NHRA: Hines Changes Body Style, In More Ways than one

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

March 13, 2001

After three consecutive NHRA Winston Pro Stock Motorcycle championships from 1997-1999, Eagle One Suzuki rider Matt Hines finished second in points last year. Hines, 28, admits that has "sparked a little more fire in me" going into this weekend's (March 16-18) Mac Tools Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., the season opener for drag racing's bike class.

In an attempt to reclaim the crown from Angelle Savoie (formerly Angelle Seeling), Hines has changed body style, in more ways that one. On a personal level, he's lost 10 pounds during the off-season -- dropping to 165 pounds -- and has reverted to the Suzuki GSX-R 1100 bodywork he used during previous title runs, albeit in a new Eagle One graphics and color design. "Everything in Pro Stock bikes right now is weight and horsepower," the resident of Trinidad, Colo., explained. "I've been watching what I eat and also working late" in the Freedom Motorsports shop.

Hines knows some of his competitors will be running the Suzuki Hyabusa body introduced last season, but the winner of 26 events feels there are some potential disadvantages to that style. As for horsepower -- Hines says it could be up as much as 20 over last year to 320 -- Matt cites new cylinder heads, which his team makes for customers as well as Hines' own engines.

NHRA Extra: New Colors for Russell, Krisher and Hines

"If it looks fast, it runs fast," is one of the oldest adages in racing. Darrell Russell, Ron Krisher and Matt Hines will put it to the test in this weekend's Mac Tools Gatornationals, when all three will debut new color designs. Russell, the Top Fuel points leader after a win at Pomona and second at Firebird, will have a red, orange and black graphic creation on the Joe Amato-owned Valvoline/Keystone dragster. The Eagle One car care products-sponsored Pro Stock Chevrolet Cavalier of Krisher and the Pro Stock Motorcycle Suzuki of Hines will feature Eagle One's new look.

After Gainesville, the trio head right to Texas for the following weekend's (March 23-25) O'Reilly Nationals in Houston. For Russell, whose residence is in Hockley, Tex., that will be his "home" race.

Text provided by Michael Knight

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