NHRA Pre-Race: Tom Hammonds Set to Bounce Back in Seattle

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                                    Contact: Jon G. Knapp
                                                TMG Sports Marketing
Phone: (704) 662-3121
                                                J2Racing@aol.com

TOM HAMMONDS SET TO BOUNCE BACK IN SEATTLE
Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care Cavalier team aim for strong showing at Lucas Oil 
NHRA Northwest Nationals

Crestview, Fla., July 23, 2002 - As a power forward in the NBA, one of Tom 
Hammonds' primary assignments was to be a strong rebounder, pulling down 
errant shots on both ends of the court.  It was a job he did very 
effectively, gathering over 2,200 throughout the course of his career.  
Entering this weekend's Lucas Oil Northwest NHRA Nationals, Hammonds' goal 
will be quite similar, as he and his Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care Racing team 
will look to rebound from a disappointing showing in Denver, the most recent 
stop on the NHRA POWERade tour.  Ironically, Hammonds took the first step 
towards accomplishing that objective while still in Colorado.

"I started focusing on Seattle right after hitting the parachutes on my last 
qualifying pass in Denver," detailed Hammonds.  "It was a tough weekend for 
several teams up on the mountain, including ourselves, and we knew that 
dwelling on it wouldn't help.  Therefore, we immediately put it behind us and 
turned our attention on getting ready for Pacific Raceways.

"Before we left Bandimere Speedway, we had already switched back to the 
normal set-up in our Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care Cavalier.  After that, I told 
my crew to take a couple days and relax, and I spent a few days kicking back 
with my family, so we should all be fresh and ready with a renewed 
determination to get after it in Seattle." 

The first obstacle for the Hammonds crew to tackle will be qualifying.  With 
nearly forty cars vying for only sixteen spots in Sunday's Pro Stock field, 
the competition will be as fierce as ever.  However, there are several 
factors, which will favor the young team's chances for success.  

After battling the unique conditions in Denver, the world's best 
quarter-milers return to more familiar surroundings in the Great Northwest.  
Located south of Seattle in Kent, Washington, the newly renamed Pacific 
Raceways offers sea level altitude and a facility lined with oxygen-producing 
evergreens, the perfect combination for producing horsepower.  

In addition, the cooler temperatures typical of this area during this time of 
year should expand the number of sessions in which the Pro Stock contingent 
can post an elapsed time quick enough to guarantee participation in final 
eliminations.  For a hungry team that is gaining valuable experience at every 
event, it could work out to be the right place at the right time.

"Our experience with Pacific Raceways is limited, but fortunately, it is very 
similar to many of the tracks we race on throughout the year," explained 
Hammonds.  "With the many beautiful trees throughout the property, it offers 
atmospheric conditions comparable to Reading, so we can also use information 
from runs made at Maple Grove to help us set up and go fast in Seattle.

"The track was a pretty rough place a year ago, but with the owners taking 
control back from the previous management, there have been a lot of 
improvements made as part of an overall plan to make Pacific Raceways one of 
the best stops on the POWERade tour.  When someone puts forth that kind of 
effort, it excites and motivates us as racers to make sure we put on a great 
show for the fans.

"We're also looking forward to racing under more normal conditions.  If the 
weather cooperates, the Pro Stock division could have four sessions offering 
a realistic chance of qualifying, which is a bonus for the less-experienced 
teams such as ours.  We can use all the data we can get to fine-tune our 
Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care Cavalier.  We are definitely looking forward to 
getting back on track in Seattle, and to carrying that positive momentum 
through the rest of the season."

Hammonds Highlights: Tom is looking to qualify for his first final 
eliminations at Pacific Raceway…Tom is currently 13th in the NHRA POWERade 
Points standings, is only 7 points (less than one round of competition) out 
of 12th and 57 points (just under three rounds) out of 10th…One of the 
highlights of Tom's NBA career came in Seattle in 1993, when his 
eighth-seeded Nuggets knocked off the top-ranked Seattle Supersonics, the 
first time in NBA history such an upset had happened. 

Fast Facts

WHAT:   15th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Northwest Nationals, the fourteenth race 
on the 23-race 2002 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series Schedule.

WHEN:   July 26-28, 2002

WHERE:  Pacific Raceways, Kent, Washington

SCHEDULE:   Professional qualifying begins with two sessions on Friday, July 
26 at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m., and concludes with two more sessions on Saturday, 
July 27 at 11:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.  Final eliminations will start at 11:00 
a.m. on Sunday, July 28.

TV: ESPN will televise two hours of qualifying highlights from 8:00 - 10:00 
p.m. on Saturday, July 27, followed by one hour of early eliminations 
highlights from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 28.  ESPN2 will then air two 
hours of final eliminations coverage from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 
28.  The NHRA's weekly magazine show, NHRA2Day will on Sunday, July 28 from 
11:00-11:30 a.m. (Times given are Eastern.  As always, please check your 
local listings.)

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