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2007 RESULTS


December 4, 2007
for immediate release

Rush Racing/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Llewellyn Released by Klement Racing

Karl Klement announced that Peggy Llewellyn's contract will not be renewed to ride his Rush Racing Buell in 2008. "I really want to thank Peggy for the job she did for us this year," said Klement, whose NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team finished fourth in points in their very first year on the POWERade circuit. "Never in my life would I have thought we'd do that well this quickly. I want to thank Peggy, all the crew members, George and Jackie Bryce, George Smith, and everybody at G2 Motorsports for making this season so successful.
 
"Our plans are not yet finalized for 2008, but we are interviewing several riders. I really want to thank our partners Rush Racing Products, Tucker Rocky Distributing, PJ1, Motion Pro, Royal Purple, Wiseco Pistons, Precision Motorcycle Products, Darcy Racing and DynoJet Research for their continued support."
 
The 2008 POWERade Pro Stock Motorcycle season resumes at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, March 13-16, 2008 at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida.
 
Karl Klement and the team would like to thank Rush Racing Products
http://www.epiflex.com, DynoJet Research http://www.dynojet.com, PJ1 http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Darcy Racing http://www.darcyracing.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


November 5, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Rush Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals
Dates: November 1-4, 2007
Location: The Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Pomona, California.
 
Llewellyn Wraps Up
Fantastic Rookie Season

Peggy Llewellyn finished her championship contending, first full year on the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle circuit with a second round loss to new series champion Matt Smith at the season finale at Pomona, California. "It's been a learning season," said Llewellyn. "I learned what it is to run a full year on the POWERade tour and run for a championship. I experienced that all in one year.
 
"My weekend in Pomona started off pretty good," Peggy continued, hesitantly. "But I need to make more good, consistent passes. On my first qualifying pass, George (crew chief George Bryce) noticed that I rolled at the line a lot."
 
qualifying round 1
7th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.061 at 186.20 mph
 
qualifying round 2
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.003 at 188.10 mph
 
"On the second pass, I went towards the middle of the track. Finally, on the two passes on Saturday, I made good laps."
 
qualifying round 3
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          6.969 at 188.73 mph
 
qualifying round 4
5th      Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.085 at 184.04 mph
 
"But my reaction times bit me a little in eliminations. Next season I hope to make fewer mistakes and improve."
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .052      7.075 at 187.57 mph
        Hector Arana          -.107     7.099 at 187.99 mph
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Matt Smith             .017          6.969 at 188.73 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn    .070          7.005 at 189.28 mph
 
"I think Peggy exceeded everybody's wildest expectations," said Bryce. "To finish in the top four in her first full year with a brand new team, she even surprised herself."
 
"I was proud of myself," agreed Llewllyn. "I was able to do more than anyone thought I would. Who would have thought? I remember when I started out all over the track in testing at Valdosta."
 
"Everybody on my team did a fantastic job," said team owner Karl Klement. "We went as far as we could and that's the best you can do. I'm very proud of everybody on the team."
 
"A big 'Thank you' to George Bryce for being a phenomenal coach all season," added Llewellyn. "And to Garret Whaley and Curtis Jackson for really getting things done these last few weeks. And thanks to Karl and Kim Klement and all the sponsors for the opportunity."
 
"Terry Daniels, and Lou and Jeremy Pringle from Rush Racing were here this weekend, and we were very proud and happy to have them here," said Klement. "And it was great having Bob LaGuardia from Diamond Bar Choppers with us again this weekend."
 
"I was a pleasure to get to hang with the Rush Racing team all weekend," agreed Bryce. "All those guys were here and it was all cool."
 
"There were lots of spectators there and everything was great," added Klement. "We just didn't win it."
 
"The NHRA did a good job of pushing this Countdown to the Championship and making it as exciting as it was," said Llewellyn, who like all of the championship contenders received an added boost of publicity in the Countdown races. The San Antonio Express-News featured an article on Llewellyn (read that at
http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/stories/MYSA102507.01C.Llewellyn.drag.racer.en.3489140.html) that also interviewed her young niece Dayzha. "She was a celebrity at her school," laughed Peggy, who's become quite a celebrity herself. "The main thing is, I learned a lot this year. Now I just can't wait for next year to start."
 
Peggy and the Rush Racing team race next at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals, March 13-16, 2008_at Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida.
 
Peggy and the team would like to thank Rush Racing Products
http://www.epiflex.com, DynoJet Research http://www.dynojet.com, PJ1 http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Bates Leathers http://www.batesleathers.com, Diamond Bar Choppers http://www.diamondbarchoppers.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
Countdown to the Championship point standings
4th  Peggy Llewellyn     3108
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
7th  Peggy Llewellyn/George Bryce           401
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
4th      Peggy Llewellyn     560
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com


October 29, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Rush Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals
Dates: October 25-28, 2007
Location: The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada
 
Llewellyn Bows in Round 2

After her breakthrough win at the last race in Dallas, NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle championship contender Peggy Llewellyn was hungry for another one at the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals. Anything less wouldn't be enough, so a solid qualifying performance and second round loss left Llewellyn even hungrier to return to the track for the season finale at Pomona, California.
 
Despite the media attention all around her, Peggy hit the ground running at The Strip, posting a solid third place run in Friday's first round.
 
qualifying round 1
3rd     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.136 at 183.29 mph
 
But Llewellyn's Rush Racing team lost some momentum when a loose crank nut thwarted her second round attempt.
 
qualifying round 2
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     broke
 
qualifying round 3
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane        7.071 at 187.60 mph
 
qualifying round 4
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.094 at 185.64 mph
 
The sixth place qualifying spot placed Llewellyn on the tough side of the ladder. "We were still on a high from winning in Dallas and wanted to repeat that feeling," said George Bryce, crew chief on the Rush Racing S&S powered Buell. "Peggy was driving really well, but she had two of the Countdown drivers on her side of the ladder. She had to knock down all the hitters if she was gonna get to the final, and she did really great in the first round."
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .046     7.115 at 187.00 mph
        Antron Brown         .024     7.176 at 183.42 mph
 
In the second round, Llewellyn faced Matt Smith, the son of "Tricky Ricky" Smith, a Pro Stock Car racer who knows a thing or two about starting line maneuvers. A small staging "burndown" ensued, and Llewellyn deviated from her normal routine. "Matt was just doing what he does, but I got out of my process completely," said Peggy. "I waited longer than normal to stage and I shouldn't do that."
 
"Matthew wouldn't stage and Peggy wouldn't stage," said Bryce. "She waited 18 seconds to stage, then she did a really good job riding the bike and outran him. If she'd done her own routine, she would have outrun him and won the round." Instead of winning on a holeshot like she did in Dallas, Peggy lost to one in Vegas.
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Matt Smith             .012     7.134 at 184.60 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn    .080     7.117 at 185.92 mph
 
"I feel bad 'cause I let my team down," said Llewellyn. "I lit the top bulb, and I thought 'Whenever I'm ready I'll light the next bulb.' But I must have gone into a dead stare. We watched it back on videotape and George said to me 'You never take that long!'
 
"Honestly, I didn't drive my best all weekend long. I was short shifting fourth, fifth and sixth, and I was shutting the bike down too late."
 
"Everybody did what they were supposed to do, everything went real smooth, we just got beat," said team owner Karl Klement.
 
"We've had an outstanding year, but after we won in Dallas, we want to win them all," said Kim Klement, who owns the team along with her husband Karl. "We like that feeling! But it was a great race, and the whole team did awesome."
 
"I was very proud of Garret Whaley and Curtis Jackson," Bryce said about the two Klement team crew members. "Those guys did a great job and I was very proud. And I'm very proud of the opportunity to work with this team and I thank Karl and Kim for that."
 
"It was a real good day, we just didn't win like we did last time," said Karl. "But we had real good support from our marketing partners at Vegas. DynoJet president Robert Vlcek came by the pits and we were real glad to have him there. Ed from Rush Racing and Bob LaGuardia from Diamond Bar Choppers were there, and I just wish we could have given them all a win. But we're ready for Pomona."
 
The Las Vegas race was the first of two events to determine the champions in each of the four professional classes in the POWERade series, and first year racer Llewellyn is one of only four contenders for the Pro Stock Motorcycle crown. Peggy and the team will still have a chance this coming weekend at Pomona. "I need to do better there," finished Llewellyn. "They've given me the bike, and I just need to stick to my process and not second guess about anything that isn't part of that. As good as we're doing, I'm still learning. Now I'm gonna go out to Pomona and do better." She beat the odds in Dallas, she can do it again in Pomona.
 
Peggy and the Rush Racing team race next at the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, November 1-4_at The Auto Club Raceway at Pomona, Pomona, California.
 
Peggy and the team would like to thank Rush Racing Products
http://www.epiflex.com, DynoJet Research http://www.dynojet.com, PJ1 http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com, Bates Leathers http://www.batesleathers.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
Countdown to the Championship point standings
4th  Peggy Llewellyn     3054
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
7th  Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           390
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
4th      Peggy Llewellyn     560
 
Remaining 2007 POWERade Drag Racing Series Schedule
Nov. 1-4          Automobile Club of Southern California Finals, Pomona
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


September 24, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Rush Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals
Dates: September 20-23, 2007
Location: Texas Motorplex, Ennis, Texas
 
Llewellyn Wins Dallas,
Advances in Countdown!

There is no better story in NHRA POWERade racing than NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn and her Karl Klement owned, Rush Racing team. In Llewellyn's first full year on the tour, Klement's first year as an owner, and Rush's third race as a sponsor, the team took their first national event win at the O'Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas. The team also won the coveted Full Throttle Award, but most importantly, they dramatically bumped their way into the final four of the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship playoff series.
 
It was a home race for Decatur, Texas-based Klement and San Antonio native Llewellyn, and things couldn't have started out better. Right off the trailer, Peggy took the George Bryce and Shane Maloney prepared Buell right to the top of the charts. It was Llewellyn's first time with "number 1" next to her name at the end of a qualifying round, and foreshadowed firsts to come.
 
qualifying round 1
1st     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.045 at 185.61 mph
 
qualifying round 2
4th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.067 at 188.41 mph
 
qualifying round 3
4th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.029 at 188.65 mph
 
qualifying round 4
4th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.043 at 188.83 mph
 
But perhaps more impressive from a team standpoint was the qualifying consistency of the Rush Racing, S&S powered Buell through changing conditions. That consistency is what earned the team the Full Throttle Award for the weekend and bode well for eliminations, eliminations that would determine the final four competitors for the championship.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn         .052          7.023 at 189.18 mph
        Steve Johnson          -.001(R)     7.071 at 187.63 mph
 
Maloney's former employer Steve Johnson redlit against Llewellyn in round 1 on Sunday, but her ET earned lane choice over Countdown competitor Karen Stoffer in round 2. As if there wasn't already enough pressure on Llewellyn and the other riders in the Countdown, tensions in the pits were further raised following a very serious Funnycar accident in round 2 involving drag racing superstar John Force. "With all that going on, we still had to focus on the job at hand," said Peggy.
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .047     7.053 at 188.20 mph
        Karen Stoffer          .033     7.069 at 190.65 mph
 
Llewellyn won the round against Stoffer, but lost lane choice to trailer neighbor Chip Ellis in the semi. Ellis qualified number one for the fourth time in five races, but lost the race against Llewellyn at the line and Peggy advanced with a holeshot win.
 
eliminations semifinal round
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .059     7.114 at 185.46 mph
        Chip Ellis                .105     7.109 at 186.82 mph
 
Piece by piece, things were falling into place for Llewellyn to have a chance for the final four. But she would have to win the final round to bump U.S. Nationals winner Craig Treble out of the Countdown field. The final was a rematch of the Memphis semi with Andrew Hines. Three time champion Hines won in Tennessee and had lane choice for this one.
 
