New champion Matt Smith (holding trophy) celebrates after winning the 2007 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship aboard his S&S-powered Buell.
 o kick off its 50th anniversary year, S&S® Cycle is celebrating Matt Smith’s NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Drag Racing Championship. In November Smith rode his Torco Racing Fuels Buell®, powered by an S&S 160ci Billet Pro Stock engine, to win the NHRA motorcycle #1 plate during the season finale at the Pomona, California event.
In the season-ending race, the title was down to the wire. Of the four riders eligible to carry the number one plate home, Chip Ellis, Peggy Llewellyn and Matt Smith were riding S&S 160ci Pro Stock powered bikes, with Andrew Hines on his Harley rounding out the four. This marks the first time an S&S-powered Buell has won the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Championship.
“This season was a huge success for S&S, G-Square, and all the S&S-powered Buells,” said S&S President, Brett Smith. “A few years ago, the board felt we should immediately begin competing at the highest level in drag racing. In fairly short order, S&S power was able to bring home a championship!” Smith went on to say, “I cannot thank Matt Smith—the newest POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion, Chip Ellis, Peggy Llewellyn, Matt Guidera, Hector Arana, Chris Rivas, Junior Pippin, Tom Bradford, Michael Ray and the teams for their support of S&S and our race products. I would like to extend a special thanks to G2 for all the hard work they have put into not only their own Drag Specialties team with Chip Ellis, but all the teams fielding our engines. Without G2, none of this would have been possible. My hat is off to George and Jackie Bryce, Ken Johnson, Derek Churchwell, Ruth Olson and the entire G2 organization. But I have special thanks for my dad, George Smith, whose vision, personal commitment and sacrifice made this such a success for S&S and all of our S&S-powered teams!”
The weekend was exciting with Ellis, Smith and Llewellyn winning races throughout the qualifying rounds. Hines tripped a red light in the second round of eliminations, sending Ellis and Smith to round three, each against US Army Suzuki riders. Both Ellis and Smith won, eliminating Hines from the championship and assuring an S&S powered rider taking the number one plate.
“Matt Smith has proven to be one heck of a racer,” said George Smith. “He’s cutting good lights and he’s figured out how to get away from the starting line better than anyone else, and that’s how drag races are won. He proved that again this weekend, even though we were making more power with Chip’s bike, as shown by our back half and trap speeds. My hat’s off to him. Congratulations to him and his team for a job well done.”
"Seven bikes in the Pomona field of 16 were S&S 160ci Pro Stock-powered Buells. And the good news is that in addition to our team and the new national champion, Hector ‘The Hammer’ Arana, Matt Guidera, Peggy Llewellyn and Chris Rivas all had great seasons on S&S-powered Buells,” noted George Smith. “The S&S-powered Buell program distributed exclusively by G2, is alive and well.”
The S&S-powered Drag Specialties/G Squared/S&S machine that Ellis was riding pulled up next to the Torco Racing Fuels Smith bike. When the lights went green, Smith ended up winning with a 6.944 at 191.08mph to the 6.957 at 192.17mph Ellis ran.
Congratulations to Matt Smith on taking the number one plate, Chip Ellis on coming in at number three in the season and Peggy Llewellyn for scoring enough points for fourth in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Racing. Be sure to look up the 2008 schedule and plan to get as many events as possible on your calendar now.
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 Matt Smith received his championship honors at the NHRA banquet the day following a dramatic finale at the Auto Club Finals at Pomona, CA. Smith took a must-win final round win over the Drag Specialties Buell of Chip Ellis for the event title and his first NHRA #1 plate. “That was a wild ride,” said Smith after the race. “We just wanted to win the race. We figured if we won the race we would get second place. When Andrew Hines went out in the second round and we had low E.T. of that round, I thought we had a shot at the whole thing.” The win was redemption for Smith. He was the dominant rider in the first half of the season but with the new “Countdown” points system instituted by the NHRA this year, Smith saw a 180 point advantage erased following the Reading, PA, event when the top eight riders had their points re-set going into the championship chase. Caption by Matt Polito.
 
 rlen Ness, master bike builder, pioneer of the custom motorcycle industry and industry icon, will share stories from his celebrated career at the 20th Annual Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum “Friendraising” Breakfast on Friday, March 7th in Daytona Beach, Florida. Ness will be trading tales with Russell Mitchell, renowned builder, president of Exile Cycles and star of Speed Channel’s “Build or Bust.”
A Daytona Bike Week tradition, the Museum Breakfast is the ideal opportunity to meet motorcycling’s biggest names face-to-face and get a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of their lives and careers. The program will be held at the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort and is open to the public for $49 per person. All proceeds support the preservation and education initiatives of the non-profit Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum.
