NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

Vance & Hines, the most successful motorcycle racing team in the history of NHRA drag racing, will make a long-awaited return to nitro racing in 2018 with rider Doug Vancil and tuner Mike Romine. The Vance & Hines bike will compete in the Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley category, which will be contested during ten NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events.

During his previous stint on a Vance & Hines-backed entry, Vancil was dominant with six Top Fuel Harley class championships.

“I can’t wait until we start running,” said Vancil. “We have a fast bike and with Mike Romine tuning, I think we are really going to be a top runner in the class.”

Crew chief Romine is also a veteran who brings four decades of experience building, racing and winning on nitro Harley entries.

“I’m very excited to see the Vance & Hines name back on the bike,” said Romine. “I’m really looking forward to working with [team owner] Terry Vance and Doug in the upcoming season.”

With backing from Mickey Thompson tires, the championship for the thrilling low six-second nitro-burning Harleys will kick off at the season-opening Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by Protect the Harvest in Pomona, February 8-11. The Top Fuel Harley class will also run alongside the popular Pro Stock Motorcycle category at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals and the Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

Known primarily for their success in the modern-day Pro Stock Motorcycle class, the Vance & Hines team has won 12 championships with riders Matt Hines, Andrew Hines, and Eddie Krawiec. In-house Vance & Hines entries have collected 121 national event wins since 1996 and countless others have won using Vance & Hines engines and technology.

During his long career, team owner Vance, along with partner Byron Hines, accomplished numerous milestones including the first Pro Stock Motorcycle run in the seven-second zone. Vance also raced a Top Fuel Motorcycle and recorded the sport’s first unofficial six-second elapsed time in 1984. Vance was inducted into the AMA Hall of Fame in 1999 and was named one of NHRA’s top 50 racers in 2001.

 “The NHRA has done a great job of developing the Harley class to create a new two-wheeled championship category in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series,” said Vance. “Bringing together two of the biggest names in Top Fuel with Doug and Mike, I couldn’t be more enthused about getting the season started.”

In addition to the events in Pomona, Gainesville and Indianapolis, the Mickey Thompson Tires Top Fuel Harley category will also compete in Phoenix, Las Vegas (1), Houston, Topeka, Bristol, and Seattle.