"Peggy said 'What do I do? I've never been here (to a final) before,'" said Bryce, co-crew chief on Llewellyn's S&S powered Buell. "I said 'Yes you have. Just make this pass like every one you've ever run at South Georgia Motorsports Park in testing. Just go through your process and make your lap.'"
 
eliminations final round
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .010     7.020 at 190.00 mph
        Andrew Hines        .045     7.007 at 191.16 mph
 
That lap produced another holeshot win for Llewellyn, her first national event win ever, and slot in the Countdown's final four! "She's never even been in a final, and she did a perfect job," said Bryce. "Andrew did a great job, Peggy just did better. He never saw what was coming. I could not have written a more perfect plan out better than for Peggy to run her low ET of the weekend, cut her best light, and make her best run in the final. Peggy did a fantastic job."
 
"Peggy made us look good today, flat out," said Maloney, the other co-crew chief. "She needed to cut a light in the finals, and she did it. Peggy proved why she got this job and why she's here. She went to the line against the three time national champion, cut a light, ran a perfect lap, and won the race."
 
"I finally did it!" shouted Llewellyn. "This is just unbelievable. I can't believe this is happening! I keep having to pinch myself."
 
"I don't know what to say," said Klement, who came to the sport with open pockets expecting results, and is surely getting them. "All this happened at my home track. All my family was here, we must have had sixty people here. We won the Full Throttle Award, we won the national event, and we bumped our way into the Countdown—the only woman in the Countdown—what a race!"
 
"Peggy won the trifecta," said Bryce. "She had to beat the number one qualifier and three time champion to get in the Countdown. She drove the bike great, and that's why she won the Full Throttle Award. I think Angelle (Sampey), Chip, Andrew, and now Peggy are the only drivers that have won the Full Throttle award this year, and that's pretty good company."
 
"We sucked the first couple of rounds today, but Peggy did good," said Maloney. "In the finals, we collected ourselves and put a tune-up in it that we knew worked. We didn't do all the crazy stuff we tried today, and it went fast."
 
"Our S&S powered motorcycle ran the most consistent ETs of anybody at the race track, that's why she got the Full Throttle Award and the win," said Bryce. "Even though we goofed up in the semifinal, we came back and ran a good number in the final."
 
"We earned this win every round," agreed Llewellyn, who had to lean off the left side of the bike on several passes, including the semi and the final. "I shifted too early in semi, and I at least tried to lean using my butt, 'cause that works better than hanging off the bike!
 
"I heard Andrew's bike the whole way in the final. He was really close and I didn't realize I'd won until they were waving me over to where the TV cameras were and giving me a hat—and a Wally. I wasn't sure what to do next, so I hung out with (Pro Stock Car winner) Dave Connolly. He's done this a few times before, right?
 
"We had the biggest and loudest winners circle. All my former co-workers were there, and Karl's family and Kim's family. But with all the excitement, my thoughts are still with John Force."
 
"We were all very, very touched and concerned with our champion, John Force," added Bryce. "We thought about him a lot all day and wondered if he's OK. We want to make sure everybody prays for his speedy recovery, and for him and his family to know how important he is to all of us and the POWERade drag racing series."
 
So now Llewellyn goes to the last two races on the schedule as a proven championship contender. "When we made the Countdown to 8, I was like 'Wow, that's great.' But I had a bunch of fans today saying 'Do it for the home crowd!' That's how I was able to take it just one round at a time.
 
"In addition to Karl and Kim Klement, George, Shane, Garret Whaley, and Rush Racing, I really want thank my dad Eugene for putting me on a motorcycle at age 7. He took us to the track and was racing and we wanted to do the same thing. Those five years I was away from the NHRA, he was always telling me it was possible to get back in and telling me to write George and tell him what I wanted to do. He said 'Send it certified so you know he gets it!'"
 
She did, George got it, and now they were all in the winners circle together. Although it may seem like success has come early for Llewellyn and her team, it's only come through countless hours, test laps, and hard work. "If you're in George and my shoes, it took a long time to get here," said Maloney. "Every single person on this team does a perfect job. Everyone knows their job and does it right, and today they proved it."
 
"It wouldn't be possible without Kim and Karl assembling the group, spending the money, and getting the Rush guys involved," finished Bryce, who paid kudos to all the staff at G2, Star Racing and S&S Cycle. "It was a dream come true for that little girl from San Antonio, and I'm proud to be a part of it. Sometimes you back into a win and it pays the same points and the same money, but this one we earned!"
 
Peggy and the Rush Racing team race next at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals, October 25-28 at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nevada.
 
Peggy and the team would like to thank Rush Racing Products
http://www.epiflex.com, PJ1 http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com, Bates Leathers http://www.batesleathers.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
Countdown to the Championship point standings
4th  Peggy Llewellyn     2234
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
8th  Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           347
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
4th      Peggy Llewellyn     425
 
Remaining 2007 POWERade Drag Racing Series Schedule
Oct. 25-28     ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals                              Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 1-4        Automobile Club of Southern California Finals      Pomona, CA

Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


September 17, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Rush Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals
Dates: September 14-16, 2007
Location: Memphis Motorsports Park, Memphis, Tennessee
 
Llewellyn Dances to the Semis in Memphis

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn improved her standing in the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship playoff series, riding her Rush Racing Products Buell to the semifinals at the O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park. That performance moved Llewellyn to sixth, with one more race to go in Dallas before half the Pro Stock Motorcycle Countdown field is eliminated to set the final four.
 
It wasn't a weekend without trials and tribulations for Llewellyn and the Rush Racing team, but Peggy persevered to third in the qualifying order.
 
qualifying round 1
4th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.096 at 183.47 mph
 
qualifying round 2
7th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane        7.121 at 185.49 mph
 
qualifying round 3
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          6.992 at 190.65 mph
 
On her Saturday morning Q3 pass, the front brake failed on Llewellyn's Buell and planted the bike in the sandpit at the end of the track. "I went to the beach, but I didn't bring my bikini!" laughed Peggy. "I shut the bike down a little late and start tapping my rear brakes. I started bringing in the front brake and the lever went all the way to the grip—nothing. George Bryce (co-crew chief on Llewellyn's S&S powered Buell) taught us at his drag racing school to let out the clutch to slow the bike down, and that's what I did. I thought about trying to make the turn, but I didn't want to take out the Safety Safari! It just put the front wheel in the sand, and some rocks in the belly pan."
 
qualifying round 4
3rd      Peggy Llewellyn     right lane       6.955 at 191.35 mph
 
With the rocks cleaned out, Llewellyn made a big move in Q4. "Peggy was able to run low ET of the round for the first time of her career in the fourth round of qualifying," said Bryce. "We had the whole Rush Racing crew here for that and it was cool that they were able to celebrate with us."
 
"I'm happy with qualifying for sure," said Llewellyn's other co-crew chief, Shane Maloney. "You always want to be number one, but it was good. It moved us up in the Ringers Gloves Battle for next year, and on raceday Peggy got to watch some of the more closely matched pairings in front of her instead of being in them."
 
But Llewellyn's own opening round match-up with Karen Stoffer was crucial to the championship hopes of both riders. "I talked to my niece before the round, and she said 'I hope you don't mind, but I'm pulling for Karen this round!'" said Peggy. "Then a reporter came up and said something about it being an important round. After that, I started getting nervous. But then I thought 'Wait a minute, we're doing process and procedure here, not who's in the other lane or the points implications.' I'm always thinking about my process and not rounds, otherwise I'd be a nervous wreck!"
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .042     7.000 at 189.18 mph
        Karen Stoffer          .012     7.047 at 190.24 mph
 
After giving up the tree, Llewellyn out 60-footed Stoffer to drive around by the 330 and continued to pull away for the win, perhaps to the chagrin of her niece.
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .088     7.006 at 189.84 mph
        Matt Guidera          .026     7.069 at 196.87 mph
 
Again, Llewellyn spotted the tree to Maple Grove winner Matt Guidera before driving around, but this time not until well past the 1000 foot mark. Peggy took the stripe by a mere .0013 of a second—or about 4 inches!
 
eliminations round 3
(W)   Andrew Hines        .016     7.043 at 190.92 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .038     7.176 at 187.03 mph
 
But there was no driving around defending class champion Andrew Hines in the semis. "I'm frustrated because I found a new way to loose," said Peggy. "I guess I sort of grazed the shift button for third instead of pushing it, and it needs to be pushed. So I was on the rev limiter for a long time. It started to scream and nose over and the G-meter dived. I chalk it up as experience."
 
"Peggy did a great job to win the first and second rounds," offered Bryce. "In the third round, she took off and passed Andrew by the 60 foot and was well in front of him at the 330. Then she missed the shift button and it was all over. If she'd hit second to third, she probably could have outrun the 7.04 that Andrew left hanging there like a ripe fruit. That would have given Peggy her first semifinal win in her young, budding career. Then with Steve Johnson breaking in the final, who knows?"
 
At the end of the run, an electrical malfunction started a fire beneath the seat of the Rush Racing Buell. "I had hot buns, but I didn't know it," Peggy laughed again. "Then the Safari said, 'Are you on fire?' And I said 'Maybe so.'"
 
"We just didn't pay enough attention when we put the airbox on," admitted Maloney. "It must have rubbed a fuel injection wire through and touched the carbon fiber, and electricity and carbon fiber go hand-in-hand and you have a little barbeque.
 
"But the motors ran awesome, and that's a testament to the guys at G2. That was the first time we ran the motor we bought from Rob Muzzy in competition. We took all the fast stuff we had and applied it to that motor, and it worked out pretty good."
 
"We ran great," agreed Bryce. "We got the clutch fixed and Peggy was able to run the number one 60 foot again. We moved up in points and with one race to go before the final four cutoff, we feel our S&S powered Buell is prepared."
 
"We've got to work hard to keep up with all these fast bikes," said Maloney. "We can't go to Dallas worrying about points, we just have to go there and do our best. Then Sunday at 4 o'clock, we'll know whether we're racing for the championship or not."
 
"Dallas is coming up, and that's a home race for our team," said Llewellyn. "We moved up a couple of spots in the points in Memphis, and we'll look to do the same this weekend in Dallas."
 
"We need every point we can get," finished team owner Karl Klement, who noted that Lou and Jeremy Pringle from Rush Racing were hanging with the team in Memphis. "We had kind of an up and down weekend with the sand trap and the electrical fire, but I'm real happy. We did the best we could do, and we'll do it again this weekend in Dallas."
 
Peggy and the Rush Racing team race next at the O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals, September 20-23_at the Texas Motorplex in Ennis, Texas.
 
