DRAG RACE
NHRA PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP
ROUND 9 / AUGUST 19-20, 2017
BRAINERD INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY / BRAINERD, MN
P88
top seed in the upcoming Countdown to
the Championship playoffs. Following his
most recent win, Savoie has moved up to
third place, even though he was forced to
miss an event earlier this season due to
business commitments. The real drama
continues to be at the back of the pack
where there are still several riders fighting
for the final spot in the 10-bike playoffs. With one
race remaining—the Chevrolet Performance U.S.
Nationals in Indy—Angie Smith is holding on to
the number-10 spot, but Steve Johnson, a former
Indy winner, is close behind in 11th. Liberty Rac-
ing teammates Angelle Sampey and Cory Reed
are both outside the top ten, but both can get
in because the U.S. Nationals awards points at
1.5-times the normal rate. CN
upset about it. I'm actually really happy
for Jerry."
Early in the event, the favorite ap-
peared to be Lucas Oil Buell's Hector
Arana Jr. The top qualifier in the field for
the first time in nearly two years with a
6.879 run, Arana Jr. was poised for a big
weekend but lost in the second round
against Andrew Hines. Arana ran a 6.919, barely
losing to Hines' 6.918.
"Our bike was running great on Friday but for what-
ever reason, she kind of went downhill from there,"
Arana Jr. said. "We ran the same motor all weekend
and it showed really well but it did drop off, especially
between the 60-foot and 330-foot clocks which is
where you do most of your accelerating. We'll have
to take it apart and see what's wrong."
With a huge points lead over second-ranked
Eddie Krawiec, Tonglet has all but locked up the
Screamin' Eagle
Harley-Davidson's
Andrew Hines
(pictured) made it
to the third round,
but fell victim to
LE Tonglet.
