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NHRA: Phoenix could be last hurrah for Lampus

PHOENIX (Feb. 18) – Top Fuel driver Don Lampus rides a roller coaster of
emotions into Firebird International Raceway for this weekend’s 18th
annual Checker-Schuck’s-Kragen Nationals. The high of a No. 6 ranking in
the POWERade championship points standings—the result of a strong
showing at the season-opening race in Pomona, Calif., in early
February--is off-set by the realization this could be the final ride for
Lampus and his Mothers Against Drunk Driving Top Fuel dragster.

The 37-year-old Lampus certainly proved he has what it takes to run with
the top teams in the sport’s elite Top Fuel bracket. He qualified in the
top half of a crowded Pomona field and racked up an elimination-round
win on race day to finish the weekend in sixth place. But the continued
lack of big-time corporate funding for his MADD-themed Youth Awareness
Program has slowed the group’s efforts to the point where parking the
entire operation for the foreseeable future is a very real prospect.

“We have so many companies interested in helping us spread our message,”
Lampus said. “And the fact we started strong has been a nice boost. But
we have yet to sign any substantial deals to date, which has really
pushed us into a corner. We simply can’t continue at this rate. It’s so
disheartening to say but it’s true.

“I couldn’t be happier with the team and what we’ve accomplished in such
a short amount of time on the race track. I’ve always said if my crew
chief Wayne Dupuy had the funding he could win the POWERade championship
and I think we showed what we’re truly capable of in Pomona. We just
need to get over the financial hurdles.”

Lampus is a proven winner. He was named the NHRA’s 2000 Rookie of the
Year, he won the 1999 International Hot Rod Association’s Top Fuel World
Championship, and he captured the SCORE Off-Road 1-2 Class World Title
in 1996. Yet his dream remains the NHRA POWERade World Championship.

“Our goal was to run as strong as possible for the first few races and
hope it generated enough publicity for us to get someone’s attention,”
Lampus said. “I think we’ve done that to a certain extent already and we
plan on raising a few more eyebrows in Phoenix. We’ll certainly be going
for it. We’ve got nothing to lose.”

The ESPN2 television network will provide five hours of primetime
coverage of the 18th annual Checker-Schuck’s-Kragen Nationals.
Qualifying highlights will be broadcast from 9-11 p.m. (ET), Saturday,
with elimination rounds airing from 7-10 p.m. (ET) on Sunday. A repeat
showing is scheduled for 3-6 a.m. (ET) on Tuesday, Feb. 26.