Huge Weekend for Hernandez;                                Records a win and a runner-up in Columbus

Columbus, OH (July 31, 2005) – NHRA AMS TLR rookie Pro Modified driver Josh Hernandez enjoyed the kind of weekend every racer dreams about. The Tommy Lipar Racing operation was on top of its game from the time they arrived at National Trail Raceway for the Jeg’s Northern SPORTSnationals until the completion. In two days, Hernandez garnered two final round finishes including a rain delayed victory from the final round from Belle Rose, LA.

The first round was tricky for the Lipar Racing Team. Hernandez met up with Jason Hamstra’s Corvette. Hernandez was out of the gate first and made a solid pass down the right lane while Hamstra got sideways in the left.

“We got a little lucky on that one,” Hernandez said. “We had all new clutch parts in the car and they reacted differently then we expected them to. We were looking for more than the 6.41 at 223, but we’ll take it.”

Round two saw Hernandez staring down Troy Critchley, for the second time in as many days. Hernandez scorched the National Trail asphalt with a 6.26 at 222 mph. After racing Critchley in the finals on Saturday, Hernandez came to the line expecting the Australian-born driver to provide excellent competition. As Hernandez explained, “We knew that was going to be a tough one. It was a rematch of last night and those guys always have something for us.”

In the third round veteran alcohol racer Jay Payne was along side the Dr. Moon’s Rage 1957 Chevrolet and he met the same fate as the two that came before him. Payne got way out of shape in his Stratus and lifted off the throttle. Meanwhile, Hernandez was focused solely on his race.

“I was running my lane so I didn’t know that he had to lift,” Hernandez said. “The one thing I did notice was that I could not hear him at the finish line and that’s where he’ll usually drive around you.”

Fate was on his side as Hernandez’s 6.27 at 224 was plenty to get the job done.

Hernandez met Mike Ashley in the final round and the TLR crew knew that anything less than perfection would be unacceptable against the Gotham City team. Hernandez completed his burnout and then staged the car. Unfortunately it was not to be as Hernandez had an issue on the starting line.

“I made a made a mistake and left too early,” Hernandez said. “When I saw the red light come on I just shut it down. It was over. We come to these races to win, so it’s a pretty big disappointment when we don’t do that. We don’t race to be the runner up. ”

Dr. Moon’s Rage will be in action next August 19-21 in Valdosta, GA at the ADRL Racensur.com Sunshine Drags.

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