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Race 4 0f 15 /
Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals
Columbus , OH. / May 21 2006
Columbus , OH. May 18th - May 21st, 2006
For a
team that is ready to win rounds and races, the
Lartigue / Treble team continues to be stuck in an
unfortunate series of events that plays out much
like the Bill Murray film "Groundhog Day".
The
scrip reads that the team, short on sponsorship but
long on experience, rolls into the racetrack and
lays down an impressive opening run to start the
weekend off strong.
As the
rest of Pro Stock Motorcycle field gets a handle on
things throughout the four rounds of qualifying, the
Lartigue / Treble team settles into the middle of
the field awaiting Sunday morning eliminations.
Then,
just like the endless day from the movie, some
ill-fated event unfolds in round one of
eliminations, (usually timed within a few thousands
of a second) to send the team back to the trailer to
load up and head for the next stop on the tour.
And just
like the movie, finding a way to stop the cycle from
repeating is much harder than one would think.
"We have
been on the losing end of so many close races this
year I can't believe it", said Treble. "We have
great power and a tune-up that works for us, but we
just can not get a break on race day".
In
Columbus, the Lartigue / Treble team clicked off an
opening 7.075 / 189.20 mph, good enough for the No.
3 spot, and just .006 behind the leader.
When the
qualifying shuffle was complete, the independent
Lartigue / Treble team sat comfortably in the No. 6
spot, ready for a Sunday morning date with the No.
11 qualifier Michel Phillips.
Although
Treble held a 8-0 record in the 8 prior matches
against Phillips, left the starting line with a .029
better reaction time, and crossed the finish line 6
mph faster than his opponent, the race went to
Phillips by a mere .004 of a second.
"We felt
that we had a bike that could go rounds in Columbus,
so it is very disappointing to go out in round one",
said Treble. "Harry and I will look over all of the
equipment, check over the runs on the computer, and
get everything ready for a different result in
Chicago."
The
Lartigue / Treble team now heads to
the next NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle event,
The CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Joliet, IL., June
08 -11 2006.
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