Championship Drag Racing

Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
Pomona, Calif.
(November 13-16)

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Driver Profile

Peggy Llewellyn R2B2 Motors Buell

Pomona, pre-race: She’s only run a limited number of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle races this season, so Peggy Llewellyn wanted to run well at each event. 

She did so until running into some bad luck at Las Vegas.  She wasn’t able to coax a competitive qualifying elapsed time and was relegated to spectator status for eliminations.

“I’m glad I didn’t have to wait long for another race because you don’t have time to dwell on not qualifying and you move forward,” said Llewellyn, who will be back onboard the R2B2 Motors Buell for the Auto Club Finals, Thursday through Sunday, at Pomona, Calif.  “I know my team went back Rocklin (Calif.) to try and figure out why the bike was so unruly in Las Vegas.

“This is the last race of the year and I want to end it on a positive note looking towards 2009.”

Team owner Matt Guidera did qualify, but also experienced mechanical trouble in eliminations.

Llewellyn, meanwhile, would love to write an exciting finish to the season.  She finished fourth a year ago, winning once (Dallas). 

“I guess I have something to prove (at this race), not for anyone else but me,” she said.  “It was disappointing in Vegas.  It’s one thing if it was me not doing my job and not getting the bike down the track.  The bike just wasn’t cooperating.  I wasn’t nervous or worried on my last qualifying pass because I had confidence that we would get it figured out.  And when it didn’t, it was just crushing not being able to run on Sunday.

“We only had four (qualifying) runs to try and figure it out.  We always go to the races trying to make the first pass our best one.  You want to make sure you are in the field.  You can see how tough this category is and how close everyone is running.  There’s no room for error, really.”

Llewellyn is confident Guidera and his crew will have the R2B2 Motors Buell in competitive trim when qualifying begins Thursday afternoon.

“I know the team worked really hard,” she said.  “On Sunday at Las Vegas, after Mark went out, they were trying to figure out what happened.  The data just wasn’t right.  We’re going to get those bugs out by the time we get to Pomona and the only thing I want to be worried about is what I want to say in my race-win speech.”

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