Harold Martin Rockingham II Saturday summary

Martin Will Roll Off 14th at "The Rock"

Racers returning to Rockingham Dragway for the rescheduled Udderly Smooth World Finals encountered weather conditions that severely tested those tuning the 230-mph Pro Mods. Although the unseasonably cool temperatures were ideal for making horsepower, the resulting reduction in track temperature put traction at a premium. Further adding to the challenge was the fact that the atmospheric conditions were different for each of the three qualifying sessions.

Fortunately, Harold Martin and the ACDelco Pontiac Racing team were among those who were able to solve the high-speed puzzle. On his second attempt on Saturday afternoon, Martin posted a solid 6.215 second elapsed time with a top speed of 225.15 mph, earning the fourteenth starting position for Sunday's final eliminations.

"Qualifying under these conditions put us in somewhat of a quandary. We just didn't know how long of a delay we would have in the staging lanes, so we weren't sure whether we should leave the trailer loaded for bear or with a set-up designed to get a data point on how to go down a tricky racetrack.

"Tonight the track was actually very good and could have taken a lot more of our ACDelco Pontiac's horsepower, but our set-up was way too soft. As a result, we had excessive clutch slippage from one end to the other.

"However, the good news is that this ACDelco team is in the show. Ironically, the conditions are forecast to be completely different for eliminations with warmer temperatures. Therefore, we will go back look at our notes to be ready for whatever tomorrow brings, get our bullets freshened up, and come out ready to have some fun."

-jgk-