LAS VEGAS (Nov. 1) -- Josh Hernandez added a second consecutive JEGS ProMod Challenge world championship to his resume Saturday evening by successfully qualifying for the season-ending eighth annual ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Hernandez's No. 2 qualifying effort of 6.015 seconds at 236.75 mph combined with Tony Pontieri's unfortunate DNQ sealed the deal for the series' most successful racer.
"It's hard to describe how great this feels," Hernandez said. "It's been so up and down over the last few weeks and we had a stumble there in Richmond that opened the door for Tony but this team never let up and we managed to get it done. It's been stressful but now it all seems totally worthwhile. What a deal! I'm the happiest guy in the world."
A three-time winner this season, Hernandez has a total of 16 victories in the 41 NHRA races in which he's competed. He's never suffered a DNQ and has amassed 14 low qualifier awards, including six this year.
In elimination rounds this year, Hernandez is 17-5 (a 77 percent success ratio), which matches his career winning ratio produced by a lifetime elimination-round mark of 88-26. He recently posted the quickest pass in history when he ran a 5.900 in Richmond.
"I have to thank my crew chief, Jim Oddy, and all the guys on the team that give me a great racecar every weekend," Hernandez said. "We win and lose as a team and this is just as much their trophy as it is mine."
Ray Commisso ended up as the No. 1 qualifier, edging Hernandez with a 6.012 at 239.87 mph.
"It's hard to describe how great this feels," Hernandez said. "It's been so up and down over the last few weeks and we had a stumble there in Richmond that opened the door for Tony but this team never let up and we managed to get it done. It's been stressful but now it all seems totally worthwhile. What a deal! I'm the happiest guy in the world."
A three-time winner this season, Hernandez has a total of 16 victories in the 41 NHRA races in which he's competed. He's never suffered a DNQ and has amassed 14 low qualifier awards, including six this year.
In elimination rounds this year, Hernandez is 17-5 (a 77 percent success ratio), which matches his career winning ratio produced by a lifetime elimination-round mark of 88-26. He recently posted the quickest pass in history when he ran a 5.900 in Richmond.
"I have to thank my crew chief, Jim Oddy, and all the guys on the team that give me a great racecar every weekend," Hernandez said. "We win and lose as a team and this is just as much their trophy as it is mine."
Ray Commisso ended up as the No. 1 qualifier, edging Hernandez with a 6.012 at 239.87 mph.
