IHRA: Romine Ready to Take on New Track at Cordova
17 June 1999
CORDOVA, ILL - Paul Romine and the CARQUEST team will be greeted by a newly repaved track and a change in the Top Fuel qualifying procedure when they compete, June 19th and 20th at the IHRA Amalie Oil Summer Nationals at Cordova Dragway Park in Cordova, Ill."This will be our third year racing at Cordova and that new surface is going to be a welcomed sight," said Romine, who earned a runner-up finish to Doug Herbert last year at the Summer Nationals. "Cordova has always had a great starting line, but once the cement ended, so did the track. Now that they have the complete package to the finish line, I expect the track records to take a beating early on."
Also new to the CARQUEST team this weekend will be a different qualifying schedule. Instead of three qualifying passes, Top Fuel competitor will only be granted two on Saturday with the eliminating of Friday's solo qualifying attempt.
"With only two chances to make the show, we're going to have to be conservative and just make it down the track in our first try Saturday afternoon," said Romine, the two-time and defending IHRA Top Fuel World Champion. "Then hopefully we can go for it in the Night of Fire."
The Amalie Oil Summer Nationals is the fourth event of the ten event 1999 Snap-on Drag Racing season. With six events left, Romine trails points leader Bruce Litton by five rounds of competition (-101) and Don Lampus by three rounds (-62).
"It is a long year and a lot of things can happen in ten races," Romine said. "I don't think anyone would have thought last year we would catch Tommy (Johnson, Jr.) for the championship, but we did. This season again we have our work cut out because Litton is very consistent and Lampus is starting to get his act together like season."
Top Fuel qualifying for the Amalie Oil Summer Nationals is scheduled for Saturday, June 19TH at 12 noon and 7 p.m. (CDT). Final eliminations are set for Sunday, June 20th at 12 noon.
Tickets for the Amalie Oil Summer Nationals are just $30 Saturday and
Sunday with children 5-12 only $5. Instant results from the event are
available at
ESPN2 will provide one-hour of tape-delayed coverage of the IHRA Amalie Oil Summer Nationals, Tuesday, July 27th at 3 p.m. (EDT), followed by a replay, Saturday, July 31st at 2:30 a.m.
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