NHRA Atlanta: Star Racing Pre-race Report
Event: 22nd Annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals presented
by Pontiac
Location: Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, GA
Date: May 3 - 5, 2002
Media Advisory: Star Racing will be announcing their new primary sponsor
this Friday, May 3 at Atlanta Dragway just before the first professional
qualifying session. Angelle Savoie, team owner George Bryce and
representatives from our new sponsor will also be available for interviews
throughout the weekend.
For those of you unable to attend, the press release shall also be
distributed concurrently by e-mail. If you would like to receive a press
kit, or schedule an interview with Angelle Savoie, George Bryce, or
representatives of our new sponsor, please feel free to contact us.
Angelle Savoie
Star Racing Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle
2000 & 2001 Pro Stock Motorcycle Champion
Angelle & Star Racing at Atlanta -
- This will be Angelle's sixth appearance at Atlanta Dragway. In her five
previous Southern Nationals, she has scored two wins (1999, 2000) and has
been the No. 1 qualifier three times (1997, 1999, 2000).
- Atlanta Dragway is one of just two venues where Angelle has tallied three
or more low qualifier performances. The other is Pomona Raceway, where she
has a total of five No. 1s.
- Team owner George Bryce and Star Racing have three victories and six
runner-up finishes at the Summit Racing Equipment Southern Nationals.
- After two of 14 Pro Stock Motorcycle national events, Angelle stands
second in the NHRA POWERade Series Points standings with 174 points, trailing
leader Craig Treble by only 55.
- Angelle's 22 national event wins are the most ever by a female driver in
NHRA Drag Racing competition, and rank fifth on the all-time Pro Stock
Motorcycle win list.
- Angelle has not suffered a first-round setback since August 22, 1999 at
Brainerd, Minn. That span of 36 races represents the longest streak in NHRA
POWERade Drag Racing.
- Angelle has qualified in the top half of the elimination ladder (eighth
or better) at every one of the 78 races in which she has competed in her Pro
Stock Motorcycle career.
- Angelle's .764 (185-57) elimination-round win percentage ranks second
among all active drivers, trailing only Matt Hines.
- Angelle's seven national event wins in 2001 are the most ever by a female
competitor in NHRA history.
- Star Racing Suzuki owner George Bryce made his 100th career final round
appearance as an owner at this year's Mac Tools Gatornationals in
Gainesville, Fla. Bryce has accomplished this feat with six different
riders: John Myers (56), Angelle Savoie (36), Jim Bernard (3), Steve Johnson
(3), Fred Collis (1) and Bryce himself (1).
- Angelle's quickest career pass is the second quickest elapsed time in Pro
Stock Motorcycle history at 7.099 seconds, which she accomplished on October
7, 2001 in Reading, Pa.
- Angelle's fastest career pass: 191.05 mph, April 14, 2002, Houston,
Texas.
In Angelle's Words -
On announcing Star Racing's new sponsor -
"To be honest, it's going to be a relief to finally make the announcement.
So many people have called over the last few weeks and asked about it, that
it will be good to let everybody know and not keep it a secret any longer.
"I'm looking forward to really getting started with our new sponsor. We've
been working since last July to find someone to race with over the next three
years, and right now, it's almost too good to be true. Even though the deal
is done, it won't seem fully real to me until we unveil the new colors,
leathers and transporter. Once we do that, I will finally believe it, and I
can't wait."
On racing in the Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway -
"Atlanta is always one of our biggest races, and it's especially so this year
with our new sponsor. It's Star Racing's home track, and most of the people
who work there will come out to watch us. Being a Georgia-based team, we
know we'll also have a lot of fans in the stands.
"In the beginning, I didn't have the best of luck at Atlanta, but lately
we've run really well there, including winning back-to-back races in 1999 and
2000. I'm looking forward to going back, and it would be awesome to put our
Star Racing Suzuki in the winner's circle at the first full race with our new
sponsor."
On her season to date -
"I'm a little disappointed in myself. My Star Racing team has done
everything they needed to do, always giving me a Suzuki capable of winning.
Unfortunately, in each race I had a glitch, making the same mistake against
the same person. I'm not even sure why I did it, but when you're racing for
hundredths of a second, there's no room for error.
"Fortunately, it's something that's easy to fix, and I'm looking forward to
going out this weekend in Atlanta and getting some redemption. I know I'm
better than that."
2002 NHRA POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle
Points Standings (after 2 of 14 events):
1. Craig Treble - 229
2. Angelle Savoie - 174 (-55)
3. Shawn Gann - 134 (-95)
4. Geno Scali - 126 (-103)
5. Steve Johnson - 125 (-104)
6. Matt Hines - 113 (-116)
7. Antron Brown - 110 (-129)
8. Mike Berry - 106 (-133)
9. Reggie Showers - 104 (-135)
10. Terry Kizer - 64 (-165)
Television Coverage:
Qualifying: Saturday, May 4, 9:00 - 11:00 p.m. (ESPN2)
Eliminations: Sunday, May 5, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
In addition, the NHRA2Day weekly magazine show will air from 11:00 - 11:30
a.m. on Sunday, May 5 on ESPN2.
