IHRA Harold Martin Grand Bend Pre Race: Harold Martin Aims to Turn the Corner in Grand Bend

        

 

IHRA Pre-Race Fact Sheet

Harold Martin, Owner/Driver

Pro Modified Pontiac Grand Am


 

Event:  Sixth Annual Canadian Nationals, the fourth event on the12-race,


              2005 IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series.

Location:   Grand Bend Motorplex

        Grand Bend, Ontario, Canada

Dates:  June 10-12, 2005

 

1. Harold Martin Aims to Turn the Corner in Grand Bend

 

Through the first three races of the 2005 Hooters Drag Racing season,
Harold Martin and the ACDelco Pontiac Pro Modified Racing team have
shown flashes of the performance that powered them to an impressive
third-place finish in last year's final standings.  Having started the
year with an entirely new car and engine combination, the Martin
Motorsports crew knew there would be a learning curve in the first few
events, and tested extensively to minimize its impact on their
championship aspirations.  

 

With every pass down the racetrack, information was gathered, and
progress was made, with the ultimate goal being consistent, high
performance.  Having established a solid tuning foundation, Martin will
enter this weekend's Canadian Nationals prepared to deliver a
breakthrough performance and reassert their claim for the 2005 Pro Mod
championship.

 

"The ACDelco Racing team is going into Grand Bend with some excitement
as well as momentum," said Martin.  "This past weekend, we raced in the
Motown Showdown, which is an event in the WAR (World of Alcohol Racers)
Series.  It was a great outing for us in that we not only won the race,
but we were also able to put six runs on our hot rod.  

 

"The benefits from winning are twin-fold.  The entire team will gain
confidence from the win, and we gathered a ton of valuable information.
This allowed us to narrow some of the variables in the tune-up, and even
though the conditions this weekend may not be the same, we think we can
build on the data and have a great outing.

 

"The Great Bend Motorplex is a great race track.  It's right off of Lake
Huron, which can give you some very favorable atmospheric conditions.
As long as Mother Nature cooperates and gives us some consistency in
those conditions, we should be fine.  Last year, we had a runner-up
finish there, and we can certainly utilize those notes.  Hopefully, we
can capitalize and improve on that performance by one position."

 

2. A Case of Mistaken Identity

 

Upon his return from the ACDelco Virginia Nationals in Richmond, VA,
Martin was besieged with phone calls from fans and friends concerned
about his well-being.  In a terrible coincidence, the same weekend that
the Michigan native was competing at Virginia Motorsports Park, a
sportsman racer by the name of Harold Dean Martin (no relation) was
fatally injured in an incident in South Carolina.  

 

Although wanting to reassure everyone that he was indeed fine, Martin
also wanted to make sure and offer his condolences to the family and
friends of the fallen competitor, with whom he shared more than just a
name.

 

"I didn't know Harold Dean Martin personally, but any loss in our
motorsports community is a huge one," said Martin.  "Our hearts go out
to both he and his family.  He will be sorely missed."

 

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
*	Currently ninth in the 2005 IHRA Pro Modified Championship
Standings
*	Won his first IHRA Pro Modified national event on July 4, 2004
at the Western RV Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
*	Finished a career-best third in the 2004 Hooters Drag Racing
Series Pro Modified Championship Standings
*	Nicknamed the "EFI Wizard" for his expertise 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:  

Friday, June 10 -            One qualifying session at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, June 11 -       Two qualifying sessions at 3:00 & 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 12 -          First round of eliminations starts at 11:00
a.m.

 

TV Schedule:  

            Saturday, July 7 -          5:00 - 6:00 p.m. - pee Channel