Stoffer Misses Indy Glory by Fraction of a Second

In the competitive world of drag racing a mere fraction of a second sometimes determines who advances to the next round and who will load their machinery back on the trailer.

Karen Stoffer, rider of the Geico Suzuki, suffered a pair of losses at the NHRA US Nationals by only four-thousandths of a second.

On Saturday, in her career-first appearance in the Ringer Gloves Pro Bike Battle Stoffer fouled out by - .003 to point leader Matt Smith. On Monday Stoffer lost in the opening round of the Mac Tools US Nationals with an even closer to green -.001 red-light, missing a perfect start by just one-thousandth of a second.

"It was pretty harsh. I was consistent but I was consistently on the red side," Stoffer said. "Over the next few weeks I need to focus on keeping the green light on. I don't want to see a perfect light either. That's too close. I'm perfectly happy with .020s and .030s."

Throughout the weekend the team encountered some mechanical woes as well.

"We went through three different motors," Stoffer said. "We went in and thought we were ready to go. It was just one of those difficult weekends that happen in racing."

Stoffer fell two spots in the PowerAde point standings, to sixth, but says she is determined to get back in the top-four at the last two races before the next cutoff point, Memphis and Dallas. Following Dallas the "Countdown to Two" will being and only competitors ranked in the top four in the point series will advance.

Stoffer went on to extend special thanks to all of the 2007 sponsors and supporters.
Geico Motorcycle Insurance 1-866-326-2036, Speed Dawg, Mac Tools, Bates Leathers, NGK, Airtech, Wrath Motorsports, Square One Graphics, Vance and Hines Motorsports, Suzuki Extended Protection, and Genuine Scooters