Peggy and the team would like to thank Rush Racing Products
http://www.epiflex.com, PJ1 http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com, Bates Leathers http://www.batesleathers.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
Countdown to the Championship point standings
6th  Peggy Llewellyn     2119
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
8th  Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           275
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
7th Peggy Llewellyn     311
 
Remaining 2007 POWERade Drag Racing Series Schedule
 
Sept. 20-23    O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals                               Dallas, TX
Oct. 25-28      ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals                             Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 1-4         Automobile Club of Southern California Finals     Pomona, CA

Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


September 4, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Rush Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Dates: August 29-September 3, 2007
Location: O'Reilly Raceway Park, Indianapolis, Indiana
 
Llewellyn Finishes Busy Indy Weekend

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn had a lot on her plate this past weekend at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis. Peggy's Karl Klement Racing Buell debuted new primary sponsor Rush Racing Products, it was her first race in the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship playoff series, and it was her first time ever competing at drag racing's biggest event-the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. "On either Tuesday or Wednesday, I was feeling overwhelmed," said Llewellyn. "George Bryce called me at just the right time." Bryce is co-crew chief on Llewellyn's S&S powered Buell, and a legendary riding coach. "He said 'Don't think of it as the introduction of a new sponsor, the beginning of the Countdown, or the U.S. Nationals. Think of it as just another race.' That's right what I needed to hear right at that time."
 
On Friday, Llewellyn joined the other Countdown contenders onstage in a pre-qualifying ceremony, then was introduced to the crowd again right before her qualifying pass. NHRA announcer Bob Frey introduced Peggy and Rush Racing president Lou Pringle as her bike's new livery was unveiled. "I didn't know they were gonna do it right before I went on the run!" said Llewellyn, who none-the-less laid down a flawless 7.029 that placed her third in the qualifying order.
 
qualifying round 1
3rd     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.029 at 187.34 mph
 
"I think this event is great for us," Pringle said after the introduction ceremonies. "When I was a teenager and younger, we'd go to the drag races all the time. It's a thrill to be able to stand out there on the line that close to the action."
 
"It was very cool the way the Karl Klement team debuted the Rush Performance Products team to the NHRA fans," said Bryce. "I'm also proud of how Peggy handled the extra pressure all weekend."
 
qualifying round 2
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.040 at 185.66 mph
 
qualifying round 3
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.077 at 185.87 mph
 
Llewellyn's bike was lined up crooked for the third round of qualifying on Saturday and made a move toward the centerline. "I over corrected," said Peggy. "And then I double bumped the shift button."
 
qualifying round 4
8th      Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.011 at 190.19 mph
 
"I finally got a good nights sleep," Peggy said Sunday morning after her Q4 pass. It seems the hoopla hadn't dissipated completely with Bryce's midweek phone call. "And I finally got a straight pass in that right lane."
 
qualifying round 5
8th      Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.085 at 187.16 mph
 
Llewellyn had a relatively slow 1.08 60 foot time in the fifth round, and many in the class found the starting line to be slippery that round. But Llewellyn's other co-crew chief, Shane Maloney, took responsibility for her poor launch. "It was the clutch," said Maloney. "We didn't give her a good clutch tune-up."
 
Maloney and Bryce would end up singing the same lament on raceday. But before that, Llewellyn's bike stalled out of the water box—a disconcerting blip in her established routine. "You would've thought I'd have stalled the bike the round after the sponsor introduction," said Peggy, who staged quickly after the bike was restarted. "I just let the clutch out too much. But it didn't bother me or upset my process, really."
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Antron Brown          .023     7.083 at 187.99 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .078     7.105 at 186.56 mph
 
"We had a 1.09 60 foot," said Bryce. "The worst in the class."
 
"The engine's running good, but the clutch isn't workin' right," said team owner Karl Klement. "We've changed everything, so we're gonna go back to square one, and we're gonna test."
 
"We've got a serious, serious clutch problem," agreed Maloney. "We've measured, we've checked, we've double checked, and nothing looks wrong. It's hard, because we're the best 60 footing team out here, hands down, and we went from best to worst. So we'll go home, put a new clutch together, and start over from scratch. But Peggy did awesome. She rode good, hit her shift points on time, and rode straight. If we'd given her a clutch, she'd still be out there."         
 
"I've never seen this before," added Bryce. "I wouldn't have missed five shots at getting it right if I had. Every run I thought I'd fixed it, and it was no good. Every race we go to we're the best on the starting line, and if we're not, we're second. This weekend we were seventeenth sometimes. Every now and them, the game of chance still rears its ugly head. A weekend likes this keeps me from being cocky. It's long way from the shade of that bridge (in the staging lanes) to the starting line, and that's where everything has to work.
 
"But I was very proud of Peggy for qualifying in the top half of the field at her first U.S. Nationals ever, and I believe that she would have qualified much higher up the ladder if I'd had a better handle on the clutch from the very beginning. As usual, Shane and Garret had the bike prepared to optimum. The S&S engines that we prepared were very reliable and fast, and I'd like to thanks the whole crew at G2 for the excellent work and timeliness. And thanks to Karl and Kim Klement for giving me the ultimate opportunity to show our wares and talents"
 
" It was an awesome weekend," said Kim Klement. "We're really very pleased with the turnout and the fan appreciation. The people are so nice here."
 
"The fans were awesome," agreed Llewellyn, who is a fan favorite at every track. "I really enjoyed having breakfast with Shirley Muldowny at the Women in Drag Racing event, and It was a fun weekend with our new marketing partner Rush Exhaust here."
 
"Lou Pringle, Terry Daniel and the entire Rush staff are very nice people and we're glad to have them on our team," added Kim Klement.
 
"Peggy is a great representative, not only for Rush, but for the NHRA as well," said Pringle. "She's developed such a fan base in such a short time. I'm amazed at the lines that form out here after each pass. It also amazes me how quickly this whole team gelled, and it shows every time they go to the line. A lot of that has to do with Karl. His disciplinary standards show in the whole team. Our association with their team brings the awareness to the public that we're a performance driven company."
 
"We've already exceeded a lot of our goals," said Llewellyn. "Now they're gonna go back and fix whatever's wrong with the bike, and I have full faith in them. I just need to work further on my lights and consistency."
 
"We will go back to Georgia and solve the clutch mystery, get it under control, and prepare for Memphis in short order," vowed Bryce.
 
"We're gonna get them in Memphis," finished Kim Klement.
 
Peggy and the Rush Racing team race next at the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals, Sept. 14-16_Memphis Motorsports Park, Memphis, Tennessee
 
Peggy and the team would like to thank Rush Racing Products
http://www.epiflex.com, PJ1 http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com, Bates Leathers http://www.batesleathers.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
Countdown to the Championship point standings
8th  Peggy Llewellyn     2043
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
8th  Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           275
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
8th      Peggy Llewellyn     125
 
Remaining 2007 POWERade Drag Racing Series Schedule
 
Sept. 14-16          O'Reilly Mid-South Nationals                                 Memphis, TN
Sept. 20-23          O'Reilly NHRA Fall Nationals                                 Dallas, TX
Oct. 25-28            ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals                               Las Vegas, NV
Nov. 1-4               Automobile Club of Southern California Finals      Pomona, CA
 


August 21, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals
Dates: August 16-19, 2007
Location: Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pennsylvania
 
Llewellyn Locked in the Countdown

In only their first full season of racing, Peggy Llewellyn and the Karl Klement NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team have made the cut for the Countdown to the Championship. The Countdown is the NHRA's new playoff series that starts with the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis. Only the top 8 in the POWERade point standings will be eligible to compete for the season championship, and Llewellyn's weekend at the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals locked her into the Countdown in 7th place. "That's a huge accomplishment," said co-crew chief Shane Maloney. "There are a lot of really good motorcycles that did not get in. Antron Brown, Steve Johnson, and either Craig Treble or Chris Rivas. Those are all really good motorcycles."
 
Llewellyn's weekend didn't start off so great, as she shut off early with a broken transmission in the first round of qualifying.
 
qualifying round 1
22nd     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     9.242 at 91.03 mph
 
Her round 2 pass, though, showed that Maloney and co-crew chief George Bryce had the S&S powered Buell dialed into the Maple Grove conditions.
 
qualifying round 2
5th        Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.065 at 189.71 mph
 
qualifying round 3
6th        Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.001 at 190.78 mph
 
qualifying round 4
3rd        Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       6.940 at 193.24 mph
 
Round 3 saw the bike improve in better weather conditions, but the final round saw Llewellyn run her career best pass. Maloney and Bryce hugged and celebrated at the staring line, yet the numbers showed that the pass could have been better yet. Peggy's slow-for-her 1.08 60 foot showed that plenty was still left on the table. "I'm real proud of Peggy and her career best ET and speed," said Bryce. "That was awesome."
 
"193 felt so smooth, though I did have to use the back brake more than usual," said Llewellyn. Maple Grove has a notoriously short shutdown area.
 
The team tweaked the tune-up slightly for round 1 of eliminations. "Just a touch difference in the tune-up," said Maloney. "It was set on kill yesterday, and it's set on kill today. It's definitely got 6.80 horsepower, and we'll prove that."
 
"We started out kinda struggling and busted the transmission on the first run," team owner Karl Klement said Sunday morning. "But after the third run we got it dialed in. I think the bike could have gone faster yet, and it will go faster today." Well, maybe not "today," as the motorcycles never hit the track on a rainy Sunday.
 
Peggy let the gray day soak into her and enjoyed a restful Sunday night at her hotel. "This kind of weather makes me really tired, so after we went to eat, I went back to my room and chilled out," said Llewellyn. "I called my family and watched 'Army Wives' on Lifetime. Oh, and I had to cancel my Monday flight!"
 
When racing got under way on Monday, Peggy ran quicker yet while taking out former champ Geno Scali in round 1. "We made one small, tiny change in the fuel injection this morning and that was it," said Maloney. "It picked up, but I think we would have run just as good yesterday. Peggy had a 1.05 60 foot on that pass. She's really staying with the bike, or a little bit ahead of it, and that's what it takes."
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .063     6.928 at 191.00 mph
        Geno Scali             .059     16.237 at 36.33 mph
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Chris Rivas             .028     6.977 at 188.67 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .105     6.965 at 190.32 mph
 
But a bad light against Chris Rivas in round 2 put Peggy's quicker bike on the trailer. "She lost her focus," said Bryce. "She was real calm, collected and perfect. Then when it was time of her to go in and Chris to go in, she lost her concentration. When she got focused again, all the lights were coming on and it was too late."
 
"I think my dad's gonna order a practice tree and I'll get some more practice at home," said Llewellyn. "Our runs were really good this weekend, but I didn't feel like my runs were as good as they were at Brainerd. It's a testament to my team. They've given me the bike and I just have to tweak reaction times and work on my progress. If I'm gonna go rounds and get a win, that's what it's gonna depend on."
 
Though the team didn't snag that elusive first win, their position in the Countdown qualifies as a huge success. "It almost seems like this is the end of the season, but this is a new beginning," said Llewellyn, who only recently started feeling like the Countdown was in her grasp. "Probably after Chicago. Before that I was just learning how to ride this V-Twin. My original goal was to finish in the top 10, because I forgot about this Countdown to the Championship thing. I still have as a goal to win a race this year, and they've given me the bike to do it so it is attainable. I'm excited about that."
 
"I guess it's just now hitting me," Klement said about the team's achievement late in the day on Monday. "This is really like winning the championship. I've gotta thank Peggy, George, Shane, Garrett Whaley and the whole team."
 
"I'm proud to be in it," said Maloney. "There's a lot of people who didn't think we'd be in this position, but we've really jelled as a team and I'm really excited. We've got as good a chance at this as anybody. You can literally go from eighth to first at one race. Now we have to get everything ready for almost a week of racing at Indianapolis. Other than that, it's just another race."
 
