IHRA Harold Martin Pre Race: Martin Leads His Determined and
Resilient Crew into US 131 Motorsports Park
Event: 24h Annual Torco Race Fuels Northern Nationals, the eighth event
on the 12-race,
2005 IHRA Hooters Drag Racing Series.
Location: US 131 Motorsports Park,
Martin, MI
Dates: August 12-14, 2005
1. Harold Martin Leads His Determined and Resilient Crew into US 131
Motorsports Park
Throughout the course of the 12-race season, racers in the Hooters Drag
Racing Series must find a way to successfully endure the highs and lows
of competition. It is a seven-month, 230-mph rollercoaster ride through
which neither their focus nor their commitment to their program can
waiver if they are to remain in the championship hunt.
In the first seven races of the 2005 season, Harold Martin and the
ACDelco Pontiac Pro Modified Racing team have faced their share of
challenges. Racing in arguably the most competitive division in the
IHRA, they have worked tirelessly to adapt their new race car to the
varied conditions encountered at every stop on the circuit.
The team's efforts were rewarded with solid showings in each of the
first seven races, culminating in their first IHRA No. 1 qualifying
performance and a runner-up finish at last month's race in Milan, MI.
As they head into the second half, Martin is encouraged by the team's
determination to return to the top of the standings.
"Our attitude at the racetrack reflects our outlook on life," stated
Martin. "No matter what the obstacles may be, we will seek to overcome
them. That is what the entire journey is about. You set a plan, and do
whatever you can to execute it.
"We've certainly faced our share of challenges, but those are the
circumstances you run against. We simply take it as part of the
learning curve, feed it into our information system and prepare for the
next race. That shows you just how tenacious this ACDelco team is. We
combine our collected knowledge with our seat of the pants experience to
come up with a strategy to move forward.
"Clearly, our ACDelco Racing team is feeling a lot of momentum. We know
we have one very fast hot rod, and we have a lot of dear notes that we
intend to take to each of these events. Our challenge will be to smartly
race the tracks that lay in front of us for the balance of the season.
"For example, I'm an engine guy who just got off of the dyno, so I have
the syndrome of wanting to run low elapsed time and top speed, which
does not always equate to the race track or the conditions we'll be
racing in. The pole is a nice sight to have, but sometimes it can be
your worst enemy. Therefore, we have to race intelligently, and be
careful not to look too far ahead."
2. ACDelco Crew Ready to Pull Double Duty in Martin
As if the pressure of competing at a national event were not enough,
this weekend's race offers the added challenge of the inaugural Torco
Pro Modified Shootout, a three-round dash for cash featuring the eight
top qualifiers from the first seven races. Held as part of Saturday's
qualifying activities, and with a $20,000 payout to the winner,
participating teams must balance securing a position in Sunday's final
eliminations field with advancing through eliminations in the all-star
event.
"Running in the Pro Modified shootout presents multiple challenges for
all involved, simply because no one has an idea of what the track
conditions will be like at that time of day," said Martin. "Since our
first qualifying run on Friday will be held in the evening, we will be
comparing a cool racetrack to one that will potentially be very hot and
slick. It's possible the racing surface will be better because more
runs will have been made on it, but the Martin track tends to get very
hot, which would make it any man's race. Therefore, we will prepare for
every eventuality.
"However, this does nothing to diminish the very special nature of this
event, nor our appreciation to the people at Torco for sponsoring it.
You can use the starting line-up as somewhat of a report card for how
you've done to this point in the season. Entering the year, our goal
was to be a performer, and this is a validation of our strong showing in
qualifying. We've had our share of challenges, but we have still been
able to excel in many outings, showing us that we have the potential to
be much further ahead.
"Our participation in the shootout is part of the momentum we are
currently carrying. If the people at US 131 Motorsports Park and the
IHRA are able to provide us with a good surface to race on, which we're
confident they will, this ACDelco crew believes we could deliver
something very special this weekend."
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
* Scored the first IHRA No. 1 qualifying position of his career on
July 16, 2005 with his 6.197-second pass at the Dukes of Hazzard Motor
City Nationals in Milan, MI.
* Reached the sixth final round of his career at the Dukes of
Hazzard Motor City Nationals in Milan, MI.
* 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, August 12 - One qualifying session at 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, August 13 - Two qualifying sessions at
4:00 & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, August 14 - First round of eliminations starts at
11:00 a.m.
TV Schedule:
Saturday, November 12 - 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
-pee Channel
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