Deby
Nitro Member
LAS VEGAS (November 2, 2008) – Newly crowned Jegs ProMod World Champion Josh Hernandez put an exclamation point on his second championship season with an exciting win at the ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
After qualifying in the No. 2 spot with a 6.015/236.75, Hernandez worked his way through the ladder defeating Joe Baker, Mike Moran and Taylor Lastor to match up against No. 16 qualifier Mike Knowles in the final. In a thrilling side-by-side duel, Hernandez edged Knowles at the stripe by less than six feet to win his fourth event of the season, 6.001/238.55 to Knowles'6.046/238.47.
"This has been such an exciting and exhausting last two weeks, I am almost completely numb," Hernandez said. "When we clinched the championship last night, the whole team was completely thrilled, but we all knew we had one more thing to do - win in Vegas."
Hernandez secured his second World Championship Saturday during qualifying when runner-up Tony Pontieri failed to qualify for the final Jegs ProMod event.
"Coming into today, we were all relaxed, because we knew we had the Championship taken care of, and I think our attitude was more like, 'lets show people how we earned back-to-back championships by winning this race.' Mike gave me a heck of a race, and I'm sure that next season, he'll be right at the top, because he has done such a great job building his program. My hat is off to him.
"I have to say that without the Troy Critchley engines and supercharger power, and the tuning brilliance of Jim and Dave Oddy, there is no possible way we could have won this race or the Crown. Troy is a real genius, and I think he's proven that he has the best stuff out there. Jim and Dave have taken that and made all the right calls, giving me such an incredible ride, they are the champions.
"Dave Wood and Tommy Lipar, and all of the people who have been cheering for me all season long, supporting me and sponsoring this team, it's obvious they know how to pick winners and I'm humbled to have been able to drive for them.
"Of course, my wife Amber and my boys, they are my real treasures, and without their support and love and encouragement, I couldn't have even gotten out here to do this and follow my dreams. I love them with all my heart," Hernandez said.
The now two-time World Champion has previously announced his team will be focusing on ADRL racing in 2009, but Hernandez said he hasn't ruled out defending his title in JEGS ProMod competition.
"You never know what will happen in the off-season, and I'd love nothing more than to go for a three-peat. We'll just have to see what's in the cards for me and quarter-mile racing, but you can be sure I'm going to try to be out here as well as running in the ADRL. Stay tuned," Hernandez said.
Team Rage would like to wind up this great season with a special thank you to our corporate partners who made this happen: Thunderworx Race Engines, Superchargers, Inc, Redline Oil, NGK spark plugs, Permatex Products, Richmond Gears, Victory One, Hoosiers Tires, Mechanix Wear & Interlinc Mortgage.
After qualifying in the No. 2 spot with a 6.015/236.75, Hernandez worked his way through the ladder defeating Joe Baker, Mike Moran and Taylor Lastor to match up against No. 16 qualifier Mike Knowles in the final. In a thrilling side-by-side duel, Hernandez edged Knowles at the stripe by less than six feet to win his fourth event of the season, 6.001/238.55 to Knowles'6.046/238.47.
"This has been such an exciting and exhausting last two weeks, I am almost completely numb," Hernandez said. "When we clinched the championship last night, the whole team was completely thrilled, but we all knew we had one more thing to do - win in Vegas."
Hernandez secured his second World Championship Saturday during qualifying when runner-up Tony Pontieri failed to qualify for the final Jegs ProMod event.
"Coming into today, we were all relaxed, because we knew we had the Championship taken care of, and I think our attitude was more like, 'lets show people how we earned back-to-back championships by winning this race.' Mike gave me a heck of a race, and I'm sure that next season, he'll be right at the top, because he has done such a great job building his program. My hat is off to him.
"I have to say that without the Troy Critchley engines and supercharger power, and the tuning brilliance of Jim and Dave Oddy, there is no possible way we could have won this race or the Crown. Troy is a real genius, and I think he's proven that he has the best stuff out there. Jim and Dave have taken that and made all the right calls, giving me such an incredible ride, they are the champions.
"Dave Wood and Tommy Lipar, and all of the people who have been cheering for me all season long, supporting me and sponsoring this team, it's obvious they know how to pick winners and I'm humbled to have been able to drive for them.
"Of course, my wife Amber and my boys, they are my real treasures, and without their support and love and encouragement, I couldn't have even gotten out here to do this and follow my dreams. I love them with all my heart," Hernandez said.
The now two-time World Champion has previously announced his team will be focusing on ADRL racing in 2009, but Hernandez said he hasn't ruled out defending his title in JEGS ProMod competition.
"You never know what will happen in the off-season, and I'd love nothing more than to go for a three-peat. We'll just have to see what's in the cards for me and quarter-mile racing, but you can be sure I'm going to try to be out here as well as running in the ADRL. Stay tuned," Hernandez said.
Team Rage would like to wind up this great season with a special thank you to our corporate partners who made this happen: Thunderworx Race Engines, Superchargers, Inc, Redline Oil, NGK spark plugs, Permatex Products, Richmond Gears, Victory One, Hoosiers Tires, Mechanix Wear & Interlinc Mortgage.
