Pomona Rick Santos Preview

RICK SANTOS FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER POMONA RACEWAY NOTES AND QUOTES

Rick Santos, driver of the Oakwood Homes Federal-Mogul Dragster, clinched his second consecutive Federal-Mogul Dragster National Championship at the Revell Nationals in Dallas Texas on October 25.

Santos has nine wins in the 13 points events he has entered in 1998 (four national and five divisional).

Pomona Raceway is the home track for Jack O'Bannon Racing. It is the site where Jack O'Bannon Racing and Rick Santos won their first race together, the Winston Finals in 1996.

Rick Santos has reached several milestones in his career at Pomona Raceway. He went to his first final round there in 1986 with his family owned team and won his first event there when he defeated Blaine Johnson in 1991. With Jack O'Bannon, the team was the first blown car to make three consecutive 5.5-second passes in 1996.

"Pomona has been a good track for me," said Santos. "We have always run pretty well there and we have a lot of nice memories, especially the first win with the family team and with Jack O'Bannon. Since it is the home track for Jack O'Bannon Racing, we have a lot of support from the fans. We have a good record there, so we hope to finish out the 1998 season with five national wins."

Since joining with Jack O'Bannon Racing in 1996, Santos has won at Pomona Raceway two times in four starts (1996 Winston Finals and 1998 Winternationals). Last year at the Winston Finals, Santos qualified third and lost in the final against Chess Bushey when Santos had transmission problems.

This weekend will be the last event for the current Oakwood Homes dragster. It will retire to a show car to display next year. Santos is building a new car for the 1999 season.