"I guess when I go to Indy, I'll just be like 'Wow!'" said Klement. "This was kind of a tough weekend and things keep breaking, but we got through it and are ready for the countdown. Peggy's capable of beating any person at any track right now."
 
"Peggy's really coming into her own as a driver," agreed Maloney. "Even the mistakes she makes, she knows it right away. That's what's impressive."
 
"It doesn't matter, you still feel like crap when you mess up at the tree like that," finished Llewellyn, sounding decidedly less than satisfied with simply being in the Countdown to the Championship.
 
Peggy and the team race next at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, August 29-September 3 at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, Indiana.
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
7th Peggy Llewellyn      513
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
8th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           251
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
11th Peggy Llewellyn     1280
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


August 13, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals
Dates: August 9-12, 2007
Location: Brainerd International Raceway, Brainerd, Minnesota.
 
Llewellyn's Momentum Continues in Minnesota

Still in only her first full year of Pro Stock Motorcycle racing, Peggy Llewellyn rode the Karl Klement Racing Buell to another semifinal finish this weekend and moved another spot up the NHRA POWERade points ladder. Llewellyn and the team are hitting their stride at just the right moment, as the cut-off for the NHRA's Countdown to the Championship approaches as fast as the finishline on a top end charge.
 
The Countdown is the NHRA's new playoff series that starts with the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis. Only the top 8 in the POWERade point standings will be eligible to compete for the season championship, and with her performance at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota, Llewellyn moved from a precarious eighth to a slightly safer seventh, and only one point out of sixth. "Peggy's becoming a really good rider and the bike's getting really fast and it's all happening at the right time," said co-crew chief Shane Maloney.
 
After a mediocre first round of qualifying, Llewellyn shot up the charts in round 2. But the team saved the best for Saturday, and Llewellyn went all the way to second, just behind quasi-teammate Chip Ellis of G2 Motorsports.
 
qualifying round 1
9th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.164 at 188.12 mph
 
qualifying round 2
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.114 at 186.74 mph
 
qualifying round 3
2nd     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.031 at 188.57 mph
 
qualifying round 4
2nd     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.172 at 187.11 mph
 
"It's a very proud weekend for Karl Klement Racing and G2 to take number one and two qualifiers," said George Bryce, G2 co-owner and the other crew chief on the Klement Racing Buell. "It's been a long time since G2 had a one and two effort."
 
"We left some on the table in qualifying," said Maloney. "We could have been on the pole, but it was neat to go number two to Chip."
 
Llewellyn's S&S powered Buell was part of an all-V twin sweep of round 1 on raceday, and while Ellis fell out in round 2, Llewellyn went all the way to the semis. There she lost on a holeshot to eventual race winner Andrew Hines.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .056     6.993 at 190.38 mph
        Mike Berry              .041     7.118 at 186.59 mph
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .051     7.007 at 188.54 mph
        Matt Guidera          .012     7.077 at 187.29 mph
 
eliminations round 3
(W)  Andrew Hines          .039     7.048 at 186.18 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .076     7.039 at 187.50 mph
            margin of victory: .0284 seconds

"A fun thing with me and Shane today was to get a better 60 foot time each round, until we had a 1.052 in the semis, which was for sure the quickest in history at that track for a bike," said Bryce, who then referred to the team's semifinal finish at the previous race. "Our mission going into Minnesota was to keep dong what we were doing in Sonoma. The first round we crossed that hurdle, and the second round was another big hurdle. In the semis we had low ET of the round, and if Peggy had had the light she had first round or second round, we'd have been in the final."
 
"We just lacked 6 inches from winning it and we would have went to the final," said team owner Karl Klement.
 
"Now we know how to get past first round and second round, then when you get to the semis is when reaction time starts to really matter, so we're gonna continue to work on that," said Llewellyn.
 
"Peggy's an expert now at first and second round, and she's almost an expert at third round," said Maloney
 
"I just have to keep fine tuning my process," said Llewellyn. "In eliminations I kept short shifting. George Bryce kept saying 'Patience, Grasshopper. Wait for the light to come on.' I short shifted a little from first to second in the semi, and I heard the bike bog a little bit. Other than that, I had a great motorcycle all weekend. I just continued to focus on my process, not paying attention to the other lane, or points, or anything. We're coming along, don't you think?"
 
"It was an awesome weekend," agreed Maloney. "Peggy rode awesome. The motor ran really good, and the bike 60 footed awesome. At the end of the day, we had the motorcycle to win, but it was really encouraging."
 
"Look at the consistency of our three runs on Sunday," noted Bryce. "It's a tribute to the equipment we've been given to work with, the preparation of the bike by Garrett Whaley and Shane, and Peggy's driving ability coming full circle. Peggy's demeanor on the track, her confidence and her consistency is not only good for her on the track, it's gonna worry the competition. The Karl Klement team is on a roll and is not gonna be an easy round anymore. The Karl Klement team is tough to beat."
 
"We're headed to Reading and we're gonna try and win there," said Klement. "Everybody did a great job here in Brainerd."
 
"I must have done pretty good," added Llewellyn. "Because I get to ride home to Texas on Karl's private jet!"
 
Peggy and the team race next at the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals, August 16-19, Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pennsylvania.
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
7th Peggy Llewellyn     513
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
9th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           212
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
12th Peggy Llewellyn     1115
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


July 30, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report
 
Event: Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals
Dates: July 27-28, 2007
Location: Infineon Raceway, Sonoma, California
 
Llewellyn 60 Foots Her Way
Towards the Countdown

Using a string of razor sharp 1.04 to 1.05 second sixty foot launches, Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn got her Karl Klement Racing Buell into a 6 second groove and made a big move towards competing in the NHRA Countdown to the Championship. The Countdown is the NHRA's new playoff series that starts with the U.S. Nationals on Labor Day weekend in Indianapolis. Only the top 8 in the POWERade point standings will be eligible to compete for the season championship, and Llewellyn's super weekend in Sonoma moved her into 8th place.
 
From the moment her Buell came off the trailer, Llewellyn was never out of the top 5 in Sonoma, despite a new tire in Q1 that slowed down the bike's starting line launch.
 
qualifying round 1
4th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.050 at 184.72 mph
 
qualifying round 2
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane        6.997 at 187.50 mph
 
qualifying round 3
4th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          6.963 at 188.81 mph
 
qualifying round 4
5th      Peggy Llewellyn     right lane       6.976 at 189.95 mph
 
"The bike is tuned up really good," Llewellyn said at the end of qualifying. "The last qualifying pass, I was kind of all over the track and still went a .97. So man, I'm pumped. Three 6 second passes in a row! But I'm gonna take it one round at a time. The first round of eliminations is always the hardest, but George (co-crew chief George Bryce) told me not to ponder that, to just do my process and nothing else. So I just started not worrying." That's a strategy that paid off all the way until an equipment malfunction ended Peggy's run against points leader Matt Smith in the semifinals.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .051     6.936 at 189.50 mph
        Matt Guidera          .042     7.030 at 186.98 mph
 
"I was floored when we ran the .93," said Llewellyn. "We had a 1.045 sixty foot time, and the bike was straight and smooth and I shifted on time." Those sixty foot times came through clutch tuning and ramming the bike at launch, a technique that helps to get better sixty foot times, and better runs for the rest of the quarter mile. "Sometimes I was doing that, sometimes not, so I was working at it to get more consistent."
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn   .025     6.970 at 190.59 mph
        Chip Ellis              .091     7.008 at 189.68 mph
 
eliminations round 3
(W)  Matt Smith             .047     7.026 at 187.55 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn    .100     7.431 at 181.57 mph
 
"Matthew had a 1.06 sixty foot time and we had a 1.04," Bryce said about the semi. "Peggy was getting ready to mow Matt down and drive around him when the transmission deadheaded on the 2-3 shift."
 
"Our transmission decided it did not want to go to the finals," deadpanned Shane Maloney, the other crew chief on the Klement Racing Buell. "Our clutch wanted to go, but our transmission said 'No.'"
 
"About one out of every fifty runs, those dogs (parts in the transmission) just collide, and you can take it out and fix it and there won't be anything wrong with it, and you can put it back in and make fifty more runs on it," said Bryce.
 
"Our worst pass of the weekend, not including the transmission problem, was a 7.05, and the only reason it ran that slow was because we had a brand new tire and it couldn't sixty foot," explained Maloney. "Every run after that was in the 6s with 1.04, 1.05 sixty foots on the 20 year old MTC clutch system that everyone says we can't go fast with anymore. So that was awesome."
 
"We did great!" said Bryce. "Peggy took the KK Racing Buell all the way to the semis, we had lane choice every round, and we ran all 6 second runs until we got to the semis. We were very proud that Peggy took the leap to win a couple of rounds, and the bike was sooooo fast. We're very proud of the whole team, and very proud that we were able to gain that many points."
 
"It was so fantastic," agreed Llewellyn. "We knew we had to do something to stay in the Countdown, and we went out and did it. We found the consistency we were looking for in both the bike and my riding."
 
"We were also really proud that we had the Motion Pro guys here for the whole weekend," said Bryce. "They're hooked on NHRA drag racing now. Everyone of them came by and hugged us and told us they had the best time and they had no idea it was this cool, so that was great to get those guys excited about it."
 
"We had a great weekend," said team owner Karl Klement. "I'm so happy for the team and Peggy. We ran 6s all weekend, and if we wouldn't have had the transmission problem, I think we could have gone all the way."
 
"Peggy rode unbelievably awesome this weekend," said Maloney. "Everybody worked together, it was a great weekend, we moved up in the points, and we're back in eighth. We'll put a different motor in and a brand new transmission and go to Brainerd, and hopefully we'll go a few more rounds and move up another spot or two."
 
"This is a great confidence builder going into these last two races before the Countdown," finished Llewellyn. "All that helps in learning to take each and every round. I'm just gonna go out and try and do the same thing these next couple of races. It's gonna be a fight all the way to Indy. It's gonna be to tough!"
 
Peggy and the team race next at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, August 9-12, Brainerd Int'l Raceway, Brainerd, Minnesota
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
8th Peggy Llewellyn 436
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
10th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           175
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
12th Peggy Llewellyn     975
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


July 16, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report
 
Event: Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals
Dates: July 13-15
Location: Bandimere Speedway, Morrison, Colorado
 
Llewellyn Loses by .001 in Denver

"I caught the redeye. Not a flight, but at the starting line," said NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn. She and first round opponent Eddie Krawiec both left before the green light came on at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals near Denver, but Llewellyn tripped the beam a mere .001 before Krawiec. Eddie advanced while Peggy was forced to the sidelines.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Eddie Krawiec        -.006(R)     7.454 at 180.24 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     -.007(R)     7.432 at 178.90 mph
 
"I was surprised, because I didn't even know about the redlight until I was going into high gear," said Llewellyn. "I saw in my peripheral that Eddie's winlight was on and my heart sank."
 
"It was a dead-even match-up with Eddie, and you have to go for it, and both of 'em did," said Shane Maloney, co-crew chief on Llewellyn's Karl Klement Racing team. "Number 8 and number 9 qualifiers is a tough match-up, and Peggy did her job, she did what she had to do. She pushed the tree a little bit. They both fought hard for it and we lost by one thousandth of a second."
 
