Moorpark, Calif. - (July 18, 2006) Reigning NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Andrew Hines was winless in the 2006 season heading into the Mopar Mile High NHRA Nationals in Morrison, Colo., but all that and more changed on Sunday.
Going into Denver, Hines trailed Angelle Sampey in the Pro Stock Motorcycle points by 28. But his win over Matt Guidera boosted him back into the points lead by 28 points over Sampey.
Hines denied Guidera of his first win 7.435/179.97 mph to 7.566/176.63 mph.
Pro Stock competition in 2006 has been the toughest and closest in years. Front runners like Kurt and Warren Johnson have both had a couple DNQ’s on the season, but so has Ringers’ hot shoe Dave Connolly.
Since the inception of Tommy Utt into the team in Atlanta, the last three of the four finals Connolly has participated in have resulted in wins. On Sunday, he landed back in the Winner’s Circle for the third time this year.
Connolly defeated new POWERade Pro Stock point’s leader Jason Line on a holeshot win 7.173/193.07 to 7.141/194.13 mph. Connolly’s consistent streak has pushed him from 12th in points all the way up to third heading into Seattle this weekend.
Another point’s shakeup occurred in Top Fuel dragster. Rookie J.R. Todd defeated Ringers team racer Tony Schumacher in finals, but Schumacher’s Top Fuel teammate Melanie Troxel bowed out in first round and relinquished the point’s leader to Doug Kalitta. Troxel now trails Kalitta by 22 points.
Ringers’ racer Cruz Pedregon almost had a second win on the season, but went into a horrendous tire spin at half track, getting out of control and almost crossing the center line, allowing Gary Scelzi to pass and collect the Wally.
The NHRA straight liners, with the exception of Pro Stock Motorcycles, head to the Northwest region of the country to Pacific Raceways in Kent, Wash., this weekend.
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series – Lenox Industrial Tools 300– New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
Penske Racing South teammates Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman both had top-10 qualifying efforts, with Newman on the Budweiser Pole, on Friday for the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 at New Hampshire International, but the race didn’t go as well for them on Sunday.
Newman was involved in a couple different incidents throughout the race, however he did finish the race but crossed the finish line in 39th. Busch didn’t have a much better run than Newman and landed one spot ahead of his teammate at the finish line in 38th.
NASCAR Busch Series – New England 300 – New Hampshire International Speedway, Loudon, N.H.
The Busch Series piggybacked with the Nextel Cup Series over the weekend with some Nextel Cup regulars competing in the race as well.
Paul Menard, supporter of UnderX by Ringers, was the highest-finishing Ringers racer in the field with a fourth place. Todd Kluever used his DriverX by Ringers gloves to pilot his No. 06 3M Ford Fusion to another top-15 finish, while Jason Leffler, another UnderX by Ringers supporter, finished right behind Kluever in 14th. Tracy Hines didn’t have as much luck as the other Ringers notables in the field with a 34th place finish.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – O’Reilly 200 – Memphis Motorsports Park, Millington, Tenn.
Since the driver change in the Billy Ballew Motorsports camp, the No. 15 truck has had two consistent finishes since Kevin Grubb took over the reigns of the Chevrolet. Grubb brought the No. 15 Woodward Pools Chevy home unscathed and in 14th place in the Memphis heat on Saturday.
The Ringers team of Orleans Racing and driver Brendan Gaughan came into Memphis with two top-five finishes in the past two races, but Saturday he had to settle for a top-20 finish by bringing his Orleans Hotel No. 77 Dodge across the finish line in 17th.
Chad McCumbee continues to pilot the No. 07 Green Light Racing Chevrolet as he has a different teammate in the No. 08 almost every weekend. In Memphis, former baseball player Mike Greenwell filled the seat over the weekend.
McCumbee brought his ride home in 22nd, while Greenwell spun early, but came back to finish the race in 33rd.
About Ringers Gloves
Ringers Gloves, Official Gloves of NHRA and title sponsor for the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle, is a full-line manufacturer of high-end, task specific gloves, SFI 3.3/1, 3.3/10, 3.3/20 racing gloves, UnderX protective undergarments and rdigs pit boots.
Keep up with your favorite Ringers racers in ‘06 by logging onto www.ringersgloves.com for photos and highlights!
