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Romine Clinches Second IHRA World Championship

"I can't say enough about Clayton and the team," Romine said. "It's been an up-and-down season, but when it came time to produce, the CARQUEST team did its job and we defended our title. This championship means a lot to the team because we wanted to win it for CARQUEST and the Special Olympics."

Romine entered the World Finals a round behind Tommy Johnson, Jr. in the IHRA Snap-on point standings. In qualifying, Romine earned a huge break when Johnson, Jr. failed to qualify for the 8-car field. This put the championship hopes in the CARQUEST team's hands. All they needed was a first round win and the championship was theirs.

After eliminations were delayed one week because of weather, the CARQUEST team returned to Red River Raceway focused on a first round victory and they didn't disappoint. Romine recorded a 4.936/ 285.95 to defeat Novelli for the win. Romine lost in round two of the event.

"I'm just glad it's over," Romine said. "Having to wait a week and knowing our entire season rested on one round win, that was a lot to deal with, but we got the job done and I couldn't be happier."

Romine and the CARQUEST team will collect their championship trophy in January at the IHRA Banquet in Asheville, NC.

1998 IHRA SEASON REVIEW FOR PAUL ROMINE
Race #1
IHRA Prolong Super Lubricants Winter Nationals
DeSoto Memorial Dragway, Bradenton, FL
March 27-29
Qualified 1st 4.869/278.37 (3 consecutive 4-second ET's in qualifying)
Round 1 Wayne Bailey (.530 5.136/241.87) def. ROMINE (.476 5.679/234.19)

Race #2
IHRA Southern Nationals
Darlington International Dragway, Darlington, SC
May 1-3
Qualified 3rd 4.849/288.09
Round 1 ROMINE (.494 4.893/284.03) def. Danielle DePorter (.544 5.080/260.41)
Round 2 ROMINE (.507 5.139/251.06) def. Danny Dunn (.501 6.244/152.19)
Final Tommy Johnson Jr. (.509 4.941/288.83) def. ROMINE (.490 4.972/289.01)

Race #3
IHRA SUMMER NATIONALS presented by Parts Plus
Cordova Dragway Park, Cordova, Ill.
July 3-5
Qualified 2nd 4.918/285.83
Round 1 ROMINE (.566 4.926/278.75) def. Danny Dunn (.5015.075/289.32)
Semi-final ROMINE (.501 4.903/286.86) def. David Bieneman (.733 5.044/281.13)
Final Doug Herbert (.461 4.983/291.76) def. ROMINE (.508 5.281/240.98)

Race #4
IHRA CARQUEST Empire Nationals
New York International Raceway Park, Leicester, NY
July 10-12
Qualified 2nd 4.997/282.07 (first 4 at NYIRP)
Round 1 ROMINE(.557 4.910/285.05) def. Bruce Litton (.470 5.251/273.39)
Round 2 ROMINE (.522 4.998/282.90) def. Doug Herbert (.487 5.068/290.63)
Final ROMINE (.9615.009/284.03) def. Tommy Johnson Jr. (broke)

Race #5
IHRA CARQUEST Northern Nationals
Mid-Michigan Motorplex, Stanton, Mich.
July 31 - Aug. 2
Qualified 3rd 4.794/288.21
Round 1 Tommy Johnson Jr. (.545 4.765/292.33) def. ROMINE (.507 4.772/297.68)
 
Race #6
IHRA Prolong Super Lubricants World Nationals
Norwalk Raceway Park, Norwalk, Ohio
Aug. 27-30
Qualified 1st 4.720/296.54
Round 1 ROMINE(.560 7.421/91.42) def. Jack Ostrander (.580 10.567/85.71)
Round 2 ROMINE (.484 4.818/283.73) def. Don Lampus (.506 4.855/296.44)
Final Doug Herbert (.553 4.895/266.19) def. ROMINE(.482 12.356/48.29)

Race #7
IHRA North American Nationals
New England Dragway, Epping, NH
Sept. 11-13
Qualified 3rd 4.880/245.90
Round 1 Don Lampus (.497 4.833/302.69) def. ROMINE (.521 12.868/75.17)

Race #8
IHRA World Finals
Red River Raceway, Shreveport, LA
Oct. 16-18, rain-date Oct. 24
Qualified 4th 4.895/290.19
Round 1 -->ROMINE (.511 4.936/285.95) def. Luigi Novelli  (.509 5.342/210.01)
Round 2 -->Doug Herbert (.539 4.777/283.31) def. ROMINE  (.503 6.741/123.35)

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