MOHNTON, PA  8/17/07  It’s still relatively quiet at Maple Grove Raceway just outside Reading, Pa., as sportsman competitors complete time trial runs.  In a few short hours the first professional category qualifying session begins, and that’s when the fate of Steve Johnson’s Snap-on Tools Suzuki team will begin to unfold.  At stake is a position among the top eight points earners in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, for only those top eight riders will remain eligible for the Countdown to the Championship, the National Hot Rod Association’s innovative new points structure which will ultimately determine the 2007 NHRA POWERade champions.

Right now Johnson is Number 9 – but still within striking distance of the Countdown.  “It’s going to be close,” he admits as he helps unload his colorful Suzuki from the team transporter, “but I think we can make it.  We may be ninth right now, but come Sunday evening we’re gonna make the Countdown.

“We have three ways of making the Top 8, but it really boils down to one simple scenario – if we go two rounds further in eliminations than any one of the three riders who are currently ahead of us, we’re in.  The problem is that it’s easier to say that than it’s going to be to do it – but we’re going to do that very thing.

“After last weekend’s race in Brainerd we drove to Kenosha, Wi., to Snap-on Tools’ headquarters for Employee Appreciation Day, which was a lot of fun for us.  When that was over the guys drove the rig straight through to Maple Grove while I flew down to Indy for a meeting with our crew chief, Mark Peiser.  We discussed our options and plans for this week’s race in detail, and we’re both confident we can get this done.

“Yes, we’re definitely fighting a gremlin in this motorcycle, but we’re both confident that we can work around it, and that’s exactly what I told Paul Page of ESPN2 during an interview about an hour ago.”

Johnson is currently 25 points behind Ed Krawiec, 39 behind seventh place runner Penny Llewellyn, and only 40 behind Craig Treble in sixth place.

Johnson is correct when he suggests, “This points chase is a lot closer than it might appear.  We’re pulling out all the stops for this one, and in a couple of hours we should have an idea of how things are going to shake out.

“Nervous?  Yeah, you bet I am – but I wouldn’t have it any other way!”

from Snap-On Tools/Suzuki