IHRA Pre Race: Harold Martin Set to Adapt and Overcome In Norwalk

Team ACDelco

IHRA Pre-Race Fact Sheet

Harold Martin, Owner/Driver

ACDelco Pro Modified Pontiac Grand Am


 

Event:  27th Annual IHRA Sunoco World Nationals, the eleventh event of
the 12-race,

 2004 IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series.

Location:  Norwalk Raceway Park

     Norwalk, Ohio

Dates:  October 9, 2004

 

Harold Martin Set to Adapt and Overcome In Norwalk

 

A look at the 2004 Hooters Drag Racing season schedule shows this
weekend as an open date, with no national events on tap until the season
finale in Rockingham two weeks from now.  However, after torrential
rains washed out final eliminations on the original Sunoco World
Nationals date, IHRA officials were forced to reschedule the event for
the second Saturday in October.  

 

Naturally, the postponement presented a challenge for all involved,
starting with having to make a return trip to Ohio.  However, for
ACDelco Pontiac Grand Am pilot Harold Martin, who captured the fourth
starting position with a strong performance back in August, the biggest
test will be in taming the Norwalk Raceway Park surface under conditions
completely unlike those encountered two months ago.

 

"Clearly we would have preferred to have raced in Norwalk on its
traditional date," said Martin.  "As we have shown on several occasions,
we have an outstanding warm weather set up, one we took directly from
Norwalk Raceway Park to Indianapolis with great results.  

 

"Now we are faced with developing a new tune up for cold air and a cold
track, which is a particular challenge for the nitrous powered cars,
which deliver a tremendous amount of torque almost immediately.  We will
have a single time trial on Saturday afternoon from which to build a
data point, so our work is definitely cut out for us.

 

"Fortunately, I have a great ACDelco team behind me.  I cannot speak
highly enough about their passion and commitment to the continued
advancement of our program.  Throughout the season, they have shown a
tremendous ability to overcome adversity.   We are going to be working
very hard to find a solution to this latest challenge, and I'm confident
we will be successful."

 

Harold Martin Fast Facts:

*	Career best elapsed time:  6.183 seconds, Indianapolis, IN 9/04
*	Career best top speed: 230.13 mph, Indianapolis, IN 9/04
*	Won his first IHRA Pro Modified national event on July 4, 2004
at the Western RV Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
*	Is currently second in the Hooters Drag Racing Series Pro
Modified Championship Standings
*	Harold finished fifth in the 2003 IHRA Championship Standings,
his first career Top Five finish
*	Scored first No. 1 qualifying position of his Pro Mod career at
the 2004 Mac Tools U.S. Nationals, Indianapolis, IN.
*	Nicknamed the "EFI Wizard" for his expertise in with electronic
fuel injection, including the revolutionary system in his ACDelco Pro
Mod Grand Am, which he designed.
*	Former GM engineer and holder of 10 worldwide patents

 

Event Schedule:  

Saturday, October 9 -  A single time trial at 2:30 p.m., followed by the
first round of final eliminations at 4:30 p.m.

 

TV Schedule:  

            Saturday, October 23 - 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - pee Channel


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