NHRA: Hines Wins 3d Straight Motorcycle Title
16 November 1999
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Matt Hines became the first rider to earn three consecutive NHRA
Winston Pro Stock Motorcycle championships last Sunday (Nov. 14) with a
second-round victory on his Eagle One Suzuki while Angelle Seeling lost
her
quarterfinal match in the Automobile Club of Southern California Finals at
Pomona. Hines came to Pomona trailing Seeling -- the leader after 12
of the
year's previous 13 meets -- by 14 points. In a classic come-from-behind
story, Matt set an event ET record of 7.198 seconds to become the No. 1
qualifier, while Seeling qualified No. 3. Hines lost in the third round
due
to a mechanical problem, but he finished the season eight points ahead of
Seeling. "When I saw her lose to Greg (Underdahl) my heart started
pounding
like never before," Hines said. "I knew Tony (Mullen, Hines' opponent)
wouldn't give up easy, and it was obvious that I needed to win that lap to
win it all. Big-time pressure. "I've never had a year like this before. Normally I come to Pomona and just have fun because I'm way ahead. I've been feeling a lot of pressure. I made some mistakes early in the year but I stayed focused and it paid off today." It's the second straight year Hines, 27, and Seeling, 29, have finished one-two in points.
"Angelle was very emotional," Matt said of Seeling, who congratulated him in the shutdown area. "When I was hugging her at the other end I almost started crying myself because I felt so bad for her. I feel for her, I really do. I know what she went through this year. It was tough being in the lead and watching it slip away. Now she's sitting there looking at next year and knowing she has to start all over from Ground Zero. It's tough."
Five-time Top Fuel titlist Joe Amato ended his campaign third in points in the Valvoline-backed Tenneco Automotive dragster. Amato lost in the second round.
Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos
and art, visit
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Photo Museum and the
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