It has been said that Pro Stock Motorcycle veteran racer Michael Phillips does the most with the least. The resourceful privateer further established that reputation by assembling arguably the greatest season of his career in 2009. Phillips’ success often requires…
Steve Johnson’s First Win – 18 Years in the Making
Steve Johnson sacrificed everything for 18 years to achieve a dream 2004 was the year of broken curses for the Boston Red Sox and Steve Johnson. The Sox won its first World Series title in 86 years and Johnson took…
Karen Stoffer Captures Sixth Consecutive Top Ten Finish
In an ultra-competitive category such as NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle, Karen Stoffer and her GEICO Powersports team have found a reliable formula for success. In 2009 Stoffer amassed her sixth consecutive top ten finish, capturing the No. 7 spot. “It’s…
Smith Eyes Pomona Victory
Matt Smith, in his first year riding the Nitro Fish Ultimate Gear Suzuki for Don Schumacher Racing in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, has just one goal before the season ends at this weekend’s 45th annual Auto…
The Lumberjack NHRA PSM Report – It All Comes Down to This
And the 2009 champion is….. After 15 wild and unpredictable rounds of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing, the coveted championship comes down to the tour’s final event, in what has become a two horse race. NHRA veteran Hector Arana…
Matt Guidera Suspended
Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Matt Guidera has been disqualified from this event and suspended for a period of one year it was announced today by NHRA officials. Guidera failed to comply with the NHRA’s drug testing policy within the required…
Ellis to return at Indy aboard Vance & Hines Suzuki
Popular rider Chip Ellis will return to the Pro Stock Motorcycle class at next weekend’s Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil for a one-race stint aboard a Vance & Hines-powered Suzuki. Ellis has been working in the Brownsburg,…
The Lumberjack Report – NHRA UA Supernationals Nationals
“We got West Coast money!” These were the words of a pumped-up Craig Treble from his pit area in Englishtown, NJ, moments after tasting victory for the second time this season. Treble is running on pure adrenaline while his racing…
NHRA Makes Pro Stock Motorcycle Rule Change
Following a review of recent performances in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category, NHRA has announced that the minimum weight for the Harley-Davidson 160-cid four-valve combinations will increase 20 pounds, from 620 to 640. The increase is part of NHRA’s ongoing…
The Lumberjack Report – NHRA O’Reilly Midwest Nationals, Hello Harleys!
Hello Harleys! After a quiet start to the 2009 season the four-time NHRA championship winning Screamin’ Eagle Harley Davidson V-Rod team reasserted its dominance by claiming victories, qualifying on the pole, and setting an elapsed-time record during the last two…
The Lumberjack Report – NHRA O’Reilly Spring Nationals, Treble Scores
Craig Treble has cemented his place as one of the most skilled dragbike racers to ever compete on the NHRA tour. What Tremble accomplished at the O’Reilly Spring Nationals was remarkable. In a category where teams dump tens of thousands…
The Lumberjack Report – NHRA Gatornationals
After one round of racing we’ve learned the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class is certainly not immune to the harsh economy of 2009. For the past five seasons the category has enjoyed unprecedented growth and exploded with new teams, fresh…
Milestone Year for Veteran Joe DeSantis
Veteran drag racer Joe DeSantis, 66, of Rootstown, Ohio enjoyed one of the most meaningful seasons of his career in 2008. DeSantis achieved a long, sought-after goal by garnering his first ever sub-seven-second run with a 6.995 at the O’Reilly…
Joe Koenig Parlays Motorcycle Success to Four Wheel Triumph
In 2008 longtime dragbike racer Joe Koenig added another championship to his impressive racing resume. However this time it wasn’t on a Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle, it was at the wheel of a BMW M3 in the Sports Car Club…
Stoffer Snags Final Countdown Spot in Dramatic Fashion
Heading into the illustrious NHRA Mac Tool U.S. Nationals from Indianapolis, Ind. on Labor Day weekend, Geico-backed Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Karen Stoffer knew exactly what had to be done for her season title quest to continue. In order to…
Stoffer Battles Back into Championship Contention
Heading into the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals from Reading, Pa., Aug. 14-17, Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Karen Stoffer had but one goal – get back into the top ten. Stoffer entered the event ranked 11th in the PowerAde Point Series,…
AMA Dragbike Cancels Pro Stock For Remainder of 2008
AMA Dragbike announces that they will not compete the Pro Stock class for the remainder of the season. The decision affects the next race on the schedule, the Pingel Thunder Nationals at Indy. “This was a difficult decision because we…
Johnson Trying Way Too Hard?