"Peggy rolled the starting line just about two inches," said George Bryce, Llewellyn's other co-crew chief. "But the only thing we need to work on right away is practicing her holding perfectly still at the starting line. She's staging correctly and flooring it right, and we have the air gap right on the clutch, but right before she gets ready to go with the clutch, she's got her feet behind her a little bit and she just barely pushes off. That takes away your rollout and gives you too close of a light, and you end up with a slower ET. That's what happened to us."
 
Qualifying

The team felt they might have had a more favorable match-up had they done a better job in qualifying. Bandimere Speedway's very high altitude results in considerably lower horsepower for the Pro Stock Motorcycles' oxygen craving motors, and elapsed time and miles-per-hour figures reflect that. "It did feel slower," said Llewellyn. "On Tuesday, I worked out and told my trainer that I was going to Denver. He said 'Not only will the bike be slow, but you'll be slower, too.' At the track on Thursday, I walked down the hill and up the hill and up the stands. Our crewman Garret Whaley is from Denver, and he said I might get a little lightheaded if I do too much. I felt that a little bit.
 
"Going down the track was like I was in slow motion. I had to slow down my shifting. On my first or second pass I might have short-shifted a couple, but eventually I got into a rhythm. What a difference it is from our testing track in Valdosta, Georgia!"
 
"We struggled with the tune-up in both runs on Friday, which is a little bit of a waste," said Maloney.
 
qualifying round 1
16th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.606 at 176.79 mph
 
qualifying round 2
13th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.520 at 174.98 mph
 
"We got it figured out on Saturday," continued Shane. "The last run we probably should have improved, but we fell off a little bit and it bumped us down to ninth."
 
qualifying round 3
8th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane       7.416 at 176.42 mph
 
qualifying round 4
9th      Peggy Llewellyn     left lane        7.452 at 177.39 mph
 
"We were really proud that starting off so slow with the bike up here at Denver with the 7.60, that we were able to improve to the .52, then improvie to the .41," said Bryce.
 
"Ninth is not really where we wanted to be, but I guess it's OK considering that we probably ran with a motor that's a little down on power," added Maloney. "On Sunday, the weather changed. We threw some gear at it and took some fuel away from it. We expected it to run good and it did."
 
"The conditions were so much worse on Sunday, and we were able to step up and have the fourth best run of the first round, which was really great," agreed Bryce. "Peggy drove the bike really good, and Shane and Garrett did a good job of preparing the bike. I appreciate Karl and Kim Klement giving us a shot out here. We'll keep digging. The points are very, very close now. We're only just 20 points out of 7th place and 10 out of 8th place, but we're workin' hard at it and we're gonna try and do even better at Sonoma."
 
"I feel like we let Peggy down a little bit in qualifying and could have given her a better motorcycle," said Maloney. "Peggy was riding good this weekend, and everybody did a good job and everybody worked well together again. I'm a little disappointed but proud of everybody. Now we'll do what we've got to do. We'll pack it up and service everything, put a good motor in for Sonoma, and get back to sea level where we can actually use the horsepower that we've been looking hard to find."
 
"This kind of set us back in the points chase, but we have a couple more races and I'm up for the fight," finished Llewellyn.
 
Peggy and the team race next at the Fram Autolite NHRA Nationals, July 27-29 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA.
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
10th Peggy Llewellyn 362
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
10th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           154
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
12th Peggy Llewellyn     975
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com


July 2, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals
Dates: June 28-July 1
Location: Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park, Norwalk, Ohio
 
Llewellyn Runs Strong in Norwalk

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn and the Karl Klement team had a strong showing at the Summit Racing Equipment Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio, moving up in points in all three competitions measured by the NHRA. One week after a disappointing performance by Peggy and the crew in Englishtown, New Jersey, they responded with consistently quick qualifying and elimination passes that fell just short of advancing them past POWERade points leader Matt Smith and into the semis. "This weekend was by far the best Peggy's rode all year," said co-crew chief Shane Maloney. "She rode straight and hit all her shift points."
 
qualifying round 1
8th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.055 at 190.00 mph
 
"On the first pass, we actually missed the tune-up a little," noted Maloney.
 
qualifying round 2
8th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane        7.014 at 190.43 mph
 
qualifying round 3
8th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.023 at 187.96 mph
 
"The motor locked up in the third round and hurt the crank," Maloney reported. "The guys at the G2 Motosports team really helped us out after that. Ken 'Big' Johnson, Chip Ellis, and George Smith all came over to lend us a hand and figure out what the problem was. Between our two engines, we put together one good one. We figured out our best option was to take the cylinder heads, cylinders and pistons off of .034 and put them on our back-up engine. That's what's nice about the S&S motors. You can take the parts off of one engine and put them on another one. It's amazing that they can mass-produce them that way.
 
"When we pulled the motor apart, we realized we also had a broken ring that was holding us back."
 
With the motor swap in process, the team skipped the last qualifying session. "I remember in the third round that the bike moved to the right and I pulled it back," said Llewellyn. "When I pulled in the clutch, I didn't hear the motor and I thought, 'That's not right.' I was kinda nervous about missing the final round, but George (co-crew chief George Bryce) told me not to worry, that no one would pass us." And no one did.
 
qualifying round 4
8th      Peggy Llewellyn     no pass
 
"The guys swapped all the parts out real smoothly," said Klement. "But it was a little scary not knowing what they had when they went to the line for the main event."
 
"It was a little nerve wracking," agreed Maloney. "Because we'd never run the motor that way."
 
"Even though we'd missed the last qualifying pass, I was confident," said Llewellyn. "George told me to give myself a chance, to go out there and do my process, so that's what I did."
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn    .084     7.031 at 187.23 mph
        Craig Treble          .082     7.106 at 188.12 mph
 
"It was really amazing that we ran Craig Treble, the winner of the last race, and put him on the trailer," said Bryce, who himself beat Dave Schultz at Norwalk in 1986, the only previous experience at the Ohio track for the 6-time national champion crew chief.
 
Treble rides for the Harry Lartigue team that first introduced Llewellyn to NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle years ago, and it was especially gratifying for her to advance past her old ride. "That was neat," said Peggy. "Between Karen Stoffer and Craig, they're awesome on the tree and you know you've done something really special when you beat them."
 
eliminations round 2
(W)   Matt Smith            .044     7.039 at 187.50 mph
         Peggy Llewellyn   .072     7.021 at 188.67 mph
 
"Then we outran Matt Smith, the points leader," continued Bryce. "The margin of victory was only 3 feet. An .05 or .06 reaction time would have turned on the winlight, and that would have been a really huge deal for us. Peggy's side of the ladder was really tough. She would have had to beat the winners of every race this year through to the final, and we were in the hunt. We would have had a good chance against Angelle Sampey in the semi. Angelle's semifinal pass was slower than any run we made this weekend. Andrew Hines in the final would have been the only person who was actually running faster than us. This was the first time we ran about the same as Chip Ellis and Matt Smith. There was one round where they went into the 6s and we didn't. Peggy hit the rev limiter a little in two gears that round and we still ran a 7.01. We were all running the same numbers on Sunday, and Peggy made all of her runs this weekend within 4/100ths, all in varying conditions."
 
"I could have had a better reaction time, but it was a pretty good weekend," said Llewellyn.
 
"As much as I wanted to win second round, I can't be mad," said Maloney. "When she lost, she was upset at herself. She felt bad that she had the better motorcycle and cut a light that she thought was bad. It was good to see her upset with herself like that, but I was really happy with the job she did. I told G2's Jackie Bryce before the weekend, that if Peggy made good laps and still got beat on a holeshot, I wouldn't be mad. And I wasn't. We all had to do a better job than we did last week, and we did it."
 
"I guess it comes in bits and pieces," said Llewellyn. "But we're moving forward. I look at the positives, and I drove a lot better this weekend. The facility was excellent and the fans were awesome."
 
"The bike was flawless and Peggy was flawless," said Maloney. "Everybody did good this weekend and worked well together. Now we can work on Peggy's lights. We'll get her a practice tree with handlebars, seat and everything."
 
"I'm looking forward to being home after being on the road for 14 days," said Llewellyn. "I'm gonna recharge my batteries and get ready for Denver."
 
"I think we did pretty good this weekend, especially considering all the problems we had with engines," said Klement. "But George, Shane and our crewman Garrett Whaley all did a great job, and Peggy did a great job riding. We've got some new parts for Denver and we're looking forward to really doing well out there.
 
"Denver's a V-Twin track, but Craig Treble proved that Suzukis can run there too," finished Maloney. "He dominated out there a couple of years ago. And as much as I don't want to overlook a race, I'm really looking forward to Sonoma. We've got a good sea level tune-up, and we're making more power. There aren't that many teams that make power during the season, but we're making more power than we did two races ago in Chicago."
 
Making more power, and putting it to good use on the track.
 
Peggy and the team race next at the Mopar Mile-High NHRA Nationals, July 13-15 at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado.
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
9th Peggy Llewellyn      330
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
9th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           145
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
12th Peggy Llewellyn     855
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


June 25, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report
 
Event: ProCare Rx Supernationals
Dates: June 21-24, 2007
Location: Old Bridge Township Raceway Park, Englishtown, New Jersey
 
Early Exit for Llewellyn in E-town

Peggy Llewellyn and the Karl Klement NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racing team had an admittedly lackluster weekend at the ProCare Rx Supernationals in Englishtown, New Jersey. One race after the team's first 6 second pass in Chicago, hopes were high for Llewellyn to qualify well and go deep in eliminations. Instead, qualifying was a litany of nagging disappointments for her and the team. By Saturday night, they felt lucky to be in the field at all.
 
qualifying round 1
13th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.072 at 185.43 mph
 
qualifying round 2
10th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.014 at 190.38 mph
 
"We have more power than we expected," said co-crew chief Shane Maloney, who indicated that he and fellow crew chief George Bryce weren't giving Peggy the clutch set-up she needed to get into the top half of the field on Friday.
 
qualifying round 3
10th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.005 at 186.38 mph
 
qualifying round 4
12th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.034 at 188.54 mph
 
On Saturday, an awkwardly swelling tire was blamed for Llewellyn's Buell making a move to the left off the starting line. "I thought it was something I was doing," said Peggy. "The first pass, the crosswind had a lot to do with it. The second pass, I thought 'Did I forget how to ride?' But one thing I'm working on is, when something happens, not to get down on myself. Now that we found the problem, I'll be ready tomorrow."
 
"We've fixed so many things today, it's amazing we were running 7.0," said Bryce. "We're gonna run 6.90's tomorrow."
 
"We're gonna kick their ass tomorrow," said team owner Karl Klement. "Really, everything's great. The bike's running great and everybody's working great together."
 
But while Llewellyn was loose and smiling in the staging lanes Sunday morning, Maloney wore a look of concern. "There's something wrong with the bike and we can't quite figure it out," said Shane.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Antron Brown          .016     6.984 at 189.84 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .163     7.202 at 184.98 mph
 
It was hard to tell if Llewellyn had the bike to beat Antron Brown in round 1 or not. After a poor light, Peggy ran a 1.069 60 foot despite a heavy lean to the left side. Her rhythm disrupted, Llewellyn then missed her shiftpoints. "I don't know if it's possible to be too loose and confident, but I had total brain fade," said Peggy. "I went to ram the clutch and my hand didn't release, then I made it go toward the centerline. We thought that I'd hurt our good motor, but it's not hurt too bad. This is just one of those deals where you want to keep on moving forward and making headway in this countdown. The good thing is we have a race next weekend and I get to go out right away and regain my name!"
 
