CHRIS RIVAS TO RIDE DRAG SPECIALTIES
S&S POWERED BUELL
FOR G2 IN 2008 NHRA
POWERADE
PRO-STOCK MOTORCYCLE SEASON
DRAG SPECIALTIES RETURNS FOR THIRD SEASON AS PRIMARY SPONSOR
AMERICUS, GA, JANUARY 18, 2008 – Chris Rivas will ride the Drag
Specialties S&S Cycle Proven Performance powered Buell for G2
Motorsports in the 2008 National Hot Rod Association POWERADE
Pro Stock Motorcycle drag-racing series.
Rivas will represent Drag Specialties, the motorcycle parts
distribution powerhouse, which returns for a third season as the
primary sponsor of the G2 motorcycle.
According to George Smith, G2 president and crew chief, the Fresno,
Calif., resident was a natural choice to fill the empty seat on the
team’s motorcycle.
“There were a number of good riders available for the coming
campaign, but Chris was the most logical candidate for the Drag
Specialties/S&S/G2 bike,” said Smith. “He was one of the best
at getting off the starting line last season, and now on our bike,
which we believe is one of the strongest in the class, he becomes a
real threat for the championship this season.”
Rivas is anxious to get back in the saddle, especially with the
organization which has been the source of the engines, parts and
motorcycles he has raced throughout his career.
“I am extremely excited to help celebrate the 50th
Anniversary for S&S Cycle by having the chance to work with George
Smith and (chief mechanic) Ken Johnson, as well as the rest of the
Drag Specialties/G2 team,” said the 40-year-old who has been drag
racing motorcycles for 13 years, the last four professionally.
“S&S has always been a vital part of my racing career by supplying
the parts needed for a competitive race bike. Their parts have
been on every one of the bikes I have raced and now I am really
pumped up with this chance to ride the bike directly connected to
them.”
His experience includes riding motorcycles with more than just S&S
parts; he has ridden S&S powered Buells prepared by G2 ever since
the company offered them to customer teams.
“No other customer rider has as much
experience on G2 prepared/S&S powered Buell motorcycles, because
Chris in 2005 became the first and continued on them through
qualifying for last year’s Automobile Club of Southern California
NHRA Finals,” said Smith.
Both rider and crew chief expect good
things right away.
“I can’t wait to start
the season and get back to Gainesville (site March 13-16 of the
season kickoff 39th Annual ACDelco Gatornationals)
because that is where I’ve had my best runs,” said Rivas, who
finished the 2007 NHRA POWERADE
Pro Stock Motorcycle season in 11th place. “Last
year I turned a 6.947 second lap and a 191.84 mile-per-hour run
during qualifying at the Florida track.”
“Like we do every year, we have been
working through the off season to build on what we learned last
year, to get even better performance from our bike,” explained
Smith. “And with Chris’s experience and ability, we expect to
go fast right away. He shouldn’t have any learning curve to
overcome on our motorcycle.”
CONTACT: Mike Geylin 201-750-3533
/ mgeylin@kgpr.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
