ELLIS RIDES TO NO. 6 IN NORWALK QUALIFYING


NORWALK, Ohio (June 28, 2008) – Don Schumacher Electric Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Chip Ellis qualified in the top half of the field for the seventh time in seven races this season at the Second Annual NHRA Nationals at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports. Ellis, who won the sixth race of his career in Englishtown last Sunday, rode to the No. 6 position, posting his best qualifying run on his final effort today, an elapsed time of 7.063 seconds at 186.63 mph.

Ellis only made one run on Friday, a 7.101/186.36 (No. 6), after the second round of qualifying was canceled due to water seeping onto the race track. He also laid down a 7.118/184.35 (No. 7) on his second attempt today.

"We struggled a little bit on the first two runs this weekend," said Ellis, who is currently No. 2 in the point standings. "We actually changed motors after the second qualifying session. Then we had to wait a long time for our final run because of the weather, so we weren't able to put in what I would like to say is the perfect tune-up. We just stayed in the staging lanes and waited for the officials to get the track dried up and we went out there and ran with what we had.

"It definitely hurt some to miss last night's qualifying session because typically we get a little bit faster on every run. That's almost what we did this weekend. We slowed down a little bit on the second run this morning but we put that new engine in and picked up four-hundredths (of a second), so I think we're good.

"I feel confident going into tomorrow," added Ellis. "The Schumacher Electric Suzuki is running good and the guys are doing a great job and we'll go out there tomorrow and try and turn on the win light first round."

Ellis faces No. 11 qualifier Angelle Sampey in the first round of eliminations on Sunday