RIVAS WINS LAS VEGAS—TWO S&S-POWERED BIKES IN TOP THREE POSITIONS OF SERIES

 

  

LA CROSSE, WI (November 17, 2008) S&S® Cycle (www.sscycle.com) is pleased to announce great news from the final round of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Racing in Las Vegas, Nevada.  The news starts with Chris Rivas and the G2 Motorsports/Drag Specialties/S&S Cycle team winning the event—their third in five races!  This win represents the fourth of the year for the team out of 17 events.

 

“After the Chicago race—basically the hometown track for S&S—the win made me feel like we were clicking” said Chris Rivas.  “It was an honor for me to be the rider associated with S&S during the 50th Anniversary year, and with George Smith as a mentor—and as a friend—I couldn’t have felt better.  George has taught me so much about racing and life, he cares for people in a sport that is really cutthroat” concluded Rivas.

Going into this race the championship was up for grabs for three riders—Chris Rivas, Matt Smith and Eddie Krawiec.  Both Rivas and Smith are independents riding S&S 160ci Billet Pro Stock powered bikes with the support of sponsors and Krawiec is part of the two rider, factory sponsored H-D organization.  All four days of the event left everyone wondering who would take the number one plate going into the 2009 season.  In the end it turned out to be Krawiec—who actually had not won a single race all season—leading Rivas by just five points and Smith by 20, making it as close as it could be and putting two S&S powered bikes in the top three spots.

The final race of the season came down to Rivas against Krawiec, with Rivas using a borrowed electrical system from Valerie Thompson.  G2 crew Chief George Smith felt that the system on their bike was not working correctly and Thompson’s team stepped up to help, lending out their entire system and laptop.  Rivas made the most of the loan by winning the race and event with the quickest and fastest run of the event, a 6.929 at 191.95mph to Krawiec’s 7.009 at 190.46.

 

“First, Chris was wired into the lights this weekend, he couldn’t have ridden better” said George Smith.  “Then, when Valerie Thompson and her team lent us their ignition system, we were sure we had what it took.” Smith went on to say, “I really wanted to add another win and dedicate it to Fred Fox at Drag Specialties, without his support for the last three years we wouldn’t have had this chance.  At the end of the last run, we had the win and a great end to a terrific season.”

 

”I would like to congratulate the S&S powered teams for another successful racing season. The performance of the G2/Drag Specialties Team was very impressive during the later half of the season to win the events that they did,” said Michael Scaletta, S&S Business Development Director.

 

It was a terrific season of racing, with the championship up for grabs all year long, perhaps the closest season yet in NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Racing.  Be sure to get the 2009 schedule from www.NHRA.com soon and mark your calendar to see some of the best racing action in the world.