Martin Determined to Start Second Half Charge in Toronto

The 2006 eMax Drag Racing season will reach its midpoint this weekend during the IHRA Canadian Nationals in Cayuga, Ontario, Canada. After battling a series of misfortunes in the first few races, Harold Martin and his ACDelco Pro Modified Pontiac Racing team are determined to use this third and final Canadian event of the year as a launching pad for an outstanding second half. Having resolved to do whatever is necessary to regain the winning form for which they are known, Martin and his crew have worked non-stop since the last event to ensure everything is in perfect working order before heading north of the border.

“Heading into this weekend, I have to give my entire ACDelco Pro Mod Pontiac Racing team an ‘A’ for effort,” stated Martin. “In the past few weeks, we have had nothing short of eighteen-hour days working at the racetrack and at our shop, because we were determined find anything we could to return us back to the level of performance we know we are capable of.

“For example, on Thursday morning when we were supposed to be departing for Cayuga, the car was still disassembled and there was a list of things we wanted to do to it. However, the end result of this tremendous effort is that we are going to have a race car with a set-up that is very different from anything we’ve raced to date.

“We have seen the numbers we need in testing, so it is not a matter of reaching a new level of performance. Rather, we must get our car to repeat these high levels of performance on a consistent basis. We believe we have found problems that we have addressed, so we anticipate turning things around this weekend.”

With another tough Pro Modified field expected this weekend, Martin knows he will need every advantage he can get in order to succeed. Fortunately, he will arrive at Toronto Motorsports Park armed with a talented, close-knit and hard-working crew, a fast race car and a solid book of knowledge on adapting to the conditions on the Cayuga quarter-mile. Although this weekend’s results will provide the ultimate confirmation, with all the pieces at his disposal, the man known as the “EFI Wizard” is confident of putting together a strong showing.

“We look forward to racing at Toronto Motorsports Park, starting with ACDelco’s history there, and continuing with the many fans who will come out and support us this weekend,” said Martin. “The facility is a good one, and we have some very good notes on the racing surface. If our race program is able to deliver the consistency that we have been looking for, we are confident that the Canadian Nationals will be a great turning point for our ACDelco Pro Mod Pontiac’s season.”

Notes on Harold Martin and the ACDelco Pontiac Racing Team entering The IHRA Canadian Nationals:

Martin Has Been a Solid Performer in Cayuga: In this event’s first four years, Harold has two starts in the top half of the field, and three quarter-final finishes.

One Year Ago: Harold captured the ninth starting spot with a 6.263-second, 224.28 mph pass, and advanced to the quarterfinals

Event Schedule:

Qualifying:
Friday, July 21: One round at 7:00 p.m.
Saturday, July 22: Two rounds at 3:00 & 7:00 p.m.

Final Eliminations:
Sunday, July 23: First round of eliminations at 11:00 a.m.
Pre-race ceremonies start at 12:15 p.m.
Quarter-finals at 12:30 p.m.
Semi-finals at 2:30 p.m.
Championship round at 4:30 p.m.

Television Schedule:
Saturday, August 19: 5:00 – 6:00 p.m. (Speed Channel)