Johnson, Trying “Way Too Hard,” Redlights in First Round In Chicago Steve Johnson of Irondale, Al, had high hopes for a strong finish in the NHRA Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 Nationals, but those hopes were dashed by an untimely…
Rivas Records First Career Victory
Chris Rivas rode the G2 Motorsports/Drag Specialties/S&S Cycle V- Twin from his first pole-qualifying position to his first career NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle win today with a victory in the Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals here at…
Steve Johnson Picks up Win in Houston
Snap-on Tools Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Steve Johnson of Irondale, Ala., “can’t wait for this month to be over. Bring on April!” he said after scoring a quarter final round finish at the NHRA O’Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston…
Hines Makes Statement with 6.84 in Valdosta
Racers in at least two Professional classes produced unofficial record times, and track records took a beating during the ninth annual CSR Eastern Spring Test Nationals presented by Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com at South Georgia Motorsports Park near Valdosta, Ga. Andrew Hines…
Angie McBride to Compete at Gators
Angie McBride may not be a household name, but she is determined to change all of that in the upcoming season. Teaming up with the 2007 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion at the end of last year, McBride has her…
Matt Guidera Impressive in Vegas Test Session
With less than perfect conditions Matt Guidera and the Mohegan Sun/Rocklin Motorsports team broke the Las Vegas Pro Stock Motorcycle track record with an impressive 7.013 at 189.36 MPH on the Saturday test session. The previous Las Vegas track record…
Rivas to Ride G-Squared/Drag Specialities S&S Buell in 2008
Chris Rivas will ride the Drag Specialties S&S Cycle Proven Performance-powered Buell for G Squared (G2) Motorsports in the 2008 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle drag-racing series. Rivas will represent Drag Specialties, the motorcycle parts distribution powerhouse, which returns for…
Ellis Signs With Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher announced that Chip Ellis will join the Don Schumacher Racing stable for the 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season in the ultra-competitive Pro Stock Motorcycle class. Ellis will begin his fourth full season in that category. The team,…
Up To Speed with George Bryce on Eventful Off-Season
The NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class has never been more competitive and the off-seasons have never been this laden with news. Since the end of the 2007 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle season a great deal has occurred. Teams have released…
Angelle Sampey To Race Rush Buell in 2008
Ending weeks of speculation, Pro Stock Motorcycle team owners Karl and Kim Klement announced that three-time NHRA POWERade champ Angelle Sampey will pilot their Rush Racing Products Buell in 2008. Rush signed on as Klement’s primary marketing partner just in…
Peggy Llewellyn Reacts to Release
NHRA Pro Stock racer Peggy Llewellyn was recently released from the Rush Racing Buell by team owner Karl Klement. The move came as a shock to many after Llewellyn found such success in her rookie season of 2007, including a…
2008 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Rule Changes
These revisions will be in effect for the 2008 season Cylinder head: Two spark plugs per cylinder on all 4-valve engines permitted. Oil-retention device: NHRA-accepted lower engine oil-retention device, or a belly pan constructed of an NHRA-accepted composite material or…
Llewellyn Released by Klement Racing
Pro Stock Motorcycle Team owner Karl Klement announced that Peggy Llewellyn’s contract will not be renewed to ride his Rush Racing Buell in 2008. In a press release issued by the team, Klement offered no specific reason for the move.…
Ellis and G-Squared Part Ways
George Smith and George Bryce, G-Squared Motorsports co-owners, have decided to let the contract of rider Chip Ellis expire prior to the 2008 season. The decision comes on the heels of a season in which Ellis finished No. 3 in…
Stoffer Again Ends Season in Top Ten
Karen Stoffer, rider of the Geico-backed Pro Stock Motorcycle, turned in a solid performance at the final NHRA race of the season in Pomona, Calif, to again finish in the top ten in the hotly contested NHRA PowerAde point series. …
Krawiec Signs Two-Year Extension with Vance & Hines
Eddie Krawiec has signed a contract extension and will continue to be part of the Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines Motorsports Pro Stock Motorcycle team for the next two seasons. Krawiec joined the team in February – just in time for…
Steve Johnson Snags Top Ten Finish at Season Finale
The 2008 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season ended on a high note for Snap-on Tools Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson of Irondale, Alabama when he clinched a ninth place ranking in the prestigious Top 10 points standings. It’s…
Junior Pippin Successful In NHRA Debut
