HARLEY-DAVIDSON™ SCREAMIN’ EAGLE/VANCE & HINES DRAG TEAM OPENS CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENSE IN GAINESVILLE

The Formidable Team of Hines, Krawiec and Sampey Return for 2020 Season

MILWAUKEE (March 12, 2020) – The 10-time champion Harley-Davidson™ Screamin’ Eagle™/Vance & Hines drag racing team will open its title defense when the NHRA Mello Yello Pro Stock Motorcycle drag racing series opens its 2020 season March 12-15 at the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Fla. With defending Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Andrew Hines and past champions Ed Krawiec and Angelle Sampey aboard Harley-Davidson FXDR competition motorcycles, the team brings a winning tradition to the track.

“The Screamin’ Eagle team demonstrates a champion’s mindset every time they line up to the Tree,” said Jon Bekefy, GM of Brand Marketing for Harley-Davidson. “Hines, Krawiec and Sampey have won a combined 13 Pro Stock Motorcycle championships, and they are backed by a team with incredible technical expertise and experience. This is a very competitive class, but we again expect to be the team to beat in 2020.

The Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines team races competition drag bikes inspired by the Harley-Davidson® FXDR™ 114 motorcycle, a high-performance cruiser based on the Softail® model platform that combines the unrelenting power of the Milwaukee-Eight® 114 engine with the liberal use of new weight-saving aluminum and composite components to amplify every aspect of performance. For 2020 the Screamin’ Eagle™ drag bikes will be painted Jet Fire Orange, the historic color of Harley-Davidson® competition motorcycles.

Hines will be racing in 2020 for his milestone seventh Pro Stock Motorcycle championship. His six titles (2004-06, 2014-15, and 2019) match the record set by the late Hall of Fame racer Dave Schultz. In 17 seasons racing for the Harley-Davidson Screamin’ Eagle/Vance & Hines team, the 36-year-old Hines has won 56 finals, also a record for Pro Stock Motorcycle racers. In 2019 Hines dominated the class aboard his Harley-Davidson FXDR drag bike, taking eight victories in 10 final-round appearances and earning the number-one seed for the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.

Krawiec will be racing for his fifth Pro Stock Motorcycle title in 2020. A cool and focused racer, the 43-year-old four-time champion (2008, 2011-12, 2017) has won 47 times in 85 final-round appearances since his Pro Stock Motorcycle debut in 2004. In 2019 Krawiec made four final-round appearances and was the number-one qualifier for three events. He set a new personal speed record of 200.59 mph at Gainesville, and finished fifth in season points.

Sampey, 49 years old and a three-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion ((2000-02), joined the Screamin’ Eagle team in 2019. Her 42 event wins are the most ever by a female racer in NHRA competition. In 2019 Sampey advanced to one final round, was the number-one qualifier at two events, and finished the season in seventh place.

“Andrew and Ed will certainly be in contention for the championship this season, and I think Angelle could be poised for a break-out year,” said Vance & Hines Motorsports owner Terry Vance. “She has a season on the Harley-Davidson bikes under her belt and she’s been working out and focused on winning races since last November.”

The 16-event 2020 Pro Stock Motorcycle schedule includes three new venues: the Mopar Express Lane NHRA SpringNationals in Houston (April 17-19), the Thunder Valley Nationals in Bristol, Tenn. (June 19-21) and the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle, Wash. (July 31-August 2). The Pro Stock Motorcycle class will compete in five events in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship. See the entire Pro Stock Motorcycle schedule at NHRA.com. 

Harley-Davidson and Vance & Hines Motorsports created the Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines team in 2002 to compete in the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle division. In 2004 the team was the first to win the NHRA title with a V-Twin-powered motorcycle. The Harley-Davidson Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines team is led by Vance & Hines Motorsports owners Byron Hines and Terry Vance. Matt Hines, the older son of Byron and a three-time (1997- 99) NHRA champion rider, brings his competition experience to his role as crew chief of the Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines team. Byron Hines leads engineering and development efforts for the team.

About Harley-Davidson Motor Company
Since 1903, Harley-Davidson Motor Company has fulfilled dreams of personal freedom with cruiser, touring and custom motorcycles, riding experiences and events, and a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise, riding gear and apparel. For more information, visit www.h-d.com.