"We were hoping that we were gonna improve on our Chicago experience, but we were unable to lay down a solid run in the extraordinary Englishtown conditions," said Bryce. "Something went wrong every run that we could have fixed if we'd made another run. But we'll just have to wait 'til Norwalk."
 
"The only positive that came out of this weekend was that we qualified," said Maloney. "We didn't hurt too much. We just need to do some cylinder head work, nothing too major. But we've got our work cut out for us. Everyone behind us in points keeps going rounds and we've gotta do better. We had a lot of little problems this weekend that added up to not running good. But everybody worked hard and worked together as a group. I was gonna go to Norwalk this week and take some time off and go to Cedar Point, but we didn't do good enough to deserve a trip to Cedar Point. I'm not on vacation here, I'm just gonna go to Ohio and work."
 
Photo caption
Peggy Llewellyn pulls her Klement Racing Buell away from the centerline
 
Peggy and the team race next at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals June 28-July 1 in Norwalk, Ohio.
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
10th Peggy Llewellyn    277
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
11th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           119
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
14th Peggy Llewellyn     730
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


June 11, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals
Dates: June 7-10, 2007
Location: Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Illinois
 
Llewellyn Runs a 6 on Her Way to the Semis

NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn and the Karl Klement Racing team made a dramatic leap in performance and results at the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals, running their first 6 second pass on Peggy's way to the team's first semifinal appearance. "That's the first time we ever did that," said team owner Karl Klement. "So we're all real excited."
 
Peggy's S&S powered Buell sat in the bottom half of the field until round 3 of qualifying on Saturday. That's when the 6 second pass pushed her up to sixth in the highly competitive field.
 
qualifying round 1
11th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.063 at 189.55 mph
 
qualifying round 2
12th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane        7.151 at 180.12 mph
 
qualifying round 3
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane       6.985 at 188.41 mph
 
qualifying round 4
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.033 at 189.18 mph
 
"Guess what chick went in the 6s?" said an elated Lllewellyn. "No, not Angelle (Sampey). No, not Karen (Stoffer). Well, yeah, they did go into the 6s, but I DID TOO!"
 
"That is awesome for Peggy, Karl, Shane Maloney, Garrett Whaley and myself," said George Bryce, co-crew chief on the Klement Buell along with Maloney.
 
Peggy and the team carried their qualifying success into eliminations, beating Stoffer and Steve Johnson before falling to red hot Matt Smith in the semis.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .031     7.034 at 187.89 mph
        Steve Johnson        051     7.084 at 187.44 mph
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn     .091     7.104 at 186.48 mph
        Karen Stoffer          .195     7.267at 185.10 mph
 
eliminations round 3
(W)  Matt Smith             .036     7.044 at 187.00 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn    .068     7.061 at 187.52 mph
 
"I'm really proud of Peggy," said Maloney. "She did great. She cut good lights, drove straight and hit her shift points."
 
"Peggy did awesome," agreed Bryce. "It was the best she's done yet, and we won a couple of rounds and went further than we've ever gone. It's very exciting for us and was a lot of fun."
 
"I know I keep saying I'm getting more comfortable on the bike, but this time I really mean it," said Llewellyn. "The seat that Chip Ellis made for my bike is great. I stay in it and don't have to worry about going too far back on the bike."
 
"We probably made a little error not changing valvesprings before the semifinals, but we kinda went with what we thought we knew, and we just didn't have enough motorcycle," said Maloney.
 
"We tuned good and bad, went fast and slow, and learned a lot about how to go fast and how to win some rounds," added Bryce. "I'm pretty sure that that was a great move for us in the points."
 
"We got back in the top 8, which is great and gets us in the run for the Countdown to the Championship," said Maloney. "That's where we need to be. Now we're gonna go back to the shop, fix the motors, try to find more power, and head to Englishtown."
 
"This gives me more confidence going into these next couple of races and the summer swing that we have," said Llewellyn.
 
"Everything held up, everybody's confidence is high, and we're looking forward to going to the next race," finished Klement. "I want to thank all of our sponsors for their continued support, and we look forward to putting on a good show for them at Englishtown."
 
Peggy and the team race next at the ProCare Rx NHRA SuperNationals June 21-24 at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey.
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
8th Peggy Llewellyn     245
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
8th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           96
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
15th Peggy Llewellyn     490
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals
Dates: June 7-10, 2007
Location: Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, Illinois
 
PJ1 on board with Llewellyn

PJ1 has joined the growing list of associate sponsors of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer Peggy Llewellyn and the Karl Klement Racing Buell. The Scottsdale, Arizona based lubricants, additives, oils, paints, cleaners and protectants company brings its 35+ years of motorcycle, automotive, and aerospace experience to the table for Llewellyn and the Klement team. "We are really excited to have them on board," said team owner Karl Klement. "We used PJ1 products through our sponsor Tucker Rocky, and we used other products and none compare with PJ1. So Steve Johnson at Tucker hooked us up with P.J. Harvey at PJ1, and here we are supporting the product that works for us. They will be a great marketing partner and we will do everything we can to promote their product."
 
"P.J. Harvey's a great guy," said co-crew chief Shane Maloney. "They're a well-respected company and I'm excited to be associated with 'em."
 
"I've watched Peggy at a couple of the nationals and was pretty impressed," said Harvey, whose company also sponsors several Funny Car and Top Fuel teams. "We've got a product and these guys had a need for it. Theirs looks like a good program and it helps out our major distributor Tucker Rocky, so we're real pleased about the opportunity."
 
"My dad used PJ1 products on our motorcycles and sells their products at his cycle shop in San Antonio, so I'm very familiar with the brand," said Llewellyn.
 
Peggy and the team are looking forward to racing again in Joliet after the long layoff following the St. Louis event. Not that they've exactly been vacationing in the time off. "I've been busy as hell," said Maloney, who took the bike to New Orleans to get a new tail section wrapped by Baudier Graphix, another associate sponsor.
 
"Chip Ellis (G2 Motorsports driver and master of all trades) made a seat built just for me," said Llewellyn. "It replaces the padding that I had and gives me a two step seat that I can start getting into. It fits just right!"
 
"Peggy's definitely gonna feel more comfortable on the bike, and she's gonna go faster," said Klement. "We were short on horsepower in St. Louis, but we've got that problem solved."
 
"We've been working on our engines, getting 'em ready and trying to find extra some extra power to run with the 10 pounds that the NHRA added to the Buells," said Maloney. "It is what it is and we can't change the rules, so we have to figure out how to go fast. For us, it really only amounts to 5 pounds, so I don't think it will affect us all that much."
 
"We tested at South Georgia Motorsports Park in Valdosta on Monday," said George Bryce, the other co-crew chief on the team. "We tried out our new motor combination we put together and got the rust out, since we haven't been to the races in a while. We ran good, so we're expecting to run good at Route 66."
 
"We ran a 7.03, which was pretty good for the very hot and humid conditions in Valdosta," added Maloney. "Peggy rode really well and I have a feeling we're gonna run really good in Joliet."
 
"I was glad to get back on the motorcycle after-what? A month?" said Llewellyn. "We put down some pretty good laps, so we're ready."
 
"We've got all our engines rebuilt and we've for sure got more horsepower," finished Klement. "I think we're gonna win this thing!"
 
Peggy and the Karl Klement Racing team would like to thank PJ1
http://www.pj1.com, Motion Pro http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, Baudier Grafix http://www.baudiergraphix.com and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
on ESPN2
6/09/2007     Saturday     qualifying       5:00pm-6:30pm (ET)   
6/10/2007     Sunday       eliminations   4:00pm-7:00:pm (ET)    
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
10th Peggy Llewellyn 171
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
8th Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           96
 
Ringers Gloves Pro Bike Battle
15th Peggy Llewellyn     490
 
Contact
Shane Maloney
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


 

May 7, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: O'Reilly NHRA Midwest Nationals presented by Castrol
Dates: May 4-6, 2007
Location: Gateway International Raceway, Madison, Illinois
 
Llewellyn Improves, but Expects More

Peggy Llewellyn qualified the Karl Klement S&S powered Buell well into the middle of the St. Louis NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle field, but lost in round 1 to Karen Stoffer, who at that time was the series points leader. "I think everybody did a great job," said team owner Karl Klement. "Peggy did a good job riding the bike, and George (Bryce) and Shane (Maloney) did a good job tuning it."
 
qualifying round 1
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.064 at 187.57 mph
 
qualifying round 2
7th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane        7.170 at 184.70 mph
 
qualifying round 3
9th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.068 at 186.79 mph
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Karen Stoffer          .017     7.037 at 189.98 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .044     7.058 at 187.78 mph
 
"The results don't really show the improvements we've made," said co-crew chief George Bryce. "Peggy drove better, and she's really getting the hang of riding the bike fast. She had her quickest ET of the weekend and an .04 light in eliminations, but she was running against the points leader, who rarely gets left at the starting line."
 
"I did have fun," said Llewellyn. "I'm learning a lot more stuff and getting more comfortable and confident. But they're giving me an awesome motorcycle, and I keep making mental mistakes that keep killing my performance. There's some stuff that I can do better to go rounds and break the 6 second barrier."
 
Shane Maloney, the other crew chief, felt the whole team needed to raise their game. "We all have to get better," said Maloney. "We're not working at the 110% level that we need to be at. We have expectations from a lot of people and we need to start fulfilling those. We plan on running everyday that's physically possible to test, that's the only way we're gonna get better."
 
Bryce was not quite so critical. "Karl and Kim Klement made excellent choices in the team they've assembled," said Bryce. "Shane and Garrett Whaley are flawless in their preparation of the bike and truck. And the fans went crazy over Peggy again. She signed hundreds of autographs."
 
Llewellyn has been racing her Buell so far without the advantage of a two step seat that allows her to tuck in out of the wind. "They're ordering me a new body with a two step seat for the next race in Chicago," said Peggy. "And I'm sure we're gonna test the week before that race, and probably once more in between. I have to step up my game."
 
"We're going to make some engine changes heading into Chicago, make everything go a little faster, and I think we're gonna be in good shape," said Klement. "They just beat us in St. Louis. We've got to get more power."
 
"Matt (Smith) and Angelle (Sampey) have the field covered," said Maloney. "So we're gonna go back and try and find some more horsepower. It's not gonna be easy, but we have to do something. I know it's only four races into the season, but we've slipped out of the top 10 (Peggy's still tenth, but there is a tie for ninth) and Chicago's a make or break race for us."
 
Peggy and the KK Racing team race next June 7-10 in the Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois.
 
Peggy and the KK Racing team would like to thank Motion Pro
http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
10. Peggy Llewellyn 171
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
11. Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           69
 
Contact
Shane Maloney (920) 246-3114
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


April 30, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals
Dates: April 26-29, 2007
Location: Atlanta Dragway, Commerce, Georgia
 
Llewellyn Advances Again

Peggy Llewellyn and the fledgling Karl Klement Pro Stock Motorcycle team continued advancing their learning curve, qualifying well and winning a round at the NHRA Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway before falling to the S&S powered flagship Buell of Chip Ellis in round 2.
 
"We're real proud how well we qualified," said co-crew chief George Bryce. "That's the best Peggy's done yet." Llewellyn and the team qualified 12th their first time out in Gainesville, 8th in Houston, and 6th this weekend in Atlanta. "The whole team's made big advances in performance and Peggy's gaining valuable driving experience."
 