Junior Pippin of Conyers, Ga. made it to the final eliminations in the National Hot Rod Association’s Pro Stock Motorcycle division at the Auto Club of Southern California Finals. Although he was defeated in the first round by Chip Ellis,…
Matt Smith Wins 2007 NHRA PowerAde Championship
Matt Smith knew his chances of winning the POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship coming into Pomona were slim, but he didn’t let that hold him back one bit. He went into race day swinging and came out on top. Running…
NHRA Pro Stock Champion to be Determined at Final Race
It all comes down to this. Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines Motorsports rider Andrew Hines has a 39-point lead going into the season finale NHRA POWERade event at the Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif. This one race will decide the…
U.S. Army to Drop Pro Stock Motorcycle Program
The U.S. Army has announced the decision to step away from it’s sponsorship of the two Pro Stock Motorcycles racing under the Don Schumacher Racing umbrella after 2007. “Given the great pride the program brings our soldiers and everyone associated…
Treble Wins Coveted US Nationals
NHRA Pro Stock veteran Craig Treble captured the victory of his career on Labor Day by winning the world’s most famous and prestigious drag race – the NHRA US Nationals in Indianapolis, Ind. The win was Treble’s 11th of his…
Connie Cohen Recovering From Crash
During the incident the bike came in contact with the retaining wall at the end of the shut down area. Cohen and her motorcycle were flung into the sand pit and the bike slid into the safety net beyond the…
Johnson Set For New Gold Rush in California
Snap-on Tools Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Steve Johnson knows his American history – and intends to begin reliving it this coming weekend. “I think Sutter’s Mill, where the California Gold Rush began, is pretty close to Infineon Raceway in…
Up to Speed With Connie Cohen
Longtime NHRA Pro Stock racer and 2006 AMDRAGS champion Connie Cohen fills us in on the recent sale of her Buell and brings us up to speed on the world of Pro Stock racing. Memorial Day has come and gone. …
NHRA Adjusts Buell Weight in Pro Stock Motorcycle
The NHRA has made it clear that they will step in and adjust the rules in Pro Stock Motorcycle whenever they deem necessary to maintain parity between the three primary makes in the class, Suzuki, Harley, and Buell. This week’s…
Fast Women of the NHRA
In case you haven’t noticed, the women are suddenly wearing the pants in the NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle brigade. If you’re a confirmed male chauvinist, this is not good news. But if you’re a dyed-in-the-wool diversity freak, you’ve got to…
Steve Johnson’s State of the Union Address
Not only is Steve Johnson the most experienced rider in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle class, he also represents the category in an organization entitled Pro2. In this article Johnson converses on the drastic changes the class has undergone and…
Bryce Discusses Rivalry with Vance and Hines
George Bryce and Byron Hines have produced one of the greatest rivalries in the history of dragbike racing. In this article Bryce talks about what it’s like to compete against the intensity of Vance and Hines and discusses his chances…
Karen Stoffer Wins NHRA Opener and Takes Points Lead
Stoffer claims the first point lead of her career after an improbable win from the No. 16 spot. March Madness is the season for upsets. GEICO-sponsored Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Karen Stoffer caught a little of that aforementioned madness and…
The Professor’s Plans – A Talk with Paul Gast
Cycledrag.com spoke with motorcycle drag racing icon Paul Gast about his plans for the 2007 season, his first six-second run, AMA/Prostar, what it takes to be competitive in the NHRA and more. Cycledrag – It’s been quite an eventful off-season…
Racer on the Rise – Chris Rivas
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle standout and rider of the Mohegan Sun-backed Buell, Chris Rivas is anticipating an extraordinarily prosperous season in 2007 after a tremendously eventful off-season. In early January Rivas announced his team’s acquisition of former G-Squared Motorsports crew…
Ed Krawiec Named Second Rider of Screamin Eagle Team
Eddie Krawiec has been named as the second rider on the Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson factory supported NHRA team, it was announced today. Krawiec, 30, will join Andrew Hines, 23, on the team that is coming off a third…
2006 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Stats by Brand
With several new teams and different brands of motorcycles expected to join the NHRA PSM ranks in 2007, let’s take one more close look at how things ended up in 2006 before the recent pro-inline four cylinder rule change. Round…
Exploring Pro Stock Motorcycle Parity
Parity? The media has continually pointed out the improved parity and seemingly leveled playing field which has manifested itself in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle class. But let’s face it – a closer look reveals not much has changed and the…
Llewellyn to Race a Bryce-Tuned Pro Stock Motorcycle in 2007
