<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/Hernandez-Gville.jpg" alt="Hernandez-Gville" align="left"borders="0"/>
Josh Hernandez, driver of the Dr. Moon's Rage '68 Camaro, said he couldn't have scripted the first event of the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge presented by Tindle Enterprises, Inc. any better. Hernandez set the AMS World Record for the quickest run, posting an amazing 5.912 in the his first round match against Rick Stivers and ultimately won the AMS Eagle at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
"It's hard to find the words to really tell anyone how I feel," Hernandez said. "This weekend has been so amazing, and Troy [Critchley], Howard Moon, Dave Wood, Tommy Lipar and the entire crew share in the victory and all of the records."
In qualifying, just after watching his teammate, Critchley, break soundly into the five second zone at 5.946, Hernandez followed suit and ran the second AMS Pro Mod in the fives at 5.951. Hernandez ended qualifying in the No. 2 spot behind Critchley and landed on the opposite side of the eliminations ladder, setting up the drama of a potential match-up in the final round.
The potential became reality, and Hernandez was paired against Critchley in the final, but the drama was far from over for the AMS-Rage crew. After winning the first-ever side-by-side five-second round, a re-match of the final round of the US Nationals in Indianapolis against Raymond Commisso 5.932/243.37 to 5.991/241.54, Hernandez and his team had to replace the motor in his Camaro under the pressure of a shortened turn-around time to get to the lanes for the finals.
True to drag racing and Pro Modified camaraderie, the AMS Rage team was helped by the defending event champion Jay Payne's crew members Andre Monargue and Don Peterson, under the watchful and expert eye of engine builder Brad Anderson. The crews worked in synch sharing the spirit of the weekend and the race to win. Despite the irony of Payne not having qualified to defend his title, the engine-swap was completed with time to spare and with expert precision, Hernandez went to the line to face off against Critchley, knowing full-well that one would win, and one would lose. At the end of the track, Hernandez took the win light, running a 5.938/244.29.
"It was the perfect way to end the weekend, but it was bittersweet, too. The race was a testament, though, to how a team and the community can pull together and make things happen. It was awesome and I'm so grateful to Andre and Don."
"Getting to the finish line and having Tommy, Dave and Gidget [Wood] hand me the trophy and the $10,000 check along with my new pair of Fatheadz sunglasses - it made all the drama and hard work worthwhile," Hernandez, a Houston Texas resident. said.
"We'll pack things up here and head to the next race, trying to do it again in Houston," he said. "It's always been a good track for me, and I always love to race at my home track."
Hernandez and the Dr. Moon's Rage team will defend their Houston title from the past two years when the AMS Pro Mod Challenge presented by Tindle Enterprises, Inc. moves next to Houston Raceway Park and the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, March 30 - April 1, 2007.
Hernandez Wins Gatornationals, Sets ET World Record
Josh Hernandez, driver of the Dr. Moon's Rage '68 Camaro, said he couldn't have scripted the first event of the AMS Staff Leasing Pro Mod Challenge presented by Tindle Enterprises, Inc. any better. Hernandez set the AMS World Record for the quickest run, posting an amazing 5.912 in the his first round match against Rick Stivers and ultimately won the AMS Eagle at the ACDelco NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
"It's hard to find the words to really tell anyone how I feel," Hernandez said. "This weekend has been so amazing, and Troy [Critchley], Howard Moon, Dave Wood, Tommy Lipar and the entire crew share in the victory and all of the records."
In qualifying, just after watching his teammate, Critchley, break soundly into the five second zone at 5.946, Hernandez followed suit and ran the second AMS Pro Mod in the fives at 5.951. Hernandez ended qualifying in the No. 2 spot behind Critchley and landed on the opposite side of the eliminations ladder, setting up the drama of a potential match-up in the final round.
The potential became reality, and Hernandez was paired against Critchley in the final, but the drama was far from over for the AMS-Rage crew. After winning the first-ever side-by-side five-second round, a re-match of the final round of the US Nationals in Indianapolis against Raymond Commisso 5.932/243.37 to 5.991/241.54, Hernandez and his team had to replace the motor in his Camaro under the pressure of a shortened turn-around time to get to the lanes for the finals.
True to drag racing and Pro Modified camaraderie, the AMS Rage team was helped by the defending event champion Jay Payne's crew members Andre Monargue and Don Peterson, under the watchful and expert eye of engine builder Brad Anderson. The crews worked in synch sharing the spirit of the weekend and the race to win. Despite the irony of Payne not having qualified to defend his title, the engine-swap was completed with time to spare and with expert precision, Hernandez went to the line to face off against Critchley, knowing full-well that one would win, and one would lose. At the end of the track, Hernandez took the win light, running a 5.938/244.29.
"It was the perfect way to end the weekend, but it was bittersweet, too. The race was a testament, though, to how a team and the community can pull together and make things happen. It was awesome and I'm so grateful to Andre and Don."
"Getting to the finish line and having Tommy, Dave and Gidget [Wood] hand me the trophy and the $10,000 check along with my new pair of Fatheadz sunglasses - it made all the drama and hard work worthwhile," Hernandez, a Houston Texas resident. said.
"We'll pack things up here and head to the next race, trying to do it again in Houston," he said. "It's always been a good track for me, and I always love to race at my home track."
Hernandez and the Dr. Moon's Rage team will defend their Houston title from the past two years when the AMS Pro Mod Challenge presented by Tindle Enterprises, Inc. moves next to Houston Raceway Park and the O'Reilly NHRA Spring Nationals, March 30 - April 1, 2007.
