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National: Steve Harker Gainesville preview

Harker Hopes GatorNationals will Make-Up for Atlanta Misery Gainesville, FL - After one of those disappointing weekends all racers face, Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Steve Harker is looking forward to putting the LODRS Division Two event held at ...

Edited: Mar 12, 2010, 3:35 AM

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Harker Hopes GatorNationals will Make-Up for Atlanta Misery

Gainesville, FL - After one of those disappointing weekends all racers face, Top Alcohol Funny Car pilot Steve Harker is looking forward to putting the LODRS Division Two event held at Atlanta Dragway March 5-7 behind him. The quickest way to do this as any racer will tell you is to move on to the next race, and that's what Harker and team plan to do, heading straight to Gainesville Fl for the NHRA GatorNationals this coming weekend March 11-14.

In what can only be described as a weekend of engine carnage, the LODRS Division Two race held at Atlanta Dragway was certainly a memorable weekend for the Harker Motorsport Team but not in a good way. After badly burning up a piston and having to change motors between qualifiers, Harker look set for Sunday's eliminations as number 2 qualifier with a 5.57et at 244mph.

Taking on Melinda Green-King in the first round, Harker gave up the start line advantage to Green-King however was able to make up the difference by 330ft and that was as good as this run would get. With smoke billowing from the back of the car, Harker crossed the finish line to take the win light but the damage was done. Number 4 rod not only broke, it split the block in two, from the top of the cylinder port right down to the pan. In 20 years of Alcohol Funny Car Racing, Harker and wife, Jenelle have only ever experienced rod failure 4 times but nothing to the extent they witnessed in Atlanta.

Unable to repair or replace the broken engine, Harker and team forfeited their Semi-Final match up against eventual event winner Jay Payne. After two days of solid work to repair a motor for this weekend's GatorNationals, Harker is determined to ensure their 'fast hot rod' will be back in fine form once again.

-source: harker motorsport

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