Craig Treble rode the Schumacher Electric/Albrecht’s Fast Track Suzuki today to his first Pro Stock Motorcycle victory in his first final round as a member of Don Schumacher Racing, his first in three final rounds this season, and the 12th of his career in 26 final rounds.
At the 21st annual NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park, the third round of five in the Countdown to 1 playoffs, his teammate and No. 1 qualifier Chip Ellis rode the Schumacher Electric/XXX Racing Fuels Suzuki to a first-round finish.
Ellis dropped to No. 7 in the points while Treble moved up to No. 8 with two races remaining in the class to decide the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series class champion.
CRAIG TREBLE, Schumacher Electric/Albrecht’s Fast Track Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle:
Treble dispatched Michael Phillips in the opening round with a 7.034-second pass at 187.00 mph, GT Tonglet in the quarterfinals with a 7.061/184.60 and Angie McBride in the semis with a 7.047/185.79 to set up a final-round match-up against Eddie Krawiec.
In the money round, Krawiec broke at the starting line and Treble blazed to a 6.985/188.57 pass.
“The entire Schumacher Electric/Albrecht’s Fast Track Suzuki team works so hard,” said Treble. “It’s just a privilege to be a part of this team. My teammate Chip Ellis is an awesome rider and he’s struggling on the tree a little bit right now, but he’ll be fine. He’s a great rider and a pretty darned good racer.
“I’m not as good a rider as he is, but maybe on Sunday I’m a little bit better racer and if we can combine our efforts I think we can be a pretty tough duo.
“We busted out a 6.98 in the final round and I don’t know what Steve (Tartaglia, crew chief) did to that bike but it was ripping out there. I had the best 60-foot times of my life today on all four runs: 1.056, 1.055, 1.048 and a 1.052. Coming into today my best was a 1.059. It’s just unbelievable.
“I was going to go out on my own after the race in Reading, but then the Schumacher deal popped up. Don gave me this opportunity and here we are capitalizing on it.”
“Craig rode awesome this weekend,” said Tartaglia, who has won with both Schumacher Electric Suzukis this season. “He had great lights every round and he did a great job on the bike. I couldn’t ask for anything more. We’ve been struggling with Treble’s bike but it seems like it’s coming around. Chip’s bike has been fast all year.”
CHIP ELLIS, Schumacher Electric/XXX Racing Fuels Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle:
Ellis made the quickest run of the first round with an elapsed time of 6.920 seconds at 191.43 mph against GT Tonglet, but was disqualified for a red-light start after leaving five-thousandths of a second before the green light. There were five red-light starts in Pro Stock Motorcycle during eliminations today.
“First off, (crew chief) Steve Tartaglia gave me a great bike today,” said Ellis, who qualified No. 1 for the second straight year in Memphis. “It’s just so frustrating. The bikes are just so quick off the starting line, we’re all holding back. It’s who can hold back the best and be consistent that goes rounds on Sunday. Even I was holding back during the first round.
“It’s a double-edged sword. If you hold back too long you’re late and if you leave too quick you go red. I’m beyond frustrated at this point. I hate it for the Schumacher Electric/XXX Racing Fuels Suzuki team. These guys worked hard and have devoted a lot of their time to this deal. I’m frustrated with myself but I know on the other hand that I’m doing the best that I can. I couldn’t believe that I red-lit. I was shooting for a .050 and I go -.005 red. You see yellow and you go. You squeeze the clutch lever hard and it’s not supposed to red-light but when you’ve got a great bike that reacts fast and you react fast it’s not a good combination.
“If there is any consolation, it’s not just me. It’s a tough game out here. We’ll just go to Las Vegas and try it again.”
The next race Chip Ellis and Craig Treble and the Schumacher Electric Pro Stock Motorcycle team will be the 8th annual Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Oct. 30-Nov. 2.
UNOFFICIAL PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE COUNTDOWN TO 1 POINT STANDINGS, after three of five Countdown to 1 playoffs events:
1. Matt Smith, 2319
2. Eddie Krawiec, 2277 (runner-up today)
3. Chris Rivas, 2240
4. Angelle Sampey, 2217
5. Steve Johnson, 2200
6. Andrew Hines, 2187
7. Chip Ellis, 2176
8. Craig Treble, 2167 (winner today)
9. Matt Guidera, 2114
10. Karen Stoffer, 2080
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