NHRA Pre-race: Phoenix race is deja vu all over again for Tom Martino
PHOENIX RACE IS "DÉJÀ VU ALL OVER AGAIN" FOR TOM MARTINO Martino crew sees reminders of their rookie season at the 2002 Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals Farmingdale, N.J., February 20, 2002 - As the Martino Racing team arrives at Firebird International Raceway for the second race of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing season, it will seem like they will have traveled back in time. Their Pro Stock Pontiac Grand Am will carry a predominantly white paint scheme, reminiscent of the livery displayed during Tom Martino's rookie season in 1996. Of course, the reason for this stark appearance is the lack of a primary sponsor for the Martino entry, yet another similarity to their freshman campaign. Although this is a situation which they hope will soon change, there is one aspect of their initial appearance at the Arizona quarter-mile which both driver and crew look to duplicate, namely their runner-up finish. "We came into Phoenix six years ago not knowing exactly what to expect," explained Martino. "After all, it was only our second race in Pro Stock, and we were still learning the ropes. We didn't do a great job in qualifying, but we followed that up with a strong effort on Sunday, making consistent runs to reach the final. It would have been nice to take home the trophy, but we were pretty happy to be the runners-up." One notable difference from Martino's first year that weighs heavily on the team's minds is the cost of fielding a competitive race car. Although for the short-term, it will continue to be business as usual for this close-knit crew from Farmingdale, NJ, the need for additional support grows with every week. "Six years ago, since we didn't have a main sponsor, we had only planned to run a few races," detailed Martino. "However, our success on the track allowed us to make it through the entire season. Our total expenditures were just over $100,000, which doesn't even cover this year's payroll. "We have some tremendous companies like Pontiac, Jesel and Royal Purple helping us get to this point, but we're going to need an infusion of extra cash pretty soon. We keep looking, and hopefully something will turn up. In the meantime, we'll use a fast race car to try and attract a potential sponsor's attention. We'd rather be talking just about racing, but that's not possible right now." Despite the distractions, once the team arrives in Chandler, racing will become their sole focus. The Pro Stock division is one of the most competitive in all of motorsports, with entire fields covered by mere hundredths of a second. The slightest error can make the difference between qualifying in the top half of the sixteen-car field and missing final eliminations altogether. Fully aware of the circumstances, Martino is quietly confident coming to the Arizona desert. "This year, we're coming in even hungrier than we were in '96, and better prepared. I think we have a good shot at improving on that first effort. With every pass, we're getting more of a handle on what our Jesel Motorsports Grand Am needs, and we're ready to deliver the type of winning performance we know we're capable of." Martino Moments: This will be Tom Martino's 7th appearance at the Firebird International Raceway … Tom's previous best performance at this event came in 1996, when he was the runner-up to Jim Yates …. Tom is currently tied for 11th in the NHRA POWERade points standings, and is just over one round of competition out of 5th. Fast Facts WHAT: 18th Annual Checker Schuck's Kragen Nationals, the second race on the 23-race 2002 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Schedule. WHEN: February 21- 24, 2002 WHERE: Firebird International Raceway, Chandler, Arizona SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying begins with two sessions on Friday, February 22, and Saturday, February 23 at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations will start at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, February 24. TV: ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying highlights from 9:00-11:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 23, with an additional three hours of final eliminations coverage on Sunday, February 24 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. The NHRA's weekly magazine show, NHRA2Day will on Sunday, February 2 from 11:00-11:30 a.m. (Times given are Eastern. As always, please check your local listings.)