Cordova Romine Summary

PAUL ROMINE EARNS SEMIFINAL FINISH AT IHRA SUMMER NATIONALS

CORDOVA, ILL (June 20, 1999) -- Two-time and reigning IHRA Top Fuel Champion Paul Romine guided his CARQUEST Auto Parts dragster to a semifinal finish Sunday at the IHRA Amalie Oil Summer Nationals at Cordova Dragway Park near Cordova, Ill.

Romine, 51, of Indianapolis, defeated Steve Smith in round one with a holeshot aided, tire smoking 5.417/244.34 to 5.407/185.46. The margin of victory at the finish line was a mere four-thousandths. With the win, Romine advanced to a semifinal meeting with Jack Ostrander of Pontiac, Mich.

In four previous meetings, Romine was undefeated against Ostrander, but this time Ostrander earned the win light, defeating Romine's CARQUEST Auto Parts dragster, 5.007/ 290.19 to 5.050 270.16.

"If I had to lose to anyone, I'd rather it be Jack than anyone," Romine said. "He's a hard core racer and it was good to see him make a final. We just needed him to take out (Jim) Bailey (in the final) and he didn't so we'll have to go to New York and try again to make a dent in the points battle there."

The CARQUEST Auto Parts team's next IHRA event will be the CARQUEST Empire Nationals, July 9-11, at New York International Raceway near Rochester, NY. Prior to the CARQUEST Empire Nationals, Romine will match race current IHRA Snap-on points leader, Bruce Litton, July 2 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.

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.