IRONDALE, AL—A semifinal round finish at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Ohio 10 days ago vaulted Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Steve Johnson back into the POWERade Top 10 standings, but now another challenge awaits – the rarified air of Bandimere Speedway just outside Denver, Colorado.
“Racing ‘on the mountain’ is always tough,” acknowledged the driver of the Snap-on Tools/WyoTech Technical Schools Suzuki from his Alabama shop on Monday. “The static altitude at the track is 5,800 feet, and believe me, that’s just half of what we have to overcome at the Mile-High Nationals. We’re sporting almost 59 cubic inches of engine displacement to our competitors aboard Harley-Davidsons and Buells, and that’s a tough, uphill battle with a normally aspirated Suzuki engine.”
“As everyone who follows Pro Stock Motorcycle racing closely knows, there’s a considerable disparity between the Suzukis and the V-Twin Harleys and Buells. No Suzuki has qualified Number 1 this season, and we’re a tick behind even at sea level. Considering we’re racing at 5,800 feet in Denver, I’d say we have our hands full.”
“I’m not complaining, but am only trying to be factual. We’ll continue to do the best we can with the rules structure we have, and hope and trust that there’ll be some positive changes in the near future, changes that will make all of the Suzukis more competitive.”
“We scored our highest qualifying position of the year in Ohio (third), and we’re changing our engine combination to try and overcome the altitude in Colorado. We’re ready, our Suzuki is ready, and if our team makes the right trackside tuning calls – and I do my job at the controls – we could be having another really good outing. That’s our goal – scoring points, winning rounds and making it into the Countdown to the Championship.”
Qualifying for the NHRA Mopar Mile-High Nationals begins at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, and continues with eliminations.
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