Ness well deserves his “Legend” label. A 1992 inductee into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame, he launched his career in the late 1960s with the customization of a 1947 Harley Knucklehead. He entered the bike in a local motorcycle show and won, drawing the attention of the press - and future customers. Soon Ness was able to build a custom-painting bike business. He also began selling custom parts and, along with his wife, created a catalog to keep up with customer demand. What began as a simple typewritten page evolved into a major mail order operation.
Ness’ unique vision resulted in some of the most influential custom bikes of the past decades. His designs have been studied - and copied - by everyone from other bike builders to factory engineers. Two of his most memorable creations, built in the 1990s, are the ‘57 Chevy bike, formally known as the “Ness-talgia,” which perfectly recalls the classic car, and the “Smooth-Ness,” a flowing design inspired by a bronze of a Bugatti automobile. Today, Ness continues to grow his business and excite enthusiasts with his innovative custom designs. For a complete Arlen Ness biography, please visit www.motorcyclemuseum.org.
Like Ness, Mitchell has earned many fans, and the respect of the motorcycle industry, by creating unique custom bikes. In the early 1980s, he built his first machines: customized Lambretta scooters. By 1995, he had enough knowledge and customer interest to launch Exile Cycles from his garage. Today, Mitchell’s business is thriving. In addition to manufacturing and distributing motorcycle parts, Exile Cycles continues to produce attention-grabbing custom bikes. Featuring clean, tough industrial styling, Mitchell’s bikes are instantly recognizable. Just as recognizable is Mitchell himself, well-known from hosting Speed Channel’s “Build or Bust,” as well as his regular appearances on the Discovery Channel’s “Biker Build Off” and “World Bike Build Off.” For more information on Mitchell, please visit www.exilecycles.com.
To join Arlen Ness and Russell Mitchell at the Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum’s breakfast, immediate reservations are recommended. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. with breakfast served at 8:30 a.m. Ness will host an autograph session after the breakfast.
To make reservations or learn about event sponsorship opportunities, contact the Museum at (614) 856-2222 or visit the Museum’s website at www.motorcyclemuseum.org. |
 oug Vancil scored his third AHDRA Top Fuel Championship on the Vance & Hines/Drag Specialties Harley-Davidson, holding off challenger Tak Shigematsu at the final event of the year, the Rush Las Vegas Nationals. It was Vancil’s first AHDRA championship since 2003.
“It really feels great to get the #1 plate again,” said Vancil. “With the level of competition and the way we struggled this year, I didn’t think we would be here a couple of months ago.”
After starting the season strong with a win in Phoenix and a runner-up in Atlanta, Vancil was not able to make another final round until late in the season as he fought to get the multi-stage clutch to work with his new larger engine.
The new engine, a “5x5” configuration (5 inch bore, 5 inch stroke) was brought out last season but would not last a couple of passes before self-destructing. Once the issue was resolved, the newly found power threw a curve at the clutch setup.
“We couldn’t get the right clutch grab,” he said, noting that the engine size was increased from 158 ci to a whopping 196 ci. “We went to a couple of finals early but not because we were fast but because the competition was having a worse time than we were.”
“It was really getting frustrating,” he continued. ‘With about five races to go we started to get a handle on the clutch.” The results were apparent with three races to go. A final at Rockingham and a win at Pomona gave Vancil a slim, 21-point lead over Shigematsu going into the Vegas finals.
The two met in the second round of eliminations with the championship on the line. The drama was short-lived as after being briefly competitive, Shigematsu fell back and Vancil sprinted to the round win – and the championship. “I saw him fall out of my view and I knew I didn’t red light,” recalled Vancil of the run. “So I figured I had it.” Had it he did, as the win cinched the championship.
A bit anticlimactic, Vancil smoked the tire in the next round and lost. “I had the stall set wrong on the clutch,” he admitted. “There were about 60 people celebrating in my pit after I beat Tak. Everybody thought it was time to party but we were still racing.”
Anyone that has seen Vancil race know that his efforts are mirrored by his wife and crew chief Julie, an absolute integral part of the racing operation. Vancil was also fortunate for the yearlong help of retired multi-time sportsman champ Dan DeGood.
“I couldn’t do this without Julie and Dan was a real help this year,” said Vancil. “I also have to thank all my sponsors especially Vance & Hines and Drag Specialties. They have been very good to me over the years and it is impossible to race at this level without support.”
 
The Vance & Hines/Drag Specialties-sponsored husband-wife team of Doug and Julie Vancil recently reclaimed the AHDRA Top Fuel title that they last held in 2003.
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DRAG SPECIALTIES SALES ADDITIONS
rag Specialties has named Mark Anderson as a new Central Region sales rep. Mark began working for Bell Industries in St. Paul, MN before coming to Drag Specialties. Previously at Drag, he has worked as a phone rep and Central Regional Sales Manager at the Janesville headquarters. Mark enjoys riding his 2005 Harley Ultra Classic, snowmobiling and fishing. David Jengo was also named recently as a new Western Region sales rep. David became a certified expert technician in 2000. He has worked on Harleys since 2002, owner of a repair shop, built engines, service writer, shop foreman and head technician. David enjoys riding his 1983 FLHP, playing guitar, spending time with family, graphic design, filming, editing and is an amateur astronomer.
