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Columbus: Doug Herbert preview

Herbert optimistic as the Snap-on Tools team heads to Columbus COLUMBUS, pre-race: Doug Herbert always enjoys going to National Trail Raceway, the site of the 42nd annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals. The driver of the Snap-on Tools Doug ...

Published: May 17, 2006, 10:54 PM

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Herbert optimistic as the Snap-on Tools team heads to Columbus

COLUMBUS, pre-race: Doug Herbert always enjoys going to National Trail Raceway, the site of the 42nd annual Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals. The driver of the Snap-on Tools Doug Herbert Performance Top Fuel dragster won his first NHRA national event at the fabled facility in 1993 and scored again in 1999. This weekend Herbert will attempt to drive his way into the winner's circle for a Columbus three-peat as the NHRA tour travels to Ohio.

Herbert was dominant in his first NHRA Top Fuel victory during his sophomore season in the class. The 38-year-old North Carolinian defeated former drivers Joe Amato, Eddie Hill, Kenny Bernstein and Rance McDaniel en route to capturing his first Wally. Herbert also set top speed of the event and ran low elapsed time during eliminations.

"We need more days like that," Herbert mused as he prepared for the race at his expansive North Carolina shop. "It's always great to go back to a track where you have enjoyed success in the past, we would love to put the Snap-on Tools dragster back in the winner's circle at Columbus and get back into serious contention for the POWERade championship."

Herbert was unable to complete any pre-season testing prior to the beginning of the 2006 season as the team waited for crew chief Wayne Dupuy to recover from a serious Thanksgiving automobile accident. Dupuy's miraculous recovery and return to action at the season-opener in Pomona helped the team reach the semifinals twice during the first three races.

"Dougzilla' was as high as third in the POWERade Drag Racing Series point's standings early in the season. But the team has struggled at the last several races, due in part to changes as they learn to adapt to a new Murf McKinney dragster that the team brought out in Bristol and a new Goodyear tire mandated for use in Top Fuel. Herbert however, still remains solidly in the Top 10 in points entering the Pontiac Performance NHRA Nationals in the 9th position in the POWERade Drag Racing Series standings.

"We're enduring a bit of a learning curve with the new car and the new tires," said Herbert. "But I'm confident that Wayne will have everything sorted out very soon. The Snap-on team is fully committed to do whatever it takes to win rounds on Sunday. We have the potential to out run any other car in the class, and a win this weekend in Columbus would go a long way to building momentum for a run at the NHRA championship."

-Doug Herbert Snap-on Racing

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