NHRA Pre-Race:Hammonds sees the "Big
Go" as an Opportunity for a Big Turnaround
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HAMMONDS SEES THE "BIG GO" AS AN OPPORTUNITY
FOR A BIG TURNAROUND
Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care Cavalier pilot aims for a return to winning form
at this year's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals
Crestview, Fla., August 24, 2002 - In every sport, there is one event each
year that captures the attention of fans and competitors alike. For example,
in football there is the Super Bowl, while baseball has its World Series.
Not to be outdone by their stick and ball counterparts, the world of
motorsports offers its own wealth of marquee affairs. For the stock car
contingent, there is the Daytona 500, while the open-wheeled racers have the
Indianapolis 500.
However, for those who follow racing on the quarter-mile, every Labor Day
weekend provides the annual celebration of speed affectionately known as the
"Big Go". From across the country, drag racing's best congregate in
Indianapolis to battle for the one title everyone wants on their resume, that
of a U.S. Nationals champion.
Although he is only in his first full season on the NHRA POWERade tour,
Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care Cavalier pilot Tom Hammonds is fully aware of the
history and significance of the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, and makes his own
analogies about this race to his days in the NBA.
"The Mac Tools U.S. Nationals is the granddaddy of all drag races, and the
entire Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care team is really looking forward to it,"
explained Hammonds. "I equate it to the NBA's All-Star Game. You have the
very best in our sport trying to make it to Monday's final eliminations, and
the sixteen who qualify are the all-star team. I made that team last year,
and plan on doing it again this year."
After qualifying seventh one year ago, the Hammonds crew is looking to take
the next step, advancing rounds in eliminations and putting themselves in
contention for the win. However, to do so they must first reverse a
disturbing trend. Since being one of the fastest cars during final
eliminations in Madison, Ill., the freshman team has struggled to find the
handle on their race car. Following the most recent race in Brainerd, they
decided to enlist the help of the person responsible for building their Pro
Stock Cavalier. As they would find out, it would prove to be a most
productive and learning experience.
"I thought my schooling had ended when I graduated from college, but this
year has shown that my education in drag racing has just started," declared
Hammonds. "After Brainerd, we headed straight to St. Louis to consult with
Jerry Bickel. He has been around Pro Stock Cars for most of his life and is
one of the most knowledgeable people in the sport. He spent time with us,
going over the car, showing us things that were wrong with it and helping us
fix them, as well as pointing out areas we needed to improve upon in dealing
with the car.
"That gave us a tremendous amount of confidence, and we followed that up by
having a good test session last week at Indianapolis Raceway Park, which gave
us a solid combination for the race. As a result, I expect our Winnebago/GM
Vehicle Care Cavalier to be fast and consistent right out of the gate,
showing the winning form we had earlier in the year."
As drag racing's biggest spectacle, Hammonds knows the spotlight will shine
brighter on those who perform well at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Even so,
one key to success will be to keep things in perspective.
"Even though it is a special race, we will approach it like any other on the
schedule," detailed Hammonds. "Before anything else, you must qualify.
Being the U.S. Nationals, there will be over fifty Pro Stock cars competing
for the sixteen spots in final eliminations. The key is to not over think
things, because if you do, you're more likely to make mistakes, and if that
happens, you could be a spectator at the year's biggest race."
However, as Hammonds readily admits, there is no escaping the fact that the
U.S. Nationals is in a class of its own, and that he, as well as every other
entrant in this weekend's competition, hope to score what would be a historic
win.
"There is no denying the impact that Indy can have on your season," said
Hammonds. "You can basically not qualify at the other twenty-two races, but
if you win the U.S. Nationals, you've had a great year. In our case, we see
it as a chance to get a boost and put ourselves back on track for the last
seven races. This is a big race for the Winnebago/GM Vehicle Care Cavalier
team, and we intend to take full advantage of it."
Hammonds Highlights: Tom is looking to qualify for the second time at
Indianapolis Raceway Park… One year ago, Tom qualified 7th for the Mac Tools
U.S. Nationals, but was upset by Mike Edwards …Tom is currently 14th in the
NHRA POWERade Points standings with 502 points, and is 80 points (which
equates to four rounds of competition) out of 13th.
Fast Facts
WHAT: 48th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals,
the seventeenth race on the 23-race 2002 NHRA POWERade Drag Racing Series
Schedule.
WHEN: August 30 - September 2, 2002
WHERE: Indianapolis Raceway Park, Clermont, Indiana
SCHEDULE: Professional qualifying begins with a single session on Friday,
August 30 at 6:45 p.m., continues with two more sessions on Saturday, August
31 at 12:45 and 6:45 p.m., and concludes with two final sessions on Sunday,
September 1 at 12:00 noon and 3:00 p.m. Final eliminations will start at
10:30 a.m. on Monday, September 2.
TV: ESPN2 will have extensive coverage of this year's U.S. Nationals,
starting with an hour of qualifying highlights from 12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m. on
Saturday, August 31. Qualifying coverage will continue with three hours from
1:00 - 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 1, concluding that evening with two and
half hours from 9:30 p.m. - 12:00 a.m. Final eliminations coverage will be
broadcast on Monday, September 2, beginning with two hours from 11:00 p.m. -
1:00 p.m., and ending with three hours from 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. The NHRA's
weekly magazine show, NHRA2Day will on Sunday, August 18 from 11:00-11:30
a.m. (Times given are Eastern. As always, please check your local listings.)
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