew Hines, 21, became the youngest NHRA POWERade Series world champion in history Saturday by qualifying for the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the final event of the 2004 season.

To earn his first series crown, Hines, from Trinidad, Colo., rode his Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson to a time of 7.184 at 185.23, good enough for 12th in the 16-bike eliminations lineup.

"The first thought I have is what an outstanding accomplishment for my dad (Byron) this championship is," Hines said. "He's been in this sport for a long time and he's won a bunch of championships but to take this program with Harley-Davidson and build it up to a championship level this fast is really something.

"I'm so happy that I'm the guy on the seat. I have an outstanding team around me. From my dad and my brother Matt, to Joe Vanderbrink, Greg Cope, Meredith Schultz, and Ray Veirs, I'd take this group over anyone. There isn't a better team in all of motorsports in my opinion. I'm really just another name on the Vance & Hines roster of champions."

POWERade's Ben Reiling, left, presented Andrew Hines with his championship trophy Saturday in Pomona.

This is the fourth NHRA Pro Stock Bike world championship for the Hines family, as Andrew's older brother Matt won three championships from 1997-'99. Matt was previously the sport's youngest champion, as he was 25 when he claimed his first title in '97.

"It's neat to be the youngest POWERade champion ever," Hines said. "I certainly never thought I'd have this much success this early in my career. This is just my third year out here and my second full season of competition. Again, I have to point to the team. I probably won't give Matt too much grief over replacing him as the youngest champion in NHRA history because I wouldn't have won it if he wasn't tuning this bike."

The younger Hines won three national event titles in four final rounds and earned eight No. 1 qualifying awards to outdistance primary challengers Antron Brown and Angelle Savoie for the title.

"They say the first championship is the easiest one to win," Andrew said. "Now we need to back it up and prove this one was no fluke. I don't ever think it's been easy and I don't think the NHRA will ever allow us to dominate like we did earlier this year. But we're still going to work like crazy this offseason and try to make the gains we need to make to back it up in 2005."

It is also the first NHRA Pro Stock Bike championship title for Harley-Davidson.

"Harley is extremely happy with what we've done," he said. "I know they're already excited about next year and the year after that. Maybe we've started a new era of dominance by Harley-Davidson motorcycles. That would be awesome."

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