NHRA: Defending Winternationals champ ready to repeat

For more information, contact
Rob Geiger at 281-913-3316.

Defending champ ready to repeat

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 4) -- Bilstein Engine Flush Top Fuel driver Darrell
Russell returns to Pomona Raceway as the defending champion of the 42nd
annual K&N Filters Winternationals. Last year, Russell, who is legend
Joe Amato’s hand-picked successor, became just the third driver in NHRA
history to win his first race as a professional, joining Gary Scelzi
(Top Fuel, 1997) and K.C. Spurlock (Funny Car, 1990) in the record
books.

The win, coupled with another victory late in the season in Las Vegas as
well as five runner-up finishes over the course of the year, helped the
33-year-old Texan win NHRA Rookie of the Year honors.

This time around Russell will aim for another unique distinction—that of
becoming the first Top Fuel champion to win back-to-back titles at the
historic Winternationals. Russell knows his bid for the 2002 POWERade
Drag Racing Series championship begins and ends at drag racing’s home,
Pomona, Calif.

“This will be the first time I’ve defended the title of a race as a
professional,” Russell said. “It’s a nice feeling. But the truth is I
don’t think the fact we won here last year means a lot. The teams racing
at this level are so good and I can tell you already there will be 10-12
cars that can win this race.

“The POWERade Drag Racing Series is tough. Realistically, we start every
weekend with the same goal--to earn a spot in the field. Then you try to
improve each round and you see what happens.

“Last year was a surprise because it was our first race together as a
team. It was my first race as a Top Fuel driver and Jimmy Walsh’s first
race as a crew chief. We weren’t the quickest or the fastest, in fact we
never had lane choice on race day, but our car was consistent and the
guys we were racing kept beating themselves.

“It would be huge to repeat at the Winternationals. The fact it hasn’t
been done before in Top Fuel is a cool footnote but the important thing
is that a win would be a great start to the season for us. We want to
win the POWERade championship so every round is important, whether it’s
at the season opener or the season-ending race.”

For the first time, Russell will be flying the colors of his new primary
sponsor Bilstein Engine Flush at this year’s K&N Filters
Winternationals. Bilstein Engine Flush signed on as a corporate backer
of Amato Racing in January.

Both ESPN and ESPN2 will carry portions of the Winternationals.
Qualifying highlights air from 4:30-6 p.m., Saturday, on ESPN, and
continue from 6-7 p.m., Saturday, on ESPN2. Primetime elimination
coverage runs from 5-7 p.m., Sunday, on ESPN. The eliminations will be
rebroadcast from 3-5 a.m., Monday, Feb. 11, on ESPN, and again from 4-6
a.m., Friday, Feb. 15, on ESPN2. Times are listed in Eastern Standard
Time.

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