BROWNSBURG, Indiana — Schumacher Electric/XXX Racing Fuels Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Chip Ellis is confident that he can move back to the top of the pack in the Countdown to 1 playoffs points battle this weekend at the NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park.
With only three races remaining in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class to determine the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series champion, Ellis enters the event No. 6 in the rankings and 104 markers out of first place. The Florida native reached the quarterfinals last weekend in Ennis, Texas, and knows he'll need a strong performance this weekend at a track where he performed well last year. He was No. 1 qualifier, set low elapsed time (6.892 seconds) and top speed (193.21 mph) - both track records. He advanced to the second round in eliminations and lost to his now DSR teammate Craig Treble.
"Since they moved the date of the race to later in the year, the air last year was really, really good there," said Ellis. "We went fast and I set the track records for elapsed time and speed. Hopefully this year the air will be good again and we can get the Schumacher Electric/XXX Racing Fuels Suzuki to go fast. The track is really nice and we'll just do the best we can.
"At every track we go to the fans are always great. Memphis Motorsports Park is a good facility. I remember going there a couple of years ago when the temperature was over 100 degrees, so just to go there and not have to deal with all of that heat is great for us and great for the fans. Hopefully, we'll get some 70-degree weather and get one of the two DSR Suzukis in the winner's circle."
CHIP ELLIS QUICK FACTS:
* Enters the third of the five-race Countdown to 1 playoffs No. 6, 105 points out of first place
* Finished third in the 'regular season' point standings after 12 of 17 events (one victory in two final rounds, five semifinal, two quarterfinal, and three first-round finishes)
* Qualified No. 1 at last year's event at Memphis Motorsports Park, advanced to the quarterfinals, where he lost to Craig Treble
* Holds PSM track records in Memphis for elapsed time (6.892) and speed (193.21), both set in 2007
* No. 1 qualifier for the Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle in Indianapolis, advanced to quarterfinals
* Clinched spot in the Countdown to 1 in Brainerd, Minn.
* Qualified No. 1 in his NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle debut at the 2004 U.S. Nationals
* Has won six races in nine career final-round appearances
* Career round win/loss record is 87-58
* 2008 is first season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Finished career-best third in the points last season, just eight points shy of wining the championship
* Went down to the final round at the final race to decide the 2007 championship
* Qualified for all 64 NHRA races he has competed in Pro Stock Motorcycle since 2004
* A graduate of the Frank Hawley Drag Racing School at Gainesville Raceway
* Had two runner-up finishes and five No. 1 qualifiers in 2007
* Qualified No. 1 12 times
* Won first national event at Las Vegas 2 during his rookie season in 2004
* Ran an abbreviated 2004 rookie season with a No. 1 qualifier at U.S. Nationals, No. 4 at Reading, No. 2 and event win at Las Vegas, and No. 1 qualifier and semi-final appearance at Pomona
* Born in Daytona Beach, Fla., on 2/20/70
* Lives in Brownsburg, Ind., with wife Kathy and daughter McKenzie (10/23/01)
* AMA/ProStar Formula Super Bike champion in 2003
* AMA/ProStar Funny Bike champion in 2002
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Sept. 26 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:15 and 5:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Sept. 27 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 28 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Sept. 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Sept. 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Sept. 26, 11 - 11:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 10K (11900 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Sept. 27, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 10K (11900 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Sept. 28, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 10K (11900 MHz, horizontal)
