Championship Drag Racing

Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals
Denver, CO
(July 15-17)

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Craig Treble Don Schumacher Racing Suzuki Pro-Stock Bike

Denver, Sunday: A semifinal finish at the 26th annual Mopar Mile-High Nationals moved Craig Treble and his Matco Tools / Lucas Oil Suzuki into 7^th place in the 2005 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle championship chase.

 “We won a few rounds in Denver and moved up two positions on the point’s sheet. I would say we’re headed in the right direction,” said Treble.

The Matco Tools team again had the fast Suzuki to beat throughout the day on Sunday, running quickest in the first three frames, trailing only the Buell’s and Harleys by a few hundredths.

“We stuck with the set-up that got us here, and it worked as planned,” said Treble. “We went for speed and consistency, and that showed in the first few rounds.”

Treble opened with wins over Geno Scali and Shawn Gann, both of whom went for it on the tree and came up short, receiving red light fouls.

The Matco Tools / Lucas Oil Suzuki laid down runs of 7.503/179 and 7.539/178 in rounds one and two, but it would be the reaction times that would end the day prematurely.

“One of the compromises we made to run quick and fast in Denver was to set the bike up to give us good ET’s,” said Treble. “What you lose with that approach is the reaction times are slower than normal, but that’s the game we decided to play.”

The semifinal match up against Antron Brown on the Army Suzuki again had Treble running quicker than his opponent, but a better reaction time by Brown put the Army bike at the finish line first by .022 of a second.

“I’m a bracket racer at heart so reaction times are something I really like to have a handle on,” said Treble. “I spent an hour on Friday and Saturday on the practice tree so I would be sure that I was doing what I could to get the bike off the starting line on time.”

Along with the semi final showing, Treble is as optimistic as ever because of the teamwork displayed since the arrival of Harry Lartigue and Lucas Oil Products in the Matco Tools Suzuki camp.

“This is the highest qualifying position we have had with Harry on board, and the calls he and Mike have made the last few races give us all a feeling of confidence as we head into the second half of the season,” said Treble.

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