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Area
51 Motorsports purchases Star championship bike
The 2003 NHRA racing
season recently took on a new meaning to Star Racing when a
Dallas based team, Area 51 Motorsports, purchased the championship
bike and services of Star.
Area 51 Motorsports
is a NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle team that is competing in the
2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series. Their 75 years of combined
experience in motorsports spans the last 20 years in NHRA, Indy
Racing League, NASCAR and the Sports Car Club of America. Area
51 Motorsports was formed in November 2002 by five Dallas-area
businessmen, whose desire is to build a championship winning
organization both on and off the track.
Ken Johnson, 6-time
championship winning Crew Chief for the Star Racing Team has
been retained to be the Crew Chief for Area 51 Motorsports,
while George Bryce will provide consulting and Star Racing will
supply the team with engines.
"This is great
for everyone here at Star," stated Bryce. "For the
first time I can remember, we (Star Racing) were going to be
on the outside looking in. Lack of sponsorship funding forced
us to retire our team and I thought we would have to watch from
the sidelines. It was going to be tough. Myself and Ken (Johnson)
really enjoy going to the races and everyone at the shop loves
the challenge of competing to be the best. The agreement with
Area 51 allows Ken and I to continue to be at the track and
the guys at the shop the opportunity to build championship winning
engines."
Area 51 Motorsports
announces formation of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Racing Team
"FAST FREDDY"
COLLIS TO PILOT 2002 CHAMPIONSHIP WINNING MOTORCYCLE
Area 51 Motorsports,
a Dallas-based racing team, announced today that it would field
a full-time entry in the 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series'
Pro Stock Motorcycle division, and has signed an agreement with
Star Racing to acquire the 2002 POWERade Championship winning
Suzuki Pro Stock Motorcycle. In addition, Area 51 Motorsports
has agreed to power its new bike with Star Racing Pro Stock
Bike Engines.
Fred Collis, the 2-time
AMA Prostar champion has been signed to pilot the Area 51 Motorsports
Pro Stock Suzuki. In 1999, his rookie season, Collis dominated
the Pro Stock bike class, setting numerous records for elapsed
time and speed, and capped the season by winning both the Prostar
National championship and the AMA Prostar Rookie of the Year
award. Collis shrugged off any notion of sophomore slump in
2000, and was again the dominant force in Prostar Pro Stock
competition, winning his second-consecutive national title.
Collis is no stranger
to NHRA competition, however. In 1999, the 32-year-old Americus,
Ga. resident participated in four Pro Stock Motorcycle races,
reaching the final round in Memphis on a Star Racing entry.
Collis is excited by this new opportunity, and is ready to make
the most of it.
"Winning races is
an awesome feeling, but I want to be more than just a racing
champion," said Collis. "I honestly feel like I have something
else to offer both on and off the track," said Collis. "Area
51 has put together a championship caliber team, and I am looking
forward to having Ken (Johnson) and George (Bryce) in my corner
as we chase the 2003 NHRA POWERade championship."
Ken Johnson, a six-time
championship winning Crew Chief with the Star Racing Team, has
been retained to turn the wrenches for Area 51 Motorsports.
Ken has been employed at Star Racing for 18 years and has prepared
all of Star's championship winning motorcycles.
Six-time NHRA Pro
Stock Bike Championship Team Owner George Bryce will act as
a team consultant, with his Star Racing team supplying the engines
for the Area 51 entry. Bryce amassed his 62nd career victory
as a Pro Stock Motorcycle owner last November at the AC Delco
Las Vegas Nationals in Las Vegas, NV. Bryce's 62 wins have come
with three different riders: John Myers (33 wins), Angelle Savoie
(28), and Bryce himself (one). His Star Racing motorcycles have
appeared in 107 final rounds.
About Area 51 Motorsports
Area 51 Motorsports is a Dallas-based, NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle
team that is competing in the 2003 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing
Series. The principal owners' 75 years of combined experience
in motorsports spans the last 20 years in the NHRA, Indy Racing
League, NASCAR and the Sports Car Club of America. Area 51 Motorsports
was formed in November 2002 by five Dallas-area businessmen,
whose desire is to build a championship-winning organization
both on and off the track.
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