Rivas happy to have opportunities to win Ringers Battle and 54th U.S. Nationals

INDIANAPOLIS, August 29-September 1, 2008 – Quiet and soft-spoken, Chris Rivas chooses his words carefully, so you know he’s excited about something when he kicks up his sound volume a notch or two.

He can’t help do it when he talks about the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals because he is very enthusiastic about the opportunities that await him and the G2 Motorsports Drag Specialties S&S Cycle V-Twin Pro Stock Motorcycle team.

“I’m real excited about this race. I never thought in my career that I’d be in a position like this,” Rivas said.

Actually, he’s in two positions because he’ll make his first start in the special Ringers Gloves Pro Stock Motorcycle Battle from seventh position and he’s fifth in NHRA POWERade Series points going into the regular-season finale.

The Battle is significant because it awards the eight riders who collect the most qualifying points over the past year with an opportunity to win $25,000. Rivas was seventh and faces Matt Smith, who was second, in Saturday’s opening round. The payoffs are $3,500 for a first round finish, $6,000 for the semifinals and $10,000 to the runner-up.

“Just to be able to compete in the Ringers Battle means a lot to me,” Rivas commented. “I’ve been hearing about it and watching it from a distance for a long time. I thought ‘man, that is an elite group and they are running for the money.’ That’s the kind of picture that you have as an outsider. I was thinking . . . one of these days. Qualifying for it was one of my goals this year.

“Everybody is guaranteed something and I plan to try to get as much of it as I can for the team.”

The competition coincides with Saturday’s qualifying. The first round is 1:15 p.m. Other match-ups include:

Chip Ellis vs. Matt Guidera, Andrew Hines vs. Karen Stoffer and Eddie Krawiec vs. Angelle Sampey.

Rivas’ focus Sunday is qualifying solidly for Monday’s 54th edition of this storied event. “My goal for the race is to get my position back,” he said. “I’d like to start fourth in the Countdown to 1.”

He fell into the No. 5 berth in the most recent race at Reading, Pa. He lost to Sampey in the quarterfinals and she replaced him on that rung – but the difference is a mere six points, 662-668. He’s already guaranteed his first top 10 finish in his fourth year on tour.

What he’s seeking now is something to really shout about. And it could happen.

Points are reshuffled after the U.S. Nationals and the difference between those fourth and fifth is 10 points, 2040 to 2030.