<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/Hernandez.Indy.jpg" alt="Hernandez.Indy" align="left"borders="0"/>
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 13, 2008) - Coming off a banner year highlighted by winning the World Championship crown, six event wins and eight semifinal or better appearances out of ten races, Josh Hernandez is anxious to begin the 2008 season the same way he started last year - with a win at the Gatornationals. Faced with extreme changes in the off-season ranging from a new crew chief to a new series title sponsor, the defending champ said he is un-phased heading into the first Jeg’s Pro Mod Challenge event this weekend at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals.
"I'm really just happy to get back to the track and start racing," Hernandez said. "A lot has happened over the past several months that has been out of my control, so I've had to tell myself to just focus on other things and let whatever is supposed to happen, happen.
"Change is something that's constant, so I'm embracing everything, and anxious to get things rolling," he said.
Tuning the Team Rage '68 Camaro this year will be multiple-world championship winner and legendary crew chief and engine builder Jim Oddy. Oddy made his racing debut in the late-1960s and dominated the Pro Mod field for more than 35 years. Following the 2006 IHRA World Finals, he announced his retirement, only to return to action as the Crew Chief for Team Rage in both NHRA and ADRL competition. True to the legend, Oddy led Hernandez to his first event victory of the year just last weekend at the ADRL season opener in Baytown, Texas.
"I'm excited to be working with such an amazing tuner like Jim Oddy. He's already taught me so much, and with the win last weekend, I think he's already shown that he's definitely serious about keeping our winning-streak going," Hernandez said.
In Hernandez' 2007 Gatornationals victory, he set the world ET record for Pro Mod at a blistering 5.912 seconds, a mark that was unapproached at the remaining events of the year. The Texas native said he knows, however, that his record is up for grabs, and he said he can feel the heat of the other competitors breathing down his neck.
"When you set a standard like that, or win a championship like we did, you just know that everyone is gunning for you and that you've got a huge target painted squarely on your back - but I'm definitely ok with that. I think you'll see 5.80s this weekend as long as the weather holds, and I know that Jim definitely can get this Camaro moving, so I think we've got a really good shot at keeping the record," Hernandez said.
"There are a lot of great cars entered this weekend, so the competition will be fierce - but that's NHRA/Jegs drag racing - the best of the very best," he said.
Qualifying begins on Friday, March 14 with sessions scheduled at 2 and 4:30 p.m., and concludes with a final round of qualifying scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15. Eliminations begin at 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, and conclude Sunday March 16 beginning at 11 a.m.
Hernandez ready to defend his title at Gatornationals
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (March 13, 2008) - Coming off a banner year highlighted by winning the World Championship crown, six event wins and eight semifinal or better appearances out of ten races, Josh Hernandez is anxious to begin the 2008 season the same way he started last year - with a win at the Gatornationals. Faced with extreme changes in the off-season ranging from a new crew chief to a new series title sponsor, the defending champ said he is un-phased heading into the first Jeg’s Pro Mod Challenge event this weekend at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals.
"I'm really just happy to get back to the track and start racing," Hernandez said. "A lot has happened over the past several months that has been out of my control, so I've had to tell myself to just focus on other things and let whatever is supposed to happen, happen.
"Change is something that's constant, so I'm embracing everything, and anxious to get things rolling," he said.
Tuning the Team Rage '68 Camaro this year will be multiple-world championship winner and legendary crew chief and engine builder Jim Oddy. Oddy made his racing debut in the late-1960s and dominated the Pro Mod field for more than 35 years. Following the 2006 IHRA World Finals, he announced his retirement, only to return to action as the Crew Chief for Team Rage in both NHRA and ADRL competition. True to the legend, Oddy led Hernandez to his first event victory of the year just last weekend at the ADRL season opener in Baytown, Texas.
"I'm excited to be working with such an amazing tuner like Jim Oddy. He's already taught me so much, and with the win last weekend, I think he's already shown that he's definitely serious about keeping our winning-streak going," Hernandez said.
In Hernandez' 2007 Gatornationals victory, he set the world ET record for Pro Mod at a blistering 5.912 seconds, a mark that was unapproached at the remaining events of the year. The Texas native said he knows, however, that his record is up for grabs, and he said he can feel the heat of the other competitors breathing down his neck.
"When you set a standard like that, or win a championship like we did, you just know that everyone is gunning for you and that you've got a huge target painted squarely on your back - but I'm definitely ok with that. I think you'll see 5.80s this weekend as long as the weather holds, and I know that Jim definitely can get this Camaro moving, so I think we've got a really good shot at keeping the record," Hernandez said.
"There are a lot of great cars entered this weekend, so the competition will be fierce - but that's NHRA/Jegs drag racing - the best of the very best," he said.
Qualifying begins on Friday, March 14 with sessions scheduled at 2 and 4:30 p.m., and concludes with a final round of qualifying scheduled at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 15. Eliminations begin at 4:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon, and conclude Sunday March 16 beginning at 11 a.m.
