Topeka: Tom Hammonds Friday notes

HAMMONDS LOOKS TO IMPROVE IN STANDINGS

(TOPEKA, Kan., May 30, 2008) - Sitting in 15th place after two qualifying rounds, Tom Hammonds, pro stock car driver/owner of No. 20 Chevy Cobalt, looks to improve tomorrow at the NHRA Summer Nationals.

Hammonds registered an elapsed time of 6.828 at 202.61 mph for the first qualifying round and an elapsed time of 6.782 at 202.91 mph for the second qualifying round. Off to a pleasing start, he feels that if he had not changed the set-ups of the Chevy Cobalt they may have faired better.

"We made some changes to our Chevy Cobalt before the very first qualifying run," explains Hammonds, "and I think the changes were not the best. We need to go back to our original plan before we drove into Topeka, [Kan.]. Our original set-ups were similar to those we had in Bristol, [Tenn.]."

With the Chevy Cobalt holding steady for tomorrow's competition, Hammonds is looking to get into the qualifying field early. The team is in a good position to improve which is encouraging. He is hoping to run better after returning to the original set-ups and preparing of the weather conditions. Not expected, the track temper reached 125 degrees, in 90-degree weather today, for more of the same forecasted for Saturday.

"We had no mechanical problems, and everything turned out pretty well. It was definitely the hottest conditions we have seen all year, which we did not expect. I guess this was one time the weatherman was right. So, we will be prepared tomorrow."

Hammonds takes the Heartland Park track tomorrow for the third qualifying round at 11:30 a.m. CST.

-credit: thr