NHRA: Martino looks for breakthrough performance in Reading
15 September 2000
Parsippany, New Jersey, September 14, 2000 - Tom Martino can hear the clock ticking. The 2000 Winston Drag Racing season is entering its final stages, and Martino has several items on his agenda that remain unfulfilled. However, the New Jersey native is far from panicking, for he knows that one solid performance is all his CENTURY 21 Racing team needs to get itself back on track. In the last two races, Martino's Firebird has shown signs of returning to the upper echelon form it displayed in the latter part of 1999 and earlier this season. The way Martino sees it, this weekend's Keystone Nationals would be the perfect place to launch a successful stretch run, as it would come in front of a supportive audience. "The Century 21 Racing team considers Maple Grove its second 'home' track," explained Martino. "As such, we know there will be a lot of friends and family in the stands pulling for us. Although some would say it adds extra pressure to do well, we prefer to see it as the support system that will put us over the top, almost like the sixth man you hear about in basketball." But the Martino crew realizes that doing well in Pennsylvania will require much more than a sympathetic crowd, as Maple Grove Raceway is acknowledged as one of the trickiest surfaces on the circuit. The combination of the 'Grove's tree-lined setting and cooler fall temperatures produce conditions that are most conducive to generating horsepower. However, crew chiefs must be extremely careful with how they convert this surplus into speed, for they must deal with the combination of an extremely short concrete launching pad and unsettling bumps on the top end. Complicating matters even further this year is that track officials have tried to address the racers' concerns by grinding the racetrack. Although the end result should be positive, should initial reports of a pool-table smooth racing surface prove to be true, previous tuning notes will be of little help and tuners will be scrambling to find the right set-up. Fortunately, this weekend the Martino crew should be able to fully concentrate their efforts on taming the racetrack, as they seem to have regained the handle on their race car following a major modification to the rear end components two races ago. Therefore, Martino and crew can be comfortable with predicting how their Firebird will respond to changes, making it easier to adjust to the surface. But whatever the circumstances, Tom Martino is fully aware of the significance of a solid outing at the Keystones. "It's time to go," stated Martino. "The Reading is perennially the start of our stretch run, and a strong performance here can really give you some positive momentum through the end of the year, which often carries over into the next campaign. Several times this season, our CENTURY 21 Firebird has been considered the car to beat going into final eliminations, and for one reason or another, we didn't get the job done. This weekend in Reading, we're looking to turn that around in a big way." Century 21 Real Estate Corporation (www.century21.com) is the franchisor of the world's largest residential real estate sales organization, providing comprehensive training, management, administrative and marketing support for the CENTURY 21 System. The System is comprised of more than 6,300 independently owned and operated franchised broker offices in more than 28 countries and territories worldwide. CENTURY 21 Real Estate Corporation is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE:CD) and is part of the move.com family of relocation, real estate and home-related service companies. MARTINO MOMENTS: This will be Tom Martino's fifth Pro Stock appearance at Maple Grove Raceway, where he looks to improve upon his quarter-final finish from 1996….One year ago, Martino qualified 7th for the Keystone Nationals, but was upset in the first round.… Martino currently sits 9th in the Winston Points Standings Fast Facts WHAT: 16th annual Keystone Nationals, the eighteenth event on the 23-race 2000 NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series Schedule. WHEN: September 15-17, 2000 WHERE: Maple Grove Raceway, Mohnton, Pennsylvania SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying begins with two sessions on Friday, September 15 at 2:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m.and conclude with two rounds on Saturday, September 16 at 11:15 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Final eliminations begin at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, September 17. TV: ESPN2 will air two hours of highlights and final eliminations coverage on Sunday, September 17 from 9:30 - 11:30 p.m. (Times given are Eastern. As always, please consult your local listings)