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Romine
Racing News
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With three Romine’s racing in IHRA, it’s a bit confusing who is who, since they all burn nitro in their fuel tanks. Debuting at their first IHRA National on the same team, Mike and Jack Romine qualified the Nuclear Tomato and the Flyin’ Banana at the Canadian Nationals.
Mike ran his first 2002 Canadian pass with a bang, running a 6.41 to qualify first. Jack spun the tire on the Flyin’ Banana with a fury, taking eighth on the listing simply due to the number of bikes entered.
In Round two, Mike’s Nuclear Tomato went bang when the belt broke. “It banged real bad and blew the head off. The cylinder stayed down, so it didn’t hurt me,” Romine said calmly just as he would say that he’d crossed the border into Canada with ease. The team changed motors and set it up with new equipment to try for Saturday. Jack’s position didn’t improve as his tire spin stayed consistent.
Saturday’s air conditions only worsened, and Mike’s new parts did something he’d never seen. “We killed them in one run. So tonight we put on the old stuff and didn’t do too bad. We landed back in the fifties, so I’m confident that we’ll be in the hunt Sunday.” Finally, Jack made it down the quarter mile with a 7.019 that improved his position to seventh.
Seemingly shy, neither Romine brother is inclined to say too much. Therefore, you must look for the shade of red on their face to see the level of excitement. Sunday at Grand Bend, the Arizona Romine, Jack, runs Team Mancuso’s Johnny Mancuso. The Michigan Romine, Mike, has been running one or the other Mancuso team member all year so he knows how to set up the Banana for the run. Mike runs his little buddy, Doug Vancil, first round on Sunday, who’s only run seven hundredths quicker all weekend. (Both Romine brothers exceed six feet in height – an unusual asset for a professional Harley drag racer.)
From the bottom of the ladder or the top, Romine always says it’s qualifying that’s the hard part. Sunday then becomes anyone’s day. His opinion is accurate, as those who’ve clocked record shattering runs don’t seem to make it to the winner’s circle on those days. But that means Sunday in Canada will be anyone’s day. So this time, Romine’s brought his brother to beat up on them if anyone gets in his way. And if they both win their way to the final, it will be every brother for himself.
Chromatic’s Mike Romine is sponsored by Andrews Products, Saddlemen, Autolite and Romine Racing. Jack Romine’s Flyin’ Banana is sponsored by Competition Distributing, Chromatic, Saddlemen, Autolite and Romine Racing.
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