Hernandez looking to stay solidly in ADRL championship hunt

ROCKINGHAM, N.C. (September 13, 2007) - Qualifying for the American Drag Racing League Championship "Battle for the Belts" ends with the Eastern Race Fuels Dragstock IV in Rockingham, North Carolina this weekend, and Josh Hernandez, driver of the Dr. Moon's Rage '57 Chevy Bel Air, aims to keep his No. 2 position in the points and gain momentum heading into the World Finals.

"It never ceases to amaze me, that you can race for a whole season, and yet making the playoffs comes down to one race," Hernandez said. "I think it really speaks highly of what [ADRL President] Kenny Nowling has brought together, and what kind of talent and quality cars we're all racing against."

Only the top eight points-earners in each class at the completion of this weekend's Dragstock IV will qualify for the Battle for the Belts championship eliminators, Oct. 12 at the AlphaTrade ADRL World Finals in Ennis, Texas. Hernandez currently sits No. 2 with 1568 points, and although statistically possible to miss the top-eight field, all he has to do clinch a spot in the finals is to qualify for the event - something he has never failed to do.

"We're definitely out there to do more than qualify, that's for sure. Howard [Moon, crew chief] has been itching to get the car back on the track since the last race, and I know he'll have it tuned up and ready to go," Hernandez said.

"I've always loved Dragstock since we started racing ADRL four years ago - the people are great and the atmosphere is electric. I just have a feeling about this weekend - it's going to be good," he said.

The race will follow what has become the ADRL's template for national event competition: open testing for most of the day Friday, followed by one round of professional qualifying at 8 p.m. local time, with Saturday featuring two rounds of qualifying (noon and 2 p.m.) and the first round of eliminations for all classes at 4 p.m.