Harley-Davidson Secures NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Title With One Round Remaining

The indomitable Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines drag racing team has set the stage to claim another championship in motorcycle drag racing.

Ed Krawiec raced to his ninth Pro Stock Motorcycle win of the season and third in a row at the Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this past weekend, ensuring the 2012 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship title will go to the Harley team. Krawiec now carries a 111-point advantage going into the last round; only his teammate, Andrew Hines, remains as a contender to claim the crown as champ.

“What a great weekend for our team,” said Krawiec in a release. “I had an outstanding Harley-Davidson V-Rod motorcycle to race and I’m relaxed and confident. There’s simply no pressure or stress when I roll up to the line. All I’m thinking about is going to Pomona with a chance to end the season winning four Wallys in a row, which I’ve never done.”

Krawiec actually won two events at Las Vegas. On Saturday he and Hines raced in the last round of qualifying to complete the final elimination round of the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals, which was postponed by rain on Oct. 8 at Maple Grove Raceway in Reading, Pa. Krawiec won that face-off for his 19th career win and eighth of the season, and pulled ahead of Hines, his closest rival for the championship, by 51 points. Earlier in qualifying, Krawiec rode his Harley V-Rod to an Elapsed Time of 6.902 seconds to claim the top spot for Sunday eliminations for the fifth time this season.

Krawiec leads the Pro Stock Motorcycle Countdown with 2672 points. Hines is second with 2561 points. Lucas Oil Buell rider Arana Jr., who lost in round two on Sunday, is third with 2448 points. Lucas Oil Buell rider Hector Arana Sr. is fourth with 2399 points, and Geico Suzuki rider Karen Stoffer is in fifth place with 2334 points.

The Pro Stock Motorcycles will close out the 2012 season Nov. 8-11 at the 48th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals at Auto Club Raceway in Pomona, Calif.

By Pete Brissette