Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/172722
COUNTDOWN: ROUND 1/SEPTEMBER 15, 2013 CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY/CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA DRAG RACING P86 NHRA PRO STOCK CHAMPIONSHIP Briefly... of the sport's most competitive nitroburning Funny Cars. Although neither one of them qualified for Sunday's eliminations, Junior Pippin and Anne Hansen made their first appearances of the year in Charlotte. Pippin rode his PiranaZ Buell to a best of 7.07 while Hansen struggled with a best of 7.34 on her Suzuki. teous, but not this time. I would have run the bike out of gas before I staged first and I don't think he was ready for that." After a last-minute engine change, Hines won the final with a 6.96 after Arana, who was trying to win for the first time since 2009, red-lighted. The win was the 32nd of Hines career and his first since the Pomona round last November. "This weekend I saw just how good my team is," Hines said. "We changed engines before the final just because we wanted to put a cold one in there. The five of us got it done in 25 minutes. We were all in synch with each other and there was no yelling or confusion. That might have been the most fun part of the day. It helped me get everything else out of my mind and relax." For Arana Sr., the final round loss wasn't the worst thing as he managed to move into third place in the standings, just 36 points behind his son, Hector Jr., who has led the entire sea- Vindication: The Vance & Hines team was a happy bunch after winning their first race since the rule change forced them to abandon their dominant four-valve engines. son. Arana Sr. rode past Angie Smith, Screamin' Eagle HarleyDavidson's Eddie Krawiec, and son, Hector Jr. before racing Hines in the final. "Overall the outcome was not what we totally wanted but we got to the final," Arana Sr. said. "The way I see it, you have to get to the final before you can win. "We are leaving with a good points position and I am going for the championship. They [sons Adam and Hector Jr.] have more time than me to get one." CN Final 1. Andrew Hines (HarleyDavidson) 6.966/190.97 mph 2. Hector Arana (Buell) (Red Lighted) 14.134/35.01 mph Just two weeks after winning NHRA drag racing's most prestigious title at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Viper Motorcycle Co. Buell's John Hall came back down to earth when he lost in the opening round in Charlotte. Hall qualified number eight, but red-lighted in the first round against eventual winner Andrew Hines. "It was totally my fault," Hall said. "I just pushed it a little too hard and red-lighted. It sucks because this is the first race in the Countdown and I could have used the points, but no matter what happens I've had a great year. I won the inaugural race in Epping [New Hampshire] and the U.S. Nationals and if I didn't win another round it would still be a great year." Refuting a story recently published on the internet, Sovereign/Star rider Michael Ray made it clear that he is not planning to retire following the 2013 season. Ray acknowledged that he is unsure of his status on the George Bryceowned Buell team but also noted that he has options. "I don't plan to retire," Ray said. "I mean, I know I won't do this forever because I have a lot of other things I want to do in life, but I have some things in the works for next year. I could be here [in Pro Stock Motorcycle] or I could do something completely different. Everyone knows that I would love to drive a Top Fuel dragster or a nitro Funny Car at some point so that might be something to consider too."