NHRA News: Pro Stock Bikes in for a landmark season in 2005 (11/30/2004)

Pro Stock Bikes in for a landmark season in 2005

By Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
11/30/2004

Steve Johnson

The 2005 Pro Stock Bike schedule has officially been released and fans of the world's quickest and fastest two-wheel racing action should be in for a landmark season. Two of the sport's biggest performance hurdles – the six-second quarter-mile pass and the 200-mph top speed mark – are likely to be cleared next in NHRA competition and many in the class are convinced at least one will fall in 2005, making each Bike race a must-see event.

Mirroring the '04 schedule, fans can catch Pro Stock Bike history in the making at traditional stops in Gainesville, Houston, Atlanta, Columbus, Chicago 1, Englishtown, St Louis, Denver, Sonoma, Brainerd, Memphis, Indianapolis, Reading, Las Vegas 2, and Pomona 2.

"We couldn't be more excited," said veteran rider Steve Johnson, the president of PRO2, the organization representing the Bike set. "The 2004 season was historic in many ways. We crowned the youngest NHRA champion in history when Andrew Hines won it all at the age of 21. We saw the emergence of Harley-Davidson and the V-Twin motor. We saw some great performances by Suzuki, especially in the second half. It was a great year.

Twenty-one-year-old Andrew Hines earned
Harley-Davidson its first NHRA title in 2004.
Racers Edge Photography

"At the same time, we all know the six-second barrier is about to fall, and what's really exciting is the fact several riders have a chance at breaking through. We had four different riders – Andrew, Chip Ellis, Angelle [Savoie], and Antron [Brown] – all flirt with the E.T. record at different times. They all ran quicker than 7.05 at various times, so they're all capable. Plus, those four riders compete on three different types of bikes, a Harley, a Buell, and a pair of Suzukis, so the parity is there also. It's awesome."

The first rider to break into the six-second range will win $10,000 from Mickey Thompson along with a specially-designed trophy. In all, eight riders will become members of the NHRA Mickey Thompson 6-Second Pro Stock Bike Club and all will receive cash from the tire manufacturer.

"It's probably going to happen all at once," Johnson said. "We'll hit some race and the conditions will be just right and it might be a case of where you are in line for who gets it done first."

The Pro Stock Bike schedule begins with its customary start in Gainesville, Fla., with the 36th annual Mac Tools Gatornationals. The race is the third of the year for the other Pro classes but the first for the Bikes.

Three-time series champ Angelle Savoie (foreground) and her teammate Antron Brown (left) are already considered contenders to win it all in 2005.
Racers Edge Photography

"It's a big advantage for us to have our own stage on which to debut and kick-off our season," Johnson said. "There's no dilution factor with the other classes so we can marquee our stars and our sponsors on our own stage. It's a huge event and the fans in Florida have always been great to our class. I couldn't imagine starting anywhere else."

After its usual stops in Houston and Atlanta, the Pro Stock Bike tour will then move into crucial markets in Columbus, Ohio, Chicago, and Englishtown, N.J.

"Those three areas of the country are huge for motorcycle sales," Johnson said. "It's vital that we show our best efforts at those races and keep the fans revved up about riding motorcycles."

The mid-summer stretch of races in St Louis, Denver, Sonoma, Calif., is highlighted by the stop in Northern California's wine country, where motorcycle aficionados pour in by the thousands.

Newcomer Chip Ellis is a strong Rookie of the Year candiate for '05 on his G-Squared S&S Buell V-Twin.
Racers Edge Photography

"Sonoma's the biggest bike race of them all," Johnson said. "We were all thrilled when they added that race to the schedule a few years ago because we knew how people in that part of the country feel about motorcycles. I think the NHRA and the folks at Infineon Raceway have seen what we bring to the table at that race. It's hard for me to describe how cool it is to roll through the gates in the morning and see that entire hillside covered in motorcycles. It's huge for us."

As the summer turns to fall, the 15-event Pro Stock Bike tour will visit Brainerd, Minn., Memphis, Tenn., and Indianapolis. This year's Indy event will mark the first running of the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, the special event within an event that pits the top eight qualifiers from the previous 12 months against one another for big cash prizes.

"This will be the 15th year of the event but our first with Ringers Gloves as the title sponsor so we'll do everything we can to make sure it's a big success," Johnson said. "The fact we get to run this event in Indy makes it even more special than usual."

The season will then enter its homestretch of races in Reading, Pa., Las Vegas, and Pomona, Calif.

"Never in history have we had such close competition by so many different riders and manufacturers," Johnson said. "Every race is exciting and we have such a huge array of drivers for people to support. Some of our best riders are female, or maybe of different ethnicities. I'd say we have more diversity in the NHRA Pro Stock Bike class than any other form of motorsports in the world.

"We have a billion dollar company in Harley-Davidson that now wears the crown of champion. You know Suzuki is going to pull out all the stops to regain their stranglehold on the class. We have the U.S. Army backing two of our best riders. We're on the verge of history. Even if I wasn't riding a bike I don't think I'd want to miss one round of action in 2005. It should be phenomenal."

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