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VANCIL WINS ORLANDO BIKE NATS
Doug Vancil started this season the way he ended the 2000 season-with a win. He qualified number one and took the win over Tony Mattioli at the Harley-Davidson AHDRA Bike Week Nationals in Orlando, Fla. Vancil set new JIMS Top Fuel AHDRA national records at 6.616 and boosted the mph record by over 6-mph to 216.45.

HINES MAKES BODY STYLE CHANGES
After three consecutive NHRA Winston Pro Stock Motorcycle championships from 1997-1999, Matt Hines finished second in points last year. In an attempt to reclaim the crown from Angelle Savoie (nee Seeling) Hines has changed body style-on his motorcycle and himself.

"Everything in Pro Stock bikes right now is weight and horsepower," Hines explained. He lost 10 pounds during the off-season and has reverted to the Suzuki GSX-R 1100 bodywork he used during previous title runs, albeit in new Eagle One graphics and color design.

Some of his competitors will be running the Suzuki Hyabusa body introduced last season, but Hines feels there are some potential disadvantages to that style. Hines also thinks that new cylinder heads could add as much as 20 horsepower this year.

MAUNEY TO DRIVE FOR JOHNSON WHILE AWAITING NEW CAR
Tommy Mauney will be driving Mike Johnson's nitrous-injected '68 Camaro for the first couple of IHRA races until Mauney can complete a new Pete Fulwylie-owned Chevrolet Cavalier.

"There's been a lot of talk and I just wanted to go ahead and let the facts out before the bad rumors began," explained Mauney, who earlier left Roy Singleton's team. "I'm looking forward to joining Mike's team until we get the other car finished."

The Cavalier should be ready by the third race of the IHRA season at Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada June 1-3.

LITTON RACING RISES FROM THE ASHES
Three months ago, Bruce Litton lost his entire Indianapolis race team shop to fire. Now, he's in Florida, getting ready for the Gatornationals, thanks to a lot of hard work, some help from his friends, and the man upstairs.

"These tests in life help us to put things in perspective," Litton said. "I think God has a plan for all of us. He certainly guides and directs my paths and I honestly feel that our misfortunes happened for a reason. I'm not going to cry over lost possessions because God has certainly blessed me.

"We tested at Orlando before heading to Gainesville and we felt good about what transpired, I'm not going to say that we'll win the race or be a contender, but to make it to the line for that first qualifying round will make winners of our team already," (photo by Roger Richards)

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