"We came right off the trailer with a 7.06, which was a pretty good pass," said Shane Maloney, the other crew chief on the Klement team. "We came back out Friday night and put a little tune-up in it. Peggy did good and went a 7.05."
 
qualifying round 1
3rd     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.069 at 187.41 mph
 
qualifying round 2
3rd     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.055 at 186.67 mph
 
qualifying round 3
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.092 at 186.87 mph
 
qualifying round 4
6th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.136 at 184.85 mph
 
"We kinda stuggled a little bit on Saturday, but came back on Sunday," continued Maloney. "We raced Marco Andreano first round. Peggy cut a pretty good light and drove around him with a 7.06, a nice clean pass."
 
eliminations round 1
(W)   Peggy Llewellyn     .076     7.057 at 186.02 mph
        Marco Andreano     .062     7.233 at 181.47 mph
 
eliminations round 2
(W) Chip Ellis                .078     7.057at 187.81 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .016     7.214at 183.44 mph
 
"After she won first round again, we raced Chip in the second round," said Bryce, who co-owns the G2 Motorsports team that Ellis drives for. It was the first time the two teams butted heads on the track, and Llewellyn got the jump at the tree. "She had an .01 to his .07 reaction time."
 
"I cut an awesome light!" said an excited Llewellyn. "Then the bike just pulled towards the center, and I tried to get it back."
 
"She drifted towards the centerline and tried to fix it, and hit the rev limiter hard in a couple of gears," said Bryce.
 
"And then the engine expired," said Maloney.
 
"So we really didn't have a chance to win that round but, you know, it's Peggy's third race and she's never been in a position in second round, down to eight bikes, where she has had the chance to win, so, it's new territory for her and the team and it's all teething, you know. It's gonna take us a little a while to get that.
 
"So we're going home and get Karl and Kim Klement's bike ready to go fast at St. Louis, and load up and go over there and see if can we pick up where we left off and continue to learn and try to get into that top 8 so we have a chance for the Countdown to the Championship".
 
"We'll rebuild that motor and hopefully get it ready for St. Louis," said Maloney. "It's got speed, so we definitely want to run it again. We're also gonna take our back-up engine and do what we can in 48 hours to make it as good as the one we hurt.
 
"So all in all it was a good weekend. We made some points, had a good laugh, and worked well together. I'm excited about St. Louis."
 
"We did well this weekend and we're moving in the right direction," agreed Llewellyn. "You know, I'm just trying to work on my consistency and getting more comfortable on the bike, which is where my consistency is coming from. I'm just glad that we only have three days off and we'll get back to racing in St. Louis."
 
"We qualified well, went two rounds, and we're still tenth in points," said team owner Karl Klement. "I'm proud of the whole team. Everything is progressing well and we're looking forward to St. Louis."
 
Peggy and the KK Racing team would like to thank Motion Pro
http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Specialty Sports Limited http://www.teknicgear.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
10. Peggy Llewellyn 139
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
11. Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           35
 
Contact
Shane Maloney (920) 246-3114
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


April 4, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report

Event: O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals
Dates: March 30-April 1, 2007
Location: Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas
 
Llewellyn Snags First Round Win

Texas native Peggy Llewellyn scored her first NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle round win at Houston Raceway Park's O'Reilly Spring Nationals, the closest stop on the POWERade tour to Llewellyn's San Antonio home. It was also the Texas debut for her Decatur, Texas based Karl Klement racing team.
 
With her S&S powered Buell sporting a special tail section wrapped with an Eric Medlin memorial, Peggy's weekend started off well with a fifth place qualifying lap in round 1.
 
qualifying round 1
5th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.045 at 189.18 mph
 
qualifying round 2
7th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane       7.089 at 184.65 mph
 
"The first lap off the trailer we had a halfway decent tune-up," said Shane Maloney, who shares tuning and crew chiefing duties with George Bryce. "Then we misread the weather the second run. Peggy did her job and could have gone faster, but we didn't give her the motorcycle."
 
After that, rain washed out the second day of qualifying and Llewellyn had to stand on her Friday times. "If we hadn't lost those two qualifying passes, we might have moved up," said Peggy.
 
The track finally dried for eliminations, and Llewellyn was set to face Eddie Krawiec of the championship winning Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines team in round 1—a tall order. But Krawiec redlit and Peggy's first round win was in the bank.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)  Peggy Llewellyn    .035          7.155 at 184.07 mph
        Eddie Krawiec      -.027(R)     7.110 at 185.95 mph
 
"I thought I'd lost," said Llewellyn, who didn't see the redlight or her winlight while concentrating on her target. "Then I saw the cameras coming over to me at the end of the track. I had to take my helmet off, and I have my gloves taped around my wrists. It's a habit I've always had. There's a lot of extra material around the wrists, and I guess my wrists are pretty small. So my hands were shaking and I had a hard time taking off my gloves and helmet for the interview. But I'm sure I'll have more practice!"
 
"I was so excited and it lifted our whole team up," said team owner Karl Klement. "Peggy really practiced hard between races and it paid off."
 
"I'm really proud of Peggy. She did what she said she would do, cut an .030 light," said Maloney. "Then she didn't see the redlight and hit the revlimiter trying to catch Eddie and wore out the valvesprings. If George and I were smarter about it, we should have changed valvesprings. But we didn't, and the bike slowed for the second round."
 
eliminations round 2
(W)  Angelle Sampey     .035     6.947 at 192.14 mph
        Peggy Llewellyn     .087     7.173 at 181.72 mph
 
"But we couldn't have run a .94 that round anyway," continued Maloney. "Angelle (Sampey) laid down that .94 in pretty poor conditions, so we have a big hill to climb. The Suzukis are making good power, but we've got a new engine in the trailer that we're gonna try out. It's something a little different that we're working on and gonna try. So we're gonna test next week Monday and Tuesday in Valdosta and see what happens."
 
"Shane had the motorcycle prepared great this weekend," said George Bryce. "To get the motorcycle qualified in the first half and get a round win is very good. It's an evolutionary process, and Peggy's come a long way in two short races. I really appreciate Karl and Kim Klement giving me the opportunity to work with new talent like this. We'll test a lot between now and Atlanta and she'll do even better there."
 
"My dad, my aunt, friends, and people from my niece's school have all contacted me and were excited to see us on TV," said Llewellyn. "And it was great to do well while we had the Eric Medlin memorial on the bike. He reminded us a lot of John Myers and how he reached out to the fans, whether they were corporate executives or the fan in the stands. And I want to thank all the fans for coming to the track and hanging around all weekend in the rain."
 
"I didn't think it was ever gonna quit raining," said Klement. "It sure makes the weekend long. But everybody's attitude is great and we're all getting along good and the bike is running great. I just think we're on the right track and I'm really looking forward to Atlanta. I think we've got something for 'em. We're gonna win some this year, you watch!"
 
Llewellyn and the Klement Racing team hit the track next at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals, April 26-29 at Atlanta Dragway in Commerce, Georgia.
 
Peggy and the KK Racing team would like to thank Motion Pro
http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Specialty Sports Limited http://www.teknicgear.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
10. Peggy Llewellyn 85
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
16. Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           5
 
Contact
Shane Maloney (920) 246-3114
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com


March 28, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report
 
Event: O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals
Dates: March 30-April 1, 2007
Location: Houston Raceway Park, Baytown, Texas
 
Llewellyn Sharpens Skills for Texas Homecoming
 
Texas native Peggy Llewellyn has been working hard on her starting line routine in anticipation of her Texas debut with the Karl Klement NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racing team. Houston Raceway Park's O'Reilly Spring Nationals event is the closest stop on the POWERade tour to Llewellyn's San Antonio home, and Peggy is looking for a better result in front of her family and friends than her round 1 ouster two weeks ago at the Gatornationals. "After the Gators, they were all so proud of me and told me to stay positive," said Llewellyn.
 
"We practiced all day Monday with Peggy at the shop on reaction times," said George Bryce, who shares tuning and crew chiefing duties with Shane Maloney, but also acts as driving coach and teacher to Llewellyn. "We have a real practice tree plugged into our school bike. Hector Arana was here with his daughter and two boys, and they raced Peggy on the practice tree yesterday 'til her hand was sore."
 
"They beat up on the old woman and made me try harder," laughed Llewellyn. "Youth had its advantage, but it was a lot of fun. Then Hector and I bet $10 and he took it by three wins. But George won it back for me."
 
The team went to Valdosta for more practice on Tuesday. "We developed a routine with Peggy," Bryce said about the session. "We'd worked on her driving before, but not her routine."
 
"I got back on the school bike, and like Christina Aguilera, went Back to Basics," said Llewellyn. "It's a learning experience."
 
"She did really good. She was consistent and did everything the same way each time, except rolling over my hand while I was lining her up!" laughed Maloney. "She was so focused on her target that she rolled right over it. But that's OK, I was really happy. She made two laps on the school bike and two laps on the Buell.
 
"I'm looking forward to Houston. I think we have a lot to prove, and I'm excited yet optimistic. I think we have a bike that can qualify up front with the Army guys and Vance & Hines, we just have to put it all together and prove it."
 
"We feel really good," said Bryce. "About half the field left their bikes loaded up hoping that they would magically improve between Gainesville and Houston. That's not the way we race. This is not hobby stock, this is Pro Stock, and we've been working on our equipment. We're looking forward to a more successful trip in Houston than we had in Gainesville."
 
"A lot of my family and friends are gonna be in Houston, so that will be a thrill," said Llewellyn. "They were excited to see me on TV, so they'll be really excited when they join me in the winners circle!"
 
Joining the team in Houston is new crewmember Garrett Whaley from Denver, Colorado, who graduated from Wyotech. The S&S powered Buell will feature a special tail section wrapped with an Eric Medlin memorial. "I grew up in an era when John Meyers was my idol," said Maloney, and Llewellyn's website proudly displays a photo of her with Myers, the late Pro Stock Motorcycle champion. "John Myers always smiled and laughed and everybody liked him. Eric Medlin was the same way. It'll look realty neat on the bike and will honor someone who was very important to our sport."
 
on ESPN2
3/31/2007     Saturday     qualifying         7:00pm-9:00pm (ET)   
4/01/2007     Sunday       eliminations     4:00pm-7:00:pm (ET)   
 
Peggy and the KK Racing team would like to thank Motion Pro
http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Specialty Sports Limited http://www.teknicgear.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Peggy Llewellyn can be seen on the web at
http://www.peggyllewellyn.com
 
NHRA/POWERade point standings
13. Peggy Llewellyn 32
 
Full Throttle NHRA Pit Crew Championship point standings
16. Peggy Llewellyn/Shane Maloney/George Bryce           5
 
Contact
Shane Maloney (920) 246-3114
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 

March 20, 2007
for immediate release

Peggy Llewellyn/Klement Racing
NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team report
 
Event: Gatornationals
Dates: March 15-18, 2007
Location: Gainesville Raceway, Gainesville, Florida
 
Llewellyn Makes the Gators, Makes Hasty Exit

Peggy Llewellyn and the new Karl Klement team made the cut for the quickest Pro Stock Motorcycle field in history at the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida. With a run just .002 of a second away from a 6 second pass in the third round of qualifying, Llewellyn placed herself and the team solidly among the sport's elite in their maiden outing.
 
qualifying round 1
8th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.049 at 189.12 mph
 
"I think it surprised a lot of folks how great she went in the first round," said George Bryce, who shares tuning and crew chiefing duties with Shane Maloney, but also acts as driving coach and teacher to Llewellyn. "After studying the data, we decided she could go even quicker, and I think we did it. The data looked better on the second run, but we don't have the timeslip to prove it." The team didn't get a timeslip because of a starting line infraction in the second round.
 
qualifying round 2
13th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          no time
 
"Peggy ended up being a little bit more nervous than I thought she would," Bryce said later, worn out from a day of helping tune multiple G2 Motorsports cutomers. "She staged too shallow and backed out of the beam about 1mm. So the redlight came on as soon as she floored it. But we'll get her calmed down and focused on the basics tomorrow.
 
