Tonglet Takes Top Qualifying Honors for the First Time This SeasonBRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 14, 2005) - When GT Tonglet earned the victory at the third NHRA POWERade Drag Racing event in May at Commerce, Ga., he nearly jumped off his Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson before it was stopped.
When Tonglet posted his second victory of the season and third of his career on Sunday, beating teammate Andrew Hines in the final at the 24th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the usually reserved 22-year-old had a different reaction.
"That was such an awesome win and I screamed as soon as I saw the win light in my lane," Tonglet said. "And I have never screamed like that before. I was just so excited. It's always great when Andrew and I race each other because it's a win for the Screamin' Eagle team, but he has beat me the last few times. This win will just give me more confidence for the rest of the season, and it is great to be at the top of the points race."
With the victory, Tonglet took over as the Pro Stock Motorcycle points leader. He was third going into the race and now has a six-point lead over teammate Andrew Hines. Tonglet posted a 7.179-second pass at 187.68 mph over Hines' 7.268 at 180.62.
"Overall, both of our V-Rods were just awesome all weekend," Tonglet said. "Anytime we can both advance in the rounds just proves how hard this team works. For me it is even more important to get past the second round because mentally I just get more and more confident with every round."
Hines - the 2004 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion - said the final round matchup was the best possible scenario.
"It's a win-win situation because we are both in the hunt for the next championship and all that matters is that we go as far as we possibly can each weekend," Hines said. "With just five races left this season, we're up front in points and looking really good. It really can't get any better than having both Screamin' Eagle V-Rods in the final."
Tonglet also earned top qualifying honors for the first time this season and second in his career, posting a 7.011 at 192.96. Once again, Hines was right there too, finishing second in qualifying with a 7.024 at 196.82.
"We came out here thinking it would be a little hot but the conditions were just awesome," Hines said after earning his sixth consecutive Full Throttle Award (given to the most consistent team in qualifying). "We took advantage of the good weather and the very idea we ran so many passes in the 7.0-range just shows how consistent the crew is."
Tonglet beat Michael Phillips (Suzuki) in the first round with a 7.067 pass at 190.32 over Phillips' 7.205 at 187.00. In Round Two action, he beat Angelle Sampey (Suzuki) for the fourth time this season. Tonglet went 7.091 at 194.38 over Sampey's red-light foul. In the semifinals against Geno Scali (Suzuki), Tonglet posted a 7.105 at 187.70 over Scali's 7.232 at 181.25.
Hines topped Tom Bradford (Buell) in the first round with a 7.063 run at 185.49 over Bradford's 7.238 at 182.11. Then Hines rode his Harley to a 7.136 at 188.67 to beat Suzuki rider Matt Smith's 7.228 at 182.38 before Hines beat Antron Brown (Suzuki) in the semifinals with a 7.126 at 186.61 over a red-light start by Brown.
"To see the guys work so hard throughout the weekend to earn a spot in the finals was just amazing," crew chief Byron Hines said. "I am so proud of the team and the boys for the way they responded to all the challenges of this race, and they proved how dedicated they are. The bikes ran well, the boys did really well. It was a great weekend."
"We're so impressed with GT, Andrew and the entire Screamin' Eagle team for their remarkable performances this weekend and all season," said Harley-Davidson Racing Manager Anne Paluso. "The team is very dedicated and has put in many hours of development and testing to keep the bikes as competitive as possible. The Harley-Davidson V-Rods continue to improve each week, and GT and Andrew keep honing their skills as well. Being one and two in the points race shows how all of their hard work is really paying off."
In reaction to the recent NHRA rule change announcement (giving Suzuki models a 10-pound weight reduction) that goes into effect with the next race, Paluso said the team is surprised.
"This season has seen some great and close racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, with several different winners, a good mix of brands in the finals and a tight championship points chase," said Paluso. "We were very surprised and disappointed by the rule change given the level of competition and parity that already existed."
The next NHRA POWERade event that features the Pro Stock Motorcycle category is the O'Reilly Mid-South NHRA National at Memphis Motorsports Park in Memphis, Tenn., Aug. 19-21.
Screamin' Eagle Performance Parts are inspired by and built in the spirit of the raw adrenaline and power of motorcycle racing. Screamin' Eagle Pro parts are specifically designed for race-use applications, while Screamin' Eagle parts offer street-use performance options for the Harley-Davidson motorcycle owner. Visit www.harley-davidson.com for more information.
The Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Pro Stock Motorcycle team is sponsored by Ford Truck, Dunlop, Matco Tools and S100.
Source: Harley-Davidson Motor Company