NHRA Denver Pre Race: Martino Test for Success
in Denver
(Note: The following is also attached in text format for your convenience.)
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
Phone: (704)
662-3121
Fax: (704)
662-3021
MARTINO TESTS FOR SUCCESS IN DENVER
Parsippany, N.J., July 16, 2001 - Bandimere Speedway, site of this weekend's
Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals, presents competitors with arguably the most
unique challenge of any facility on the NHRA's Winston Drag Racing circuit.
Nestled in a mountainside on the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, it offers a
breath-taking view of the valley below. However, this scenic location comes
with a price of wafer-thin air, which combines with the warm summer
temperatures to rob race cars of speed-producing horsepower.
None of the professional classes participating in this weekend's event will
be more affected than the Pro Stock division, however, as shown by a simple
review of the existing track records. In a class where low 6.9-second,
200-mph runs have become almost commonplace, the performance standards at the
Colorado speedplant stand at 7.267 seconds and 189.50 mph. As CENTURY 21
Racing Team Grand Am pilot Tom Martino will attest, the margin for error is
even smaller than usual.
"With horsepower at such a premium in the thin air, the tune-up is crucial in
Denver," stated Martino. "At other tracks, if you're slightly off on the
set-up, you can overcome it with horsepower. That's a luxury we don't have
at Bandimere."
In order to better assimilate their race car to these unusual conditions, the
CENTURY 21 crew took advantage of the brief period between races to test in
Denver. Their goal was to establish a baseline from which they could
fine-tune the set-up upon their return for the event.
"Although it added to an already hectic schedule, we saw it as time well
spent," explained Martino. "This will be our first race on the mountain with
the Grand Am, and we wanted to gather as much information as we could without
the pressure of qualifying. There may be four qualifying sessions, but the
conditions on Friday night will probably dictate who will be racing in final
eliminations, so we'll need to be ready right off the trailer.
"If you look at the results from previous races in Colorado, the one common
denominator among those who have done well is that they tested at the track
before the race. Our primary concern is always to put our CENTURY 21 Grand
Am in the best position to win, and I believe our test session went a long
way towards doing that."
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Martino Moments: This weekend will mark Martino's 6th appearance at
Bandimere Speedway, where he looks to improve upon his quarter-final finish
from 1996…In qualifying, Tom will be looking to better his prior best of 8th
from 1996.
Fast Facts
WHAT: 23rd annual Mopar Parts Mile-High Nationals, the fourteenth event on
the 24-race 2001 NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series Schedule.
WHEN: July 19 - 22, 2001
WHERE: Bandimere Speedway, Morrison, Colorado
SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying begins with two rounds on Friday, July 20
at 4:15 & 7:15 p.m., and concludes with two sessions at 12:15 a.m. & 3:30
p.m. on Saturday, July 21. Final eliminations begin at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday,
July 22.
TV: There will be two hours of qualifying highlights from Colorado on ESPN2
from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 21. On Sunday, July 22, there will
three hours of final elimination coverage from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. on ESPN2
(Times given are Eastern. As always, please check your local listings.)
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