Schumacher Electric/Albrecht’s Fast Track Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Craig Treble wants to put on a strong performance at this weekend’s 23rd annual NHRA Fall Nationals at the all-concrete quarter-mile at Texas Motorplex, south of Dallas in Ennis, Texas. He will be trying to rebound from a first-round loss at the Inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals in Concord, N.C., last Sunday.
Treble qualified No. 9 for the Countdown to 1, the five-race playoffs for the top 10 PSM riders in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series point standings that will determine the champion. His excitement over making the Countdown quickly turned to disappointment following his early exit last weekend, but the Indiana native is only 126 markers out of No. 1 in the tight points battle and he’s ready to get back on track at the Motorplex.
“I still absolutely feel that we have a shot at winning the championship,” said Treble, who joined Don Schumacher Racing prior to the U.S. Nationals. “I have a great team behind me and I have a lot of confidence in the crew’s abilities. I could have done a better job of riding, as far as my reaction times are concerned, in Concord, but I’m not going to beat myself up over it. I know I can perform better than I did.
“I know that I’m going to have a good bike under me and a great crew behind me, and I’m pretty sure I can do my job on Sunday. If I stay focused, and I will, I think we’ll be successful with the Schumacher Electric/Albrecht’s Fast Track Suzuki. The track at the Motorplex is OK. It’s smooth, but after the finish line it’s a little bit rough. It is what it is and we’re all racing under the same conditions.
“I’m just going to keep plugging at it and try and get as many round wins as humanly possible and let the smoke settle at the end and see where we’re at.”
CRAIG TREBLE QUICK FACTS:
* No. 9 in the Countdown to 1 playoffs point standings after one of five events
* No. 9 in “regular” season points. Clinched a spot in the top 10 for the Countdown to 1 at the U.S. Nationals in Indy
* Qualified No. 10 at last year’s Ennis event, lost first round
* Reached two final rounds in 2008, runner-up in Chicago (Chris Rivas) and Norwalk (Hector Arana)
* Finished 2007 season No. 6 in points, two wins in three finals
* Won the U.S. Nationals in 2007
* Has finished in the top 10 in the point standings 10 straight seasons
* Best career finish is No. 2 in 2002 with four wins in six finals and three No. 1 qualifiers
* Appeared in four finals in 2003, won two races
* Appeared in four finals in 2004, won one race
* First No. 1 qualifier in Sonoma 2002
* Has won career-best 11 races in 25 final rounds
* First career PSM victory was Brainerd, Minn., 1999
* Qualified for eight straight Ringer Gloves Pro Stock Bike Battle bonus races (1999-2007), won in 2002.
* Two-time Reaction Time Challenge winner (2000-01)
* Age 43 (Sept. 1965), born in Valparaiso, Ind., now lives in New Orleans, La.
* Joined Don Schumacher Racing in 2008, prior to then U.S. Nationals
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