FIRST OUTING WITH CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS IS A MEMORABLE ONE FOR MARK MARTINO
Courtesy of Mark Martino Racing
Stoney Creek, ON – It didn’t take Mark Martino and his Charter Communications Pontiac GXP long to shake off the rust, from a nearly
summer long absence from the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, this past weekend at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minnesota. In the process of logging his second round win of the season he also recorded a career best qualifying position, all of which was overshadowed by a minor rules violation during final eliminations on Sunday.
Following a second round victory against Larry Morgan, that would have put Martino into his first semi-final round ever in NHRA competition, he was notified that the team had been disqualified for a weight violation and that Morgan would be reinstated. “After beating Larry, going across the scales we came up five pounds light,” said a still confused Martino. “All weekend it weighed at least five pounds heavy so it was a big surprise to us when they told us we were under.”
NHRA rules state that all Pro Stock cars must weigh a minimum of 2,350 pounds, including the driver, following each run in order to maintain a level playing field for all competitors. Every team operates within a five to ten pound window in order to get the maximum allowable performance out of the race car on each run. Unfortunately for Martino something changed between his first and second round matches that caused the car to come up just under the minimum weight during that particular weigh-in.
Aside from the setback during eliminations, the Charter Communications team made a statement this weekend that they can run with the best cars in the class. “After Q1, that was huge for us being the number nine qualifier, especially since we were the first pair out,” stated a proud Martino. “The goal coming in was to be in the top 12 going into Saturday and we did that so we were off to the right start. Brainerd was more of a tune-up for Indy for us but going rounds and getting data was a big plus.” The team made five solid runs, out of six attempted, which gives them plenty of tuning data heading to Indianapolis in two weeks.
The driver was also on his game this weekend, posting nearly identical reaction times in both elimination rounds, which gave him an all-important starting line advantage over both of his competitors. “During qualifying I was struggling a little with my lights but I was really concentrating on shifting. It’s all about that with these motors, it’s so critical,” noted Martino. “Come Sunday I just changed modes and it comes down to crossing the finish line first. I just got in a rhythm and was really comfortable in the car.”
In claiming his second round win of the season, Mark took out four-time NHRA Full Throttle Series champion and defending Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals winner Greg Anderson in the first round. “Every time we qualify for an NHRA race we’ve gotta face one of the Summit cars in the first round,” mentioned Martino. “And I owed Greg one for him beating me last year in the first round at Indy.” Earlier this season Martino beat Anderson’s teammate and 2011 series champion, Jason Line, for his first career round win in Gainesville, avenging the first round loss he suffered at the hands of Line one year ago during the Brainerd event.
The next event for Mark Martino and the Charter Communications Pro Stock team is the Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Auto-Plus in Indianapolis, Indiana, which takes place over the Labor Day holiday weekend each year. Known as the “Big Go”, the event is the largest and most prestigious drag race in the world with the 2012 edition marking its 58th anniversary.
For more information visit www.nhra.com and www.markmartino.com
Photo Credit: Jim Kampmann – www.DragRaceCanada.com