"The motorcycle is pretty awesome. The S&S powerplant was like a generator today. We basically ran our Valdosta tune-up and didn't have to do anything to the motorcycle. And Shane did a great job. We had a whole crowd of folks over here that we had to entertain today, but Peggy and Shane handled it well. Tomorrow is supposed to be cooler and drier, so we should go quicker."
 
"We're doing extremely well for being our first race," said team owner Klement. "I'd like to qualify middle of the pack first time out and see what happens. I think this run's gonna do it."
 
qualifying round 3
12th     Peggy Llewellyn     left lane          7.001 at 185.28 mph
 
The team did go quicker in round 3, but not quite as quick as they'd hoped given the perfect weather conditions. Still, the team was upbeat, lively, and downright chipper. "Little did you know that we were the number four qualifier that session," Bryce said after the third round. "We had the number one 60 foot with a 1.05. Peggy made a perfect 1-2 shift, then a perfect 2-3 shift that kept us at the top of the page to the 330. Then she got in a big hurry to push the shift button."
 
Pro Stock Motorcycles have a large shift light facing the rider and mounted on the center of the handlebars. The light is set to come on at the optimum time for the driver to shift. "You need to wait until the shift light comes on, but you want to shift at the first blink," said Peggy. "If you wait too long, it will hit the revlimiter and scrub off speed. It all happens within thousandths of a second. But it's easy to see even on a bright sunny day like today. George taught me to see the shift light in my peripheral while focusing on my target."
 
Like all Pro Stock Motorcycle drivers (a term Bryce prefers to the more passive "rider"), Llewellyn picks a spot at the end of the track to focus on and point the bike at. "This is a good track for picking a target," said Peggy. "I go for the guy in the ESPN bucket at the end of the track."
 
Bryce continued to talk about the previous run and what he expected from the next one. "All those good numbers up front, and the torque of the S&S power, and an excellent tune-up by Shane let us run a 7 flat, which is quickest of Peggy's career. So if look at the stat sheet going around it says by the eighth mile we were fifth, so if we'd just stayed right there straight across, we'd have gone a 6.94. So we're tuned up and ready to rock for a 6 second clock."
 
But the morning session was the one for big numbers, as the day got warmer and times declined overall.
 
qualifying round 4
12th     Peggy Llewellyn     right lane     7.062 at 187.91 mph
 
Everyone was loose at the Klement trailer at the end of the last session. Karl was giving the thumbs-up and Peggy was all smiles. All the stress of putting together a brand new team and debuting at arguably the second biggest race of the year was behind them. Bryce and Maloney were beating on the rough and tumble V-Twin to change valvesprings, a part of the normal maintenance routine. Peggy was meeting a steady stream of autograph seekers. Pretty, petite and personable, Llewellyn will be a very popular figure on the NHRA POWERade tour.
 
"This is awesome," said Klement. "The quickest field in Pro Stock Motorcycle history."
 
"And we're in the top three quarters," said Bryce.
 
"And six of the bikes are George's," said Klement. Or did he mean "Georges'," referring to Bryce and partner George Smith of G2?
 
"I'm calling my dad after every pass," smiled Peggy. "He'll be able to work late at the shop tonight and watch qualifying on TV."
 
"I'm really glad to be here," said Klement. "It's a family atmosphere and my family gets to be here with us."
 
"It's sensational," agreed Karl's wife Kim, also an owner of the team. "We didn't know what to expect, but it's exceeded our wildest dreams. I definitely expected to qualify, without question, because we have such a great team between Karl, Peggy, Shane, and George and Jackie Bryce-it doesn't get any better. I told Karl I won't be flying back with him so that he'll have room for the Wally!"
 
Peggy turned to the job at hand. "I want to be consistent so they can tune the bike. They're doing a bang-up job, but I'm going up there and making too many mistakes. I'll take care of one thing and then do another thing wrong. I'm still trying to learn and develop a routine."
 
So the team was solidly in the field in 12th place, lining up against Chris Rivas and the Mohegan Sun team on Sunday. But Peggy fell victim to the starting line flu that plagued the top runners in the field in the first round of eliminations.
 
eliminations round 1
(W)     Chris Rivas            .036     7.099 at 181.47 mph
          Peggy Llewellyn     .236     7.106 at 180.38 mph
 
Did Peggy see and start thinking about the veterans and their own starting line errors in the pairings in front of her? "I don't pay too much attention," said Llewellyn, who is stoic and focused in the staging lanes. "I just go up there and go through with my routine. Maybe I was too relaxed.
 
"From my peripheral vision I saw him (opponent Rivas) out in front of me a little bit. I knew he got the holeshot and I tried to run him down but I ran out of real estate. My numbers were all there for a winning run, I just have to do the job at the line. Shane and George are giving me a bike capable of winning and I just have to do my job. I set my goals so high, and now I just want to go back to my hotel room and beat myself up. But this was my first national event in years and I know what I have to work on."
 
"First race nerves I guess," said Maloney, who noted that Peggy had a another 1.05 60-foot time on the pass. "But we're in pretty good company. The Army team, Chip Ellis, and they're all gonna have pretty good years. Peggy's never been on fast motorcycle before, never been expected to win. Now she is. She has a 6.90 motorcycle and people expect her to win. She did great for her first weekend out here, but she needs to be a 6.90 rider, and she'll get there. All it takes is laps."
 
"I'm real excited about this team," said Karl. "I know we lost first round, but I'm really excited about Peggy. We've got lots of bright things to look forward to in Houston, which is only about 5 hours away for my family and I. All our sponsors are on board, and we're featuring an associate sponsor every race as major sponsor until we get a major sponsor. This week our featured sponsor is Motion Pro motorcycle cables, tools and controls, and I want to thank them very much for their faith in our team. And I want to thank POWERade and NHRA."
 
Peggy and the KK Racing team would like to thank Motion Pro
http://www.motionpro.com, Royal Purple http://www.royalpurple.com, Wiseco Pistons http://www.wiseco.com, Hinson Clutch http://www.hinsonracing.com, Precision Motorcycle Products http://www.pmpsprockets.com, Specialty Sports Limited http://www.teknicgear.com, Yoshimura http://www.yoshimura-rd.com, and Tucker Rocky Distributing http://www.tuckerrocky.com for their support.
 
Contact
Shane Maloney (920) 246-3114
smmaloney699@msn.com
 
This team report was prepared by Tim Hailey, http://www.eatmyink.com
 


 

Female drag racer lives for the competition

Now here's this drag racer. First, this racer is a lady. Not so unusual, because the National Hot Rod Association has a number of them. The NHRA is a leader in diversity.

Remember Melanie Troxel, Hillary Will, Angelle Sampey? Yeah, and J.R. Todd and Antron Brown? Or the Pedregons?

OK, and this Pro Stock Bike competitor at 5'2'' and 115 pounds is of Jamaican and Hispanic descent.

Unlike those others mentioned, you may not have heard of her, but you probably will fairly soon, like at this year's Gatornationals in Gainesville March 15-18 during the first race at which Pro Stock Bike will be contested in 2007.

Her name is Peggy Llewellyn.

Llewellyn of San Antonio, Texas, is a graduate of Frank Hawley's Pro Stock Bike School right here in Gainesville, where her instructor was veteran and six-time championship team owner George Bryce.

Remember that name, as he figures big, not only in helping to connect Llewellyn and Texas Ford dealer Karl Klement and his wife, Kim, who were forming a team, but as a part of that team, as we shall see.

Llewellyn actually ran three NHRA races back in 2001. She entered six events and qualified at three, but had to take a hiatus because of a lack of sponsorship.

Llewellyn turned 34 the day after Christmas.

But, golly, you say, how in the world did such an attractive young lady get into highly competitive Pro Stock Bike, or actually, motorcycle racing?

Like so many up and comers, including the John Force daughters, she was born and raised into it.

"It was my dad, Gene, and my brother, Gene Jr., who helped me along the way," Llewellyn says. "They built my first drag bike and it was my brother's Kawasaki that I made passes on while my Suzuki was being built," she explains.

"My drag racing 'root' is firm. My dad actually planted my need for speed seed. He is the owner of Southeast Cycles in San Antonio, Texas, and is an avid drag racer himself.

"Our family outings consisted of loading my father's Honda nitro Funny Bike onto the trailer and heading out to Alamo Dragway. I can remember looking forward to racing each weekend with enthusiasm because besides watching my dad race, my brother and I would get to race against each other on our dandy 'Pocket Rocket' bikes.

"The racing bug bit me (again) while pit crewing for my brother in late 1994. The same feeling I would get when my brother and I would race, the intensity and excitement of racing, all came back to me.

"I asked my father if he would build me a drag bike. Mind you, he already had an idea of what kind of drag bike he wanted to build me, he just wanted to make sure I was going to be 100 percent committed to the project. He didn't want me to get fed up and abandon the whole thing."

She didn't. Llewellyn said that within a week, she had a GS1150 bike and sent the bare chassis to a shop in San Antonio. Her father sat her down and went over the cost and the time it would take to build a drag bike.

"I had already used all of my savings, but my drive and determination wouldn't let a lack of money be a problem for me. I took on a second job, worked some overtime and used my quarterly bonuses to finish my drag bike. In the meantime, my father and brother wanted me to get a feel for a drag bike. Although I had ridden motorcycles since I was seven years old, piloting a drag bike was a different concept.

"My father and brother would have me practice in front of the shop."

Then it was out to the hometown track and the quarter-mile, where her dad and brother decided this was the place for her in order to get the full effect of racing down the quarter-mile.

"I had to get used to the launch, as well as using body finesse if the bike should get out of shape, and the third weekend, I turned in a pass at 9.10 e.t. at a speed of 140 mph."

What followed were four wins in Trophy and one in Super Pro at the local track. Then that brief fling in NHRA, Hawley's school in 2005 and the previously mentioned Bryce.

"I had met him before at the races, Llewellyn says. "George improved my technique. He showed me how to be one with the bike, instead of hanging on for dear life."

And, to the present and Karl and Kim Klement.

"And I met Karl through George Bryce," Llewellyn says.

The Klements hired six-time national champions George and Jackie Bryce of G2 Motorsports/Star Racing to consult with the team and find the groove that will launch the Klements' effort to a successful season in the highly competitive class.

And George Bryce will share tuning and crew chief duties with former Steve Johnson tuner Shane Maloney, who was plucked out of the engine tuning staff at Roush Racing. And then, after a thorough interviewing process, the Klements tagged Llewellyn to pilot the bike.

So you have to ask this young lady - what are your goals for this year, the future?

"My goals for this year are to finish in the top 10 and win a race or two. The competition is tough," she says. "I eventually would like to contend for the championship."

Copyright 2007, The Gainesville Sun. The information contained in the Sun Online news report may not be published, broadcast or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Gainesville Sun.


Llewellyn returns to Pro Stock Motorcycle with new Texas-based team

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 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