Just two rounds into the 2007 AHDRA series, and it's already clear this season's championship hunt could be more competitive than ever in several of the categories. The Screamin' Eagle Arizona Bike Week Nationals presented by Chandler Harley-Davidson and Arrowhead Harley-Davidson, AHDRA's Western opener, was legitimate proof.
SCREAMIN EAGLE NITRO HARLEY
Rider of the Vance and Hines/Drag Specialties Nitro Harley, Doug Vancil (shown), took the Top Fuel points lead with a win at round No. 2 of the AHDRA series on the first weekend of April. ADVERTISEMENT
Vancil is undoubtedly one of the most highly decorated dragbike racers today. The steadfast Nitro Harley pilot has held numerous performance records and earned a pair of championships in the defunct-IHRA Top Fuel Harley class and the AHDRA championship in 2004.
Vancil recognizes the ultra-competitive climate in the category and candidly expressed what it will take to earn the championship in 2007."We only won two races last year and it's
For 2007, with the help of Vance and Hines, Vancil developed a new beefier 196 cubic inch motor. The power plant is 37 cubes larger than the 159 cubic inch motor he started 2006 with.
"Byron Hines helped me iron out a few of the problems we were having with the extra displacement," Vancil said. "I'm excited about its potential."
After being defeated in the second round of the 2007 AHDRA season opener in early March, Vancil climbed back into championship contention with the victory in Arizona. Surprisingly Vancil's new stronger engine wasn't a major factor in the win.
"We just had to detune the heck out of the motor because the track was marginal and we were hazing the tire at the eighth mile," Vancil said. "We won but it wasn't pretty. The track was terrible. It was like ice. We didn't run really well, but we ran well enough to get the win."
