Reading, pre-race: Despite clinching a place in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Countdown to 1 playoffs, Pro Stock Motorcycle rider Doug Horne will be going all out for the win here at this weekend’s Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals.

In addition, the Horne Racing S&S Buell rider will wear purple, yellow and white leathers – the Race Against Abuse of Children Everywhere (RAACE) Foundation’s (www.raace.org) colors – to help further the fight against child abuse.

“This group, which was established near our home in Aberdeen (Md.), believes the first step to prevention of child abuse is awareness,” explained Horne. “We agree and wearing the leathers and decaling the bike can only help the cause.”

The team and RAACE will spread the word in Maryland about the Horne Racing effort to attract fans to Maple Grove Raceway where Horne hopes to improve from the last race.

“It was great to clinch a spot in the Countdown after last week’s race,” said the 21-year-old rider. “We made it into the playoffs, but dropped from fourth to sixth place.

“I want to win this race and the next one to move up in the standings and get closer to the (points-leading Harley-Davidson) V-Rods.”

The top 10 Pro Stock Motorcycle riders after the season’s first 12 races qualify for the five-race Countdown. Regular-season point totals are reset with the rider in first place given a 30-point advantage over the second-place one, with each subsequent rider being 10 points back.

Horne’s 632 points through the 10^th race puts him within 36 points (or two round wins) of third place, while the two Harley-Davidson motorcycles are 279 and 171 points ahead of him.

“If we finish the season in third, we would be 10 points out of second and 40 from the championship position,” explained the Horne Racing driver. “The next two races, here (at Maple Grove Raceway) and at the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals (Labor Day in Indianapolis) are very important.”

Horne lost in the second round of last week’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals (to race-winner Hector Arana) despite turning in the second-best time of the round.

“We ran well in Brainerd (Minn.),” he said. “We just came up against Hector who was great and has been the bike to beat for a while.

“We figured out what we need and are confident going into this week’s race.”

                                       Horne seventh in rain-shortened qualifying

 Reading, Saturday:  For the third-consecutive race, Douglas Horne (starting from the seventh spot) will face Steve Johnson (starting 10th) in the first round of tomorrow's Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals here at Maple Grove Raceway. Inclement weather today and yesterday reduced qualifying to two sessions from the usual four.

Like he did July 26 in Sonoma, Calif., the Horne Racing S&S Buell rider defeated Johnson in the first round of last week's Pro Stock Motorcycle race in Brainerd, Minn., but he hopes to go further in Pennsylvania to move up in the driver standings for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series.

"We were disappointed last week with our performance (a second-round loss) and look to improve upon it here," said the 21-year-old Aberdeen, Md., native. "Yesterday we wanted to get solidly into the field and we did; today we were going to push it a bit, but the weather did not cooperate. "I'm confident, though, about tomorrow. We know what we need to do and will do it."

Storms delayed and interrupted qualifying sessions both Friday and today, resulting in single runs both days. Horne's best run came Friday when he rode the quarter mile in 7.056 seconds at 188.44 miles per hour. Today's session, also delayed several hours, resulted in a time of 7.183 seconds at 186.12 mph.

Horne, sixth in the championship points coming into this race, and Craig Treble, fifth in the standings, were at the starting line shortly after 6 p.m. when the rains came again and washed out the remainder of Saturday's program.

"We would have liked to make that last run to improve on our position for tomorrow and pick up some more qualifying points on Craig (he picked up one)," said Horne. His qualifying position puts him eight points behind Treble, 17 behind Hector Arana in fourth and 35 behind third-place holder Matt Smith. The two Harley-Davidson motorcycles are 172 and 281 points ahead of Horne and not reachable with just tomorrow and one other race before the Countdown to 1 championship playoffs begin September 17 at the NHRA Nationals in Concord, N.C., The top 10 Pro Stock Motorcycle riders after the season's first 12 races qualify for the five-race Countdown. Regular-season point totals are reset with the rider in first place given a 30-point advantage over the second-place one, with each subsequent rider being 10 points back.

                                                Horne moves into fifth place

 Reading, Sunday: Douglas Horne moved up to fifth place in the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Pro Stock Motorcycle regular-season driver standings following his performance today in the Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals here at Maple Grove Raceway.

The 21-year-old Aberdeen, Md., native's quarter-mile at 7.085-seconds at 187.76-miles-per-hour resulted in a second-round loss to Michael Phillips who had a 7.065-second, 191.08-mph pass.

"We had a good bike all weekend," said the rider of the Horne Racing S&S Buell. "But Michael, who qualified second for the race, was really good. All things considered - weather delays and interruptions, working with a new motor and moving up in the points race -  it was a solid weekend."

Horne began today's weather-delayed eliminations - the first round beginning almost five hours late due to moisture on the track - defeating Steve Johnson in the first round. He ran a 7.033-second, 190.14-mph quarter mile compared to Johnson's 7.114-second, 188.89-mph one.

Storms delayed and interrupted qualifying Friday and Saturday resulting in single runs both days. Horne's best pass came Friday when he rode the quarter mile in 7.056 seconds at 188.44 miles per hour which resulted in a seventh-qualifying position. Saturday's lone run was 7.183 seconds at 186.12 mph.

Horne's second-round appearance today gave him 685 points, 12 more than Craig Treble in sixth place of the championship competition.

"We're going to push it in Indianapolis (Mac Tools U.S. Nationals September 2-7) in the last race before the Countdown," Horne said. "We really would like to catch Matt (Smith 720 points) and Hector (Arana 722) going into the playoffs."

The top 10 Pro Stock Motorcycle riders after the season's first 12 races qualify for the five-race Countdown to 1 championship playoff. Regular-season point totals are reset with the rider in first place given a 30-point advantage over the second-place one, with each subsequent rider being 10 points back. The two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, in first and second place, are beyond catching during the regular season.

"But once we get to the Countdown, anything can happen," Horne said.