IHRA Harold Martin Pre Race: Martin Aims to Maximize His
Opportunities in Maryland
Contact: Jon G. Knapp
TMG Sports Marketing
Phone: (704) 662-3121
jgknapp@tmgsports.net
Team ACDelco
IHRA Pre-Race Fact Sheet
Harold Martin, Owner/Driver
ACDelco Pro Modified Pontiac Grand Am
Event: 14th Annual IHRA Torco Fuels President's Cup Nationals,
the eleventh event of the 12-race, 2005 IHRA Hooters Drag Racing
Series.
Location: Maryland International Raceway
Budds Creek, Maryland
Dates: September 23 - 25, 2005
1. Harold Martin Aims to Maximize His Opportunities in Maryland
As the 2005 Hooters Drag Racing season enters its penultimate event,
Harold Martin and his ACDelco Pro Mod Pontiac Racing team are looking to
accomplish several goals. Naturally, their top priority remains
returning to the winner's circle and capturing their second "Ironman"
winner's trophy.
In addition, the highly competitive Pro Modified category is
experiencing a tremendous points battle throughout the Top Ten, and the
Martin Motorsports crew is looking to gain as many positions as
possible. Therefore, they enter this weekend's Torco Race Fuels
President's Cup Nationals in Budds Creek, MD, determined to stay strong
and capitalize on the opportunities available.
"This ACDelco Racing team continues to maintain its focus, energy and
commitment to show what our capabilities are," said Martin. "We've had
some bad luck this season with some unusual and unexpected component
failures. Ironically, I recently happened to be reading a speech I had
given on keeping a positive attitude and persistence over resistance, no
matter what happens.
"It reinforced to me that no one is exempt from misfortune, no matter
how hard you work, and that you simply have to maintain a positive
attitude and stay focused, which is what we, as a team, have done. We
have put that behind us and are looking to regain our momentum and
finish with a high outcome."
Realizing that a near-perfect effort would be required to attain their
objectives in these last two events, the Martin-led crew took their
between-race preparation to an even higher level. Over the last week,
they gave their 2,400-horsepower hot rod an intense going-over, ensuring
it would be in optimum operating condition upon its arrival in Maryland,
as exemplified by their resolution of an issue that plagued them at the
last race.
"This team is committed to having a strong performance at Maryland
International Raceway and our preparation prior to this race reflects
our desire to win," detailed Martin. "For example, we had a small
electrical problem at the last race. Throughout my career as an
engineer and a professional racer, I've had my share of challenges where
we had to diagnose a problem. There is nothing worse than an
electrical problem, especially when it is intermittent, as this was,
because you can't see it, unlike a mechanical problem, where you have
wear patterns or other mechanical physics that you can observe.
"Therefore, not only did we diagnose it from every aspect possible, but
we worked through the entire scenario on the race car. We then
dismounted every component that was related to that circuitry, put it on
our engine dyno, and went through an extensive test matrix. We put the
components back in the car to make sure everything was happy, and, as a
final test, reintroduced the faulty part just to make sure we had
repeatability of the problem, making sure it was resolved once and for
all. It is all part of the extensive preparation we will go through to
put ourselves in a position to qualify well and win on Sunday."
2. Maryland International Raceway a Favorite with the Martin Crew
One factor working in Martin's favor is Maryland International Raceway,
site of this weekend's event. Located near our nation's capital in
Budd's Creek, Maryland, this venerable quarter-mile attracts a strong
contingent of Harold Martin fans, who will do their part to help cheer
their driver to victory. At the same time, the "EFI Wizard" will do his
best to reward them for their support.
"Maryland International Raceway is always a fun track to race on because
it has a really good fan base," said Martin. "We traditionally have a
ton of Harold Martin fans that come out to support us, so we get excited
and pumped to do well there.
"It's interesting in that Budds Creek usually leaves you with an
optimistic outlook that you're going to run some stellar numbers because
it has the potential of good atmospheric conditions. However, you have
to balance that with never knowing what you're going to encounter until
you get there, particularly at this time of the year. In addition, the
racing surface is extremely sensitive to having sun on it, so you could
have the combination of great air that produces power and a track that
won't hold it, which is an interesting challenge.
"However, this ACDelco team is excited going in to this race because we
have a pretty good notebook on what to do under multiple scenarios.
Therefore, we will go in humbly, read what the scenario is, tune
accordingly and look to have some fun with it."
3. ACDelco Crew Keeping Others in Their Thoughts
Once he arrives at Maryland International Raceway, Harold Martin will
naturally concentrate on extracting the maximum performance from his
ACDelco Pontiac. However, even as he and his team work to have a
productive racing weekend, Martin will be mindful of others struggling
in other parts of the country, as some continue to recover from the
effects of Hurricane Katrina, while others brace for the landfall of
Hurricane Rita. As Martin details, it is a powerful reality check.
"We will be keeping those people in our thoughts in a huge way," stated
Martin. "This again tells us how exposed we all are, and what can truly
happen to you. As much as I may have felt my world was falling apart
earlier due to some misfortune, in the bigger scope of things, it wasn't
even on the radar compared to other people who had their entire lives
and families turned upside down. Certainly, our hearts are out to them
and we hope this new storm is minimized in its impact, and allows those
trying to recover a chance to keep returning to normalcy. We wish them
all the very best."
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, September 23 - One qualifying session at
7:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 24 - Two qualifying sessions at
3:00 & 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 25 - First round of eliminations
starts at 11:00 a.m.
TV Schedule:
Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 5:00 -
6:00 p.m. - Speed Channel
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