 
 egendary motorcyclist Bud Ekins, 77, passed away on October 6th. His career accomplishments are too numerous to list here, but for those who did not know him we offer this overview. Born in Hollywood, California on May 11, 1930, Ekins was one of America’s best-ever off-road motorcycle riders, winning 4 Gold Medals in the International Six Days Trials during the 1960s, as well as numerous events in Southern California including the famed Big Bear Grand Prix, Catalina and more. He was a Triumph motorcycle dealer in the 1960s and also became one of the first Honda dealers. He went on to become one of the foremost stuntmen in Hollywood, doubling for Steve McQueen in the famous fence jump in “The Great Escape,” as well as many other stunts in dozens of movies and television shows. In his later years Bud provided an important service to Hollywood by setting up antique motorcycles and cars for use in movies with good running modern motors and parts that would hold up for the long hours of filming. He also collected and restored them and became one of the sport’s authorities on early day motor vehicles. Bud was inducted to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999. Godspeed Bud.
 
he motorcycle industry was saddened recently with news of the passing of Gene Koch. He was a sales representative for Drag Specialties for many years as well as an avid motorcycle enthusiast, custom builder and member of the Hamsters Motorcycle Club. A service and memorial for family and friends was held in Coon Rapids, Minnesota. There is no designation for memorial donations or a charity at this time. The staff of Drag Specialties Magazine extends their condolences to Gene’s family and friends.
MA Racing has announced the tentative schedule for the 2008 AMA Flat Track Championship. 2008 season highlights include a return to the Indiana State Fairgrounds’ legendary Indy Mile on Sept. 13 for an event to be held in conjunction with the 2008 Red Bull Indianapolis GP at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Additionally, visits to the mile track at Vernon Downs in Vernon, N.Y., on May 31 and Bedford Speedway’s half-mile oval in Bedford, PA, on June 27 are also planned.
The schedule features 23 total events, 14 of which are GNC Twins races and seven GNC Singles events. Two events are classified as TBD at this time and will be announced later. The 2008 season will kick off during Bike Week at Daytona Beach, Florida’s Municipal Stadium for a two-night GNC Singles double header on March 5 and 6. The series then moves out West to USA Race Park in Tucson, AZ, on April 5th before crisscrossing the United States towards the season finale which will take place on an all-new purpose-built half-mile track at Topeka, Kansas’ Heartland Park Topeka on Oct. 4.
Last year Harley-Davidson factory rider Ken Coolbeth became the first to capture both the AMA Grand National Singles and Twins title in the same year. Coolbeth is expected to return to defend his dual championships and be joined by such series standouts as Jake Johnson, Jared Mees, Bryan Smith and Chris Carr, among others.
For race schedule, log onto http://www.amaproracing.com.
he Buell Motorcycle Company celebrated a major milestone when it started up a new age of sportbikes with the production of the first Buell 1125R motorcycle at its factory in East Troy, Wisconsin.
Turning a new corner into the superbike category, the all-new Buell 1125R delivers a true balance of street and track performance. Designed with a passion for the elements that have defined Buell motorcycles for 25 years, the 1125R offers power, handling and agility that will take riders to a new level of sportbike riding. The 1125R joins the XB and Blast as a third Buell motorcycle platform. The serial number 1 Buell 1125R will become part of Buell’s history, saved for the Harley-Davidson Museum, which opens in 2008.
“Seeing the first 1125R come off the line marks the start of a significant new era for everyone at Buell,” said Erik Buell, chairman and chief technical officer at Buell Motorcycle Company. “The 1125R is designed and built from the rider down to take Buell to a new performance level. As we look forward, we will continue to embrace and enhance our fundamental vision of motorcycle design that offers the ultimate riding experience.”
The Buell 1125R experience begins with power, and adds an artful combination of engine performance, precise-and-agile handling, advanced aerodynamics, and superior rider environment and control. Packaged with distinctive styling that leaves many mechanical components exposed, the 1125R leads with an all-new front fairing and radiator cowling which provides superior aerodynamics, rider comfort and efficient air flow. The 1125R delivers race-inspired agility and handling, while holding to the three principles of the Buell Trilogy of Technology – chassis rigidity, low unsprung weight and mass centralization.
The Buell 1125R Helicon engine is a new 1125cc DOHC V-Twin, the first liquid-cooled engine to power a street-legal Buell motorcycle. The Helicon engine is rated at 146 crankshaft horsepower, and is designed to deliver optimized usable power. Its V-Twin design retains the styling and character that has always defined the Buell riding experience.
Buell will celebrate its 25th Anniversary in 2008 with special motorcycle badging, as well as a variety of events July 2-6, 2008 in Wisconsin. (see www.buell.com for more details)
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Parts Magazine
Volume 15 #1
Parts Magazine Index
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