Treble Hopeful at Sponsors Title Event
 

Brainerd, MN. – Pre Race:

If you had some extra time on your hands, Craig Treble could give you full, accurate, and detailed descriptions of his first and last trips to the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, the site of both his first, and his most recent NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle victories.

“Brainerd 1999 was our first professional win and I can remember everything about it,” said Treble. “Then last year we did it again, and just like the first one, I can still tell you every detail about that race.”

A third championship in the northland this weekend would move the Matco Tools / Lucas Oil Suzuki dramatically up the NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle points list, and put Treble as the 9th different rider too score in 10 races.

“This is our sponsor’s race so I would love to win it for that reason alone,” said Treble. “The NHRA championship points are spread out due to us having so many different winners in 2005, that a win this weekend would also keep us in contention for the title.”

Treble Stopped in Round Two
 

Brainerd, MN. – Post Race: 

A wounded engine in the Matco Tools / Lucas Oil Suzuki ended the day for Craig Treble in round two at the Lucas Oil Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

Using the same power plant that carried him into the No. 4 qualifying position, Treble knew before the quarter-final run that the motor had little time left and would not be able to survive the entire 1320’ trip.

“I could feel it during the burnout that the motor was going away,” said Treble, “but I was not going to let Geno Scali have a free trip to the semi-finals without putting up a fight.”

The Matco Tools / Lucas Oil Suzuki left the line first, .047 to .057, and then expired before the second gear change. Scali sped to the stripe with a winning 7.183 / 190.03 elapsed time.

The day started in much different fashion with the Treble team very optimistic about the chances of winning again in Brainerd.

“We had the third fastest bike and the fastest Suzuki in the field,” said Treble. “Harry, Mike and I made some good tune-up calls on the Friday and Saturday, and it was looking like Sunday was going to be good to us.”

Treble opened with a round one win over Chris Rivas, running a 7.189 / 184.98 from his Vance & Hines powered machine to Rivas’s 7.296 / 173.81 S&S powered Buell.

“Rivas qualified lower than he should have so we were expecting anything out of him first round,” said Treble. “I wouldn’t have been shocked if he would have come out and been low ET of the round, so we set the bike up like a final round.”

Craig Treble leaves Brainerd in ninth place on the 2005 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle championship points sheet, but still believing that there is still time to make a move towards the top of the heap.

“We have proven to ourselves that we have the tools in place to win,” said Treble. “Our team is working together great and we’ve found that we think along the same lines much of the time. We’ll take all this to Memphis and try it again next weekend.”

Brainerd Photos 2005