Gateway: Marc White preview

Etterman Racing

White looking to pick up where he left off in Columbus

MADISON, Ill. - Just last weekend, Marc White and the Etterman Racing team were fighting hot weather and track conditions at the Pontiac Excitement Nationals in Columbus, Ohio. During this weekend's Sears Craftsman Nationals at Gateway International Raceway just outside of St. Louis, the team expects to encounter near identical racing conditions. With one of the fastest cars at the track last weekend, White feels the 'bad' conditions will play right into his hand this weekend.

The Glendale Heights, Ill., based driver has had a year full of promise, but still has not found that elusive first win of this year. White was one of the first drivers in the class to run in the 5.60's under current rules earlier in the year, and has consistently been one of the fastest cars in the country. This weekend, White hopes to use that performance to pick up the team's first win of the year.

"The conditions should be the same this weekend," said White. "We're just going to go in there with the tune-up we started working on in Columbus for these conditions. We're going to try to maintain a consistent pace during the day, and try to do pretty well."

"St. Louis is just another hunk of asphalt and concrete we have to deal with, that's the way we look at it."

White used consistent 5.8 second elapsed times to pick up a runner up finish at last weekend's NHRA Sportsman All-Stars event, and a semifinal finish on Sunday. White feels that low 5.80's and high .70's will be what it takes to win this weekend.

"It may not be quite as hot as Columbus was this weekend," stated White. "Only time will tell until we get there, but if you can run mid .70's to an .80 flat or so, will be a pretty stout number down there."

Qualifying begins on Friday for the Federal Mogul Funny Cars, with sessions at noon and 4 p.m. Stay tuned to the team's website, EttermanRacing.com for daily updates of the team's progress from St. Louis.

-ER-