THE PREDICTABLE HINES
Sun, 2009-06-28 08:01
Andrew Hines has become predictable in 2009. For the three time world champion, it’s either a No. 1 or No. 5
qualifier.
This time, at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in
Norwalk, Ohio, it was his time to land in the top spot.
“It’s just a real weird statistic that I keep track of and it's been working for us so far,” Hines explained of the interesting nugget.
Hines currently resides third in the NHRA point standings and has struggled to adjust to the recent NHRA weight adjustment to his Harley following the team’s win at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
qualifier.
This time, at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in
Norwalk, Ohio, it was his time to land in the top spot.
“It’s just a real weird statistic that I keep track of and it's been working for us so far,” Hines explained of the interesting nugget.
Hines currently resides third in the NHRA point standings and has struggled to adjust to the recent NHRA weight adjustment to his Harley following the team’s win at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
“The Screaming Eagle bike hasn't been up to par the last couple of races, that's why we qualified fifth (in Englishtown),” Hines said. “The extra twenty pounds really hurt us and threw us for a curve. Now we're starting to get a handle on it, the tune-up is coming around with it. Matt's (Hines) got a handle on the sixty foot now. We were having trouble getting off the starting line the first three qualifiers and finally that last qualifier Matt hit it right in the head. We had our best sixty foot by a hundredth and half. That's where we got all our ET.”
Hines was next in line to run as his teammate Eddie Krawiec laid down an impressive 6.97 elapsed time during the final qualifying session.
“I thought 'oh man don't think I can touch that'. He went perfectly straight down the track,” Hines admitted. “Went I let the clutch go, it went a little bit left and I had to do a little bit of riding. I came around the corner and Eddie told me four and I thought he meant 04, I was like 'oh he got me' but it was 94.”
Qualifying concluded with the Harleys No. 1 and No. 3. Three hundredths separated Krawiec from the No. 4 Matt Guidera and two hundredths separated Hines from No. 2 Hector Arana.
Hines believes the class should be running faster by at least a few tenths of a second.
“There is no reason the class should be going as slow as it's going,” Hines said. “It's been weird the last three races. Everybody has been off. Right now we are back on pace where we should be.”
Credit a strong hot weather tune-up courtesy of Matt Hines for their performance.
“Matt's really good at following what's going on with the weather,” Hines said. “He's always up on it. He knows what corrections he needs to make and he'll make a last minute correction right before we're pushing out of the trailer. I have a really good crew chief in my brother. Some people really underestimate him, but he does a really good job. I'd rather have nobody else turning the wrenches. He's a really good riding coach, too. I've been struggling in my riding all year. He's helped me get back in the zone.”
That help made all the difference between No. 1 and No. 5.
Roger Richards
“It’s just a real weird statistic that I keep track of and it's been working for us so far,” Hines explained of the interesting nugget.
Hines currently resides third in the NHRA point standings and has struggled to adjust to the recent NHRA weight adjustment to his Harley following the team’s win at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
Andrew Hines has become predictable in 2009. For the three time world champion, it’s either a No. 1 or No. 5
Roger Richards
“It’s just a real weird statistic that I keep track of and it's been working for us so far,” Hines explained of the interesting nugget.
Hines currently resides third in the NHRA point standings and has struggled to adjust to the recent NHRA weight adjustment to his Harley following the team’s win at the NHRA Southern Nationals in Commerce, Ga.
“The Screaming Eagle bike hasn't been up to par the last couple of races, that's why we qualified fifth (in Englishtown),” Hines said. “The extra twenty pounds really hurt us and threw us for a curve. Now we're starting to get a handle on it, the tune-up is coming around with it. Matt's (Hines) got a handle on the sixty foot now. We were having trouble getting off the starting line the first three qualifiers and finally that last qualifier Matt hit it right in the head. We had our best sixty foot by a hundredth and half. That's where we got all our ET.”
Hines was next in line to run as his teammate Eddie Krawiec laid down an impressive 6.97 elapsed time during the final qualifying session.
“I thought 'oh man don't think I can touch that'. He went perfectly straight down the track,” Hines admitted. “Went I let the clutch go, it went a little bit left and I had to do a little bit of riding. I came around the corner and Eddie told me four and I thought he meant 04, I was like 'oh he got me' but it was 94.”
Qualifying concluded with the Harleys No. 1 and No. 3. Three hundredths separated Krawiec from the No. 4 Matt Guidera and two hundredths separated Hines from No. 2 Hector Arana.
Hines believes the class should be running faster by at least a few tenths of a second.
“There is no reason the class should be going as slow as it's going,” Hines said. “It's been weird the last three races. Everybody has been off. Right now we are back on pace where we should be.”
Credit a strong hot weather tune-up courtesy of Matt Hines for their performance.
“Matt's really good at following what's going on with the weather,” Hines said. “He's always up on it. He knows what corrections he needs to make and he'll make a last minute correction right before we're pushing out of the trailer. I have a really good crew chief in my brother. Some people really underestimate him, but he does a really good job. I'd rather have nobody else turning the wrenches. He's a really good riding coach, too. I've been struggling in my riding all year. He's helped me get back in the zone.”
That help made all the difference between No. 1 and No. 5.
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