Event No. 9 / FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals / July, 29 - 31 / Sonoma, California

Coming off a disappointing race weekend in which he lost his best motor during the final qualifying pass at his hometown track in Denver, Mike Berry ran into trouble early at the 18th annual FRAM-Autolite NHRA Nationals when his No.1 motor expired during the initial qualifying run.

 “The pain started early this time around,” said Berry. “We had some stuff that was looking promising on the dyno and we were anxious to try it on the racetrack in Sonoma. Unfortunately we lost that motor right away.”

 The engine breaking 7.252 / 182.80 MPH run was followed by a back-up motored 7.263 / 187.26 pass that put the team in the No. 16 qualifying position at the end of Friday qualifying.

 “The second run should have been better, but when I went on the 2-step rev limiter on the starting line, the motor went straight up to 14,000 rpm of a split second, then corrected right as the bike left the line,” said Berry. “Basically, we didn’t get the launch we were looking for on that pass.”

 In the two Saturday qualifying sessions, the Berry team picked up the pace with a pair of decent runs. A 7.167 / 185.33 in the morning, and a 7.186 / 191.78 in the final session settled the team into the No. 15 spot as qualifying wrapped.

 “We are forced into using our old stuff so we’re happy to make it in the show at this point,” said Berry. We’ll give it a tune-up and try to go a few rounds on Sunday.”

 Waiting for Berry in round one of eliminations was the No. 2 qualifier Ryan Schnitz and his Team Muzzy Buell. Schnitz earned to second spot after squeezing a great 7.052 / 195.11 from his S&S powered motorcycle.

 In a dramatic round one upset, Berry wheeled his MB Precision Machining Suzuki to a 7.161 / 186.07 win, just slightly ahead of Schnitz’s out-of-the-groove 7.331 / 164.97 effort.

 “I saw Ryan out of the corner of my eye making a pretty ugly run and I thought I just might be able to stay ahead of him,” said Berry. “Even though he had to lift on that pass his Buell still was close at the finish line.”

 The round two pairing against No. 7 qualifier Karen Stoffer and her GEICO Motorcycle Suzuki looked on paper to be a better match-up for the MB Precision Machining Suzuki, but the rev-limiter problem that disrupted the second qualifying run returned to wipe out any chance of a round win.

 “We were confident facing Stoffer, but when I hit the throttle on the starting line, the motor went right to 14,000 RPM,” said Berry. “Right as I was backing off the throttle the tree came on and it was time to go. I ended up being horribly late with a terrible 60’ time.”

 Berry’s 7.286 / 183.10 trailed Stoffer’s 7.258 / 185.13 slightly, but it was Berry’s 0.158 to 0.004 reaction time deficit that did him in.

 “Looking over our run on the computer shows that we had a potential 7.18 bike on that run,” said Berry. “Now it’s back to the shop to get our best stuff ready for Brainerd in two weeks.”