Norwalk Paul Romine Preview

Time running out for Romine in IHRA Top Fuel points chase

INDIANAPOLIS (August 24, 1998) -- Including the Prolong Super Lubricants World Nationals, Aug. 28-30, at the beautiful Norwalk Raceway Park in Norwalk, Ohio, Paul Romine and the CARQUEST team has three IHRA national events left in the 1998 Snap-on Drag Racing season....three events that will decide the 1998 IHRA Top Fuel World Champion.

At the most recent IHRA national event, the CARQUEST Northern Nationals in Stanton, Mich., Romine met points leader Tommy Johnson, Jr. in the opening round of eliminations. Despite recording the quickest elapsed time of the round, Romine lost on a hole-shot.

“The race between myself and Tommy at Stanton was a classic race for the fans, but we came out on the losing end,” Romine said. “Fortunately (Tommy) went out in the next round so we didn’t lose much ground on him in the point standings. The problem we now face though is we’re running out of time to catch him. We have three events left to make up a two round deficient and Norwalk would be a great place to begin.”

Norwalk Raceway Park has been the host to two of Romine’s biggest wins since his return last season to conventional Top Fuel. At the ‘97 Prolong Super Lubricants World Nationals, Romine obliterated the IHRA elapsed time record en-route to winning the event and sewing up his first IHRA championship. Earlier this season in a much hyped match race between himself and NHRA World Champion Gary Scelzi, Romine came out on the winning end of Norwalk’s Undisputed Top Fuel World Championship.

“I really like racing at Norwalk because the Bader’s do such a great job in making it IHRA’s premiere facility,” Romine said. “The World Nationals is IHRA most prestigious event and everyone wants to win it, this year we need to win it.”

Top Fuel qualifying for the 21st annual IHRA Prolong Super Lubricants World Nationals begins Friday, August 28th at 4 p.m. (EDT). Qualifying concludes, Saturday, August 29th with two sessions scheduled at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Final eliminations are set to begin at 12 noon, Sunday, August 30th.

ESPN2 will televise a one hour highlight program of the World Nationals at a later date. Check your local listings for dates and times.

Ticket information for the 21st annual Prolong Super Lubricants World Nationals can be obtained by calling Norwalk Raceway Park (419) 668-5555 or IHRA (419) 663-6666.