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 GAINESVILLE,
FL (March 15-18, 2007) -- Hoosier tires carried several drivers to
record-setting runs over the weekend at the 38th annual ACDelco NHRA
Gatornationals in Florida. In the 2007 NHRA Pro Mod opener, two
drivers using Hoosier's 34.5/17.0-16 C2055 drag slicks set new world records.
Josh Hernandez (near lane) and Troy Critchley (far lane) both set records on
their way to meeting in the final round. Maybe even more amazing, was that just
three of the twenty-three class participants were competing on Hoosier tires.
In Top Alcohol Funny Car, Bob Tasca III ran the quickest pass ever with an ET
of 5.451 seconds, while Frank Manzo went 265.74 mph to establish a new record
for the class. Both drivers were also using the same 34.5/17.0-16 C2055 tire
used to set the new Pro Mod records.
PRO MOD
Both Josh Hernandez and Troy Critchley each set a new world record on their way
to the Pro Mod finals using Hoosier tires. Hernandez, in a '68 Camaro, ran the
quickest ET ever with a time of 5.912 seconds in the first round, while
Critchley, in a '70 Barracuda, ran 245.81 mph to set the speed record in his first
round run. The pair eventually fought their way to the finals with Hernandez
claiming the win with a .018 reaction time and a 5.938 ET (244.29 mph) using
Hoosier's 34.5/17.0-16 C2055 (part #18790).
TOP ALCOHOL FUNNY CAR
It was a similar story in T/A Funny Car with two Hoosier-shod drivers raising
the bar for everyone. Bob Tasca III ran the quickest pass ever with an ET of
5.451 but was unable to back it up to set a new world record after suffering a
mechanical failure. Frank Manzo, however, did set a new world record with the
fastest pass in T/A Funny Car history with a speed of 265.74 mph.
In the final though, it was Mickey Ferro and Paul Gill in yet
another all-Hoosier final with both drivers riding using the 34.5/17.0-16 C2055
tire. It was Ferro getting the jump at the light with a .081 reaction time to
Gill's .153 RT. Gill had the better ET with a 5.529 (258.42 mph) to Ferro's
5.557 ET (256.60 mph), but Ferro was able to hold on at the finish line for the
win.
SUPER GAS
In the third, all-Hoosier final of the weekend, Jim Morrison met Steve
Cohen in the Super Gas final. Both drivers had nearly identical reaction times
with Morrison posting a .015 RT to Cohen's .014 RT. Morrison, however, had the
better ET with a 9.902 (.002) to Cohen's 9.913 ET (.013) on the 9.90 index.
Congratulations also go out to Bill Hawk who was runner-up in
the Stock class on Hoosier's 30.0/9.0R-15 C06 radial drag tires.
Hoosier Drag Racing Product Manager, Faron Lubbers, who was in
Florida attending the event commented "We're really proud of the efforts
of our (Hoosier-shod) drivers at the Gatornationals." Lubbers added,
"I think the results speak for themselves. There were only three of
twenty-three drivers on Hoosiers in the Pro Mod class and two of them set new
world records on their way to making it an all-Hoosier final."
The NHRA Series will be back in action at the O'Reilly NHRA
Spring Nationals in Houston, TX. The event begins March 30.
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