Harker Twins Qualify Strong in Pomona
POMONA, Calif. (November 2, 2007) - In person, 20-year-old twins Kate and Diana Harker are friendly if not demure, but on the racetrack, they are proving to be quite a force to reckon with. With qualifying complete in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Calif., the twins are respectably qualified at numbers 5 and 10 out of the 26 Top Alcohol Dragsters that completed laps down the famed Southern California quarter-mile.
Diana, competing in just her first NHRA national event, sits No. 10 in her ProCare Rx A/Fuel Dragster on the strength of her Randy Meyer-tuned lap of 5.377/256.31 Friday afternoon. Kate, who has had the benefit of driving for veteran champion Tom Conway all season, sits a comfortable fifth in her Torco/Skull Shine A/Fuel Dragster with 5.295/268.65.
"We had put down a good lap yesterday at 5.49/243, and Randy [Meyer, car owner/crew chief] and the team really stepped it up for this ProCare Rx Dragster today. They were hoping for a low-40, so, to come off with a 5.37 and end up No. 10, we were all very excited," Diana said.
"There is so much to think about when you race here at Pomona. It's an amazing facility, and I'm really working hard to do my best. One of the things I've been focusing on is getting the 'chutes out in time because it's got a short shut-off area, but it's been no problem really," she said.
Kate said, "I'm really happy Diana is doing so well, and we're doing great, too. Tom Conway is such a professional, and he really got a hold of the track today on both runs. After yesterday's pass at 5.36 in the Skull Shine Dragster, Tom tried some new clutch fingers and adjusted the set up, and our '.29 is proof that he really knows his stuff.
"Everything felt good in both runs down the track today, and I'm confident that we'll be in good shape when eliminations start tomorrow," Kate said.
Overall in qualifying, Kate ran 5.365, 5.295 and 5.374 second passes, and Diana ran 5.491, 5.377 and 6.005, putting out cylinders just after the green light on her final lap.
The twins will enter eliminations on opposite sides of the ladder and Kate will face No 12 Shawn Cowie in his Blown Alcohol Dragster, and Diana will face veteran Duane Shields in his A/Fuel Dragster. Should the women advance to the finals, it would set up the first-ever twin-sister-finals in Top Alcohol Dragster history. Eliminations begin Saturday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. and conclude Sunday, November 4 after 11 a.m.
