-Squared Motorsports’ George Smith had a big decision to make over the winter. Smith had to find a new rider for his Drag Specialties/S&S-sponsored Buell NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team.
     The decision actually turned out to be an easy one. After looking at all the available riders, Smith made a quick decision to hire Chris Rivas. “Chris was our guy,” said Smith. “He is a perfect match for us. There was no second choice.”
     Rivas has been a V-Twin guy – and an S&S guy – since the beginning. He is also a Drag Specialties dealer, running H D Drifters in Selma, California with partner Ron Mero. And of course, Chris had the riding credentials, being a contender during the last three NHRA seasons on a G-Squared-produced Buell.
     If Smith was looking for a stable family man he could make no better choice. Rivas was born and raised in Fresno, California where he lives today with his wife, childhood sweetheart Linda DeLaTorre and daughter Cayla. He is also a Chaplain for the Racers for Christ ministry.
     Rivas is also a well-established Harley guy. His motorcycle career began at Harley-Davidson of Fresno while his first shot at racing was on a 1,200cc Sportster at Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, California.
     He went on to win back-to-back track championships at Bakersfield, eventually placing third in the NHRA Division 7 Summit ET series riding the only Harley in the field.
     Evolving the bike to a true dragbike with a slick, wheelie bars and an S&S 102 ci stroker motor, Rivas hit the national series running Super Gas in the AHDRA where he garnered the Western Division championship and ranked #2 nationally. The next year Rivas moved up to the pro ranks, running an S&S-powered AHDRA Pro Stock bike with partner Mero.
     Within a year Rivas caught the eye of Brian Boszum, who, with partner Jessey Fenton, was planning to field a Pro Stock Buell with sponsorship of the Mohegan Sun Resort and Casino.
     “Everybody knew that the G-Squared Buells were coming out and we all wanted the opportunity to ride one,” recalled Rivas. “When Brian approached me and said they were getting the first one and he wanted me to ride it, I said ‘I’m in!’”
Rivas attended the Frank Hawley Drag Racing Pro Stock Bike School taught by George Bryce and had quick success on the Mohegan Sun Buell in 2005. At Atlanta, only his third NHRA event, Rivas went to the final against GT Tonglet and the mighty Harley-Davidson/Vance & Hines team.
     Midway through 2007 Rivas left Mohegan Sun to team up with points leader and eventual champion Matt Smith on the two-bike Torco Race Fuels team. The honeymoon didn’t last long as tensions caused Smith to release Rivas very publicly during the final race of the season at Pomona, California.
     Meanwhile Chip Ellis was at the end of his run on the Drag Specialties/S&S Buell following a #3 national ranking. Rivas was quickly identified as the best possible replacement.
     “Chris had the best reaction time stats of anyone racing Pro Stock bike with the exception of Antron Brown, who is now racing Top Fuel cars,” said George Smith. “Chris is the best leave artist in the group. He matches well with our personality and he has a current relationship with Drag Specialties. Anyway you look at it Chris is the guy.”
     “The reasonability of the G-Squared team and S&S is to take care of our customers,” added Smith. “Fielding a flagship team is a big part of it but it is most important to provide our customers with a competitive, user-friendly package. Chris understands the motor, the clutch, the electronics and the data acquisition system. He has the technological ability to act not only as a rider and mechanic but also a support guy. We have no compromises with Chris.”
     Drag Specialties National Sales Manager, Jim Matchette, applauds the decision as well. “Chris and his shop H D Drifters have been very supportive of Drag Specialties through the years at the dealer level,” he said. “He has attended our Showcases and other events and is already part of the Drag Specialties team. This is the icing on the cake.”
     Rivas himself is perhaps the most excited of all. “This is the absolute best opportunity I could ask for,” said Rivas. “George Bryce taught me to race these bikes and George Smith is an icon in this world. He designed the Super “G” carburetor I have on my street bike right now. Working one-on-one with him is something I have dreamed about.”
     “This is not all about receiving,” continued Rivas. “It is a great to be able to give back and to be the S&S representative. To be a true V-Twin guy and to be able to represent S&S in their 50th year is really special.