Six-time NHRA champion crew chief George Bryce has built a reputation for discovering talent, hiring greats like John Myers and Angelle Sampey. Has he found another? The NHRA’s first female African-American Pro competitor Peggy Llewellyn announced she will run the…
Screamin Eagle Pro Stock Team Close to Adding Additional Rider
Defending three-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Andrew Hines reports his Screamin’ Eagle Harley Davidson Team is close to naming a replacement for GT Tonglet, who was released from the squad in early December. Hines stated that of the large…
Brown Admits Electrical Problems Cost Him NHRA Dragbike Title
At mid-season it appeared as if 2006 would be the year Army Suzuki jockey and nine-year veteran Antron Brown claimed his first NHRA No. 1 plate. When the smoke cleared at the final race in Pomona Brown fell a painstaking…
GT Tonglet Released from Screamin’ Eagle Harley DragbikeTeam
Harley-Davidson Motor Company announced today that riders GT Tonglet and Rich King have been released from their Screamin’ Eagle Harley-Davidson race team contracts. Veteran AMA Flat Track racer Rich King recently completed his seventh season with the Screamin’ Eagle team,…
2007 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Rule Revisions
GENERAL RULE UPDATES Scalloping, notching, etc. of brake rotors prohibited. Flat shield must be incorporated into front wheel, minimum of 5 1/2 inches from the ground. (aka The Steve Johnson Rule) ENGINE (For four-valve, four cylinder configurations) * * Maximum…
2006 Pro Stock Motorcycle Final Points Standings
01 Andrew Hines 1,099 02 Antron Brown 1,076 03 Angelle Sampey 999 04 Chip Ellis 892 05 Matt Smith 857 06 Karen Stoffer 814 07 Ryan Schnitz 771 08 Tom Bradford 721 09 Geno Scali 705 10 Craig Treble 675…
Brown Humble in Pro Stock Motorcycle Defeat
U.S. Army Pro Stock Motorcycle pilot Antron Brown was beaten in the second round of eliminations and thus lost his shot at the 2006 NHRA POWERade world championship. Brown, who came into race day having to advance three rounds further…
Andrew Hines’ Rocky Road to a Third Straight NHRA Dragbike Title
No one said it was going to be easy In one of the most competitive NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle seasons yet, Harley Davidson-backed Andrew Hines entered the AAA Auto Club NHRA Finals, clinging to a mere 37-point lead over US…
Dragbike Racer Stoffer Looking to Finish Strong
After a successful string of late-season races Pro Stock Motorcycle standout Karen Stoffer finds herself just three points shy of a top-five ranking in the POWERade points series heading into the final NHRA event of the season – The AAA…
Frustrating Defeat for Steve Johnson in Vegas
I Feel Like A Rookie” – 20-Year Pro Stock Motorcycle Racer Steve Johnson After Redlighting In Las Vegas “I’ve ‘thrown away’ more trophies this year than I’ve ever had a chance to win,” said Snap-on Tools Suzuki racer Steve Johnson…
All-Harley Final in Vegas Leaves Andrew Hines in Control of His Destiny
After a clutch win at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals, the tour’s next to last event, Andrew Hines and the Screamin Eagle Harley Team don’t need any help from the competition to take a third straight championship. Andrew Hines and…
Karen Stoffer Scores Moral Victory in Las Vegas
What a difference a year makes. Last season GEICO-backed NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Karen Stoffer was involved in a near-career-ending accident in the pits of the NHRA AC Delco Las Vegas Nationals. This year she is enjoying the most successful…
This Year’s Competitive PSM Title Chase – Just What the Class Needs
Bill Stephens is a guest columnist for CycleDrag.com. Stephens has been involved in the motorsports media for over 30 years and has compiled a lengthy resume of accomplishments. Most notably he has hosted NHRA Today, NHRA Heat, and served as…
Rainout Amplifies NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Points Battle
With only three races remaining in one of the most competitive NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle seasons ever, several teams couldn’t wait to compete in the NHRA Toyo Tires Nationals from Maple Grove raceway in Reading, Pa. However, mother nature put…
Exploring Brand Rivalry in NHRA’s Pro Stock Motorcycle Class
Bill Stephens is a guest columnist for CycleDrag.com. Stephens has been involved in the motorsports media for over 30 years and has compiled a lengthy resume of accomplishments. Most notably he has hosted NHRA Today, NHRA Heat, and served as…
POWERade Prophecies
After four rounds of racing, this year’s NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Bike series has produced three different winners and five different finalists. The class displayed incredible parity and set a new record for the quickest field in the history of…
Five Questions with George Bryce
While we were waiting for the track to dry on Friday for the student’s sixth and final pass at the George Bryce Drag Racing School , I had the opportunity to engage in a candid conversation with one of the…
Holeshot 101: George Bryce Drag School
After attending Frank Hawley’s Funny Car school in 1985, as a present for winning the Funny Bike championship, Star Racing owner George Bryce wanted to create a similar school focusing on the intricacies of two-wheel racing. Hawley agreed that a…