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Hammonds' Rte. 66 Debut Postponed

4 June 1999

CHEVROLET NOTES AND QUOTES
ROUTE 66 RACEWAY
JOLIET, ILL.
FRAM NATIONALS
NHRA WINSTON DRAG RACING SERIES


TOM HAMMONDS, WINNEBAGO/KENDALL OIL/MATCO TOOLS CAMARO Z28, was planning on
competing here in his first event of the 1999 NHRA season following test
sessions held here last week and at National Trail Raceway in Columbus,
Ohio, today.  However, he has cancelled his plans after transmission
problems cut short his test runs today.  Hammonds, power forward for the
Minnesota Timberwolves basketball team, is returning to NHRA drag racing
competition in the Pro Stock category after his team lost the fourth race
of the first round in the Western Conference of the NBA Playoffs to the San
Antonio Spurs.

"We had the same problem in Columbus that we had testing at Route 66.  It
would not shift out of first gear.  We tried and tried and tried, but it
wouldn't shift.  I can't just show up in Joliet just to be there.  I need
to know that we are completely ready and have a good chance of qualifying.
We have two new transmissions from Liberty coming to Rick Jones' (chassis
builder) shop on Monday.  We will get it straightened out and test on
Wednesday in St. Louis and be ready for the Columbus (Pontiac Excitement
Nationals) race.  I'd rather wait a week for our debut and have the Camaro
right and have everything right for being able to win the race.  It's not
fair to myself, to Chevrolet, Winnebago, Matco Tools and Kendall Oil to go
to Joliet and do half a job.  It's tough enough as it is in Pro Stock
without having to have any problems, and we've had our share the last
couple of weeks.  The only thing to do now is to use the same transmission
that about 98% of the field is using and have that ready before Columbus."
ON RETURNING FOR THE '99 SEASON:  "I am definitely looking forward to
racing again.  I had mixed feelngs about the playoffs; I wanted to win, but
I wanted to get back to drag racing too.  Columbus last year was the first
race for us with a brand new car, and we qualified and ran well.  I don't
see anything different this time.  As long as we have the bugs worked out
of the transmission we should go out and run well."