Las Vegas: Team Hammonds Saturday notes

TEAM HAMMONDS QUALIFIES SEVENTH FOR ELIMINATION SUNDAY

(LAS VEGAS, Apr. 4, 2009) - - Sticking to the game plan of qualifying in the top half for Sunday's competition, Team Hammonds qualified seventh going into tomorrow's competition at SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals.

Today weather permitted two qualifying session to improve on their pole position, but ended up dropping one spot in field. Team Hammonds ran the fastest 60-ft time (0.993 seconds) in the right lane in the first session, completing the run with an e.t. of 6.706 seconds against a repeat of last weekend's elimination round match-up opponent Jason Line (6.697 seconds).

Crew Chief Tomi Laine was please with the No. 20 Race for Achievement Chevy Cobalt's performance. He tried to tweak some things with the car so that it would have a good showing overall. Confident they would stay in the top half of the qualifying field, Laine decided to try a new set-up for tomorrow for the second run, producing an elapsed time of 6.736 seconds against Kurt Johnson (6.715 seconds).

"I knew already that we were pretty safe and the track got a little slower due to the track getting hotter and air getting warmer," explains Laine, "so, that was the right time to try a new set-up for tomorrow. It really did not work, and now I know what I need to do for the first round."

"The team has done a great job so far and we are looking forward to going out there tomorrow and going all the way. We worked on the clutch linkage all weekend and should be adjusted fine for Tom. Las Vegas has been a good for me for several years. I went to the finals last year, both races."

Laine goes on to say, "Larry Morgan is a great racer and a friend of mine! I really, really like him! He is going to be a tough guy to beat. I cannot wait for Tom to let the clutch out and see what happens."

The second pair in the first round, Team Hammonds will have lane choice and will face number 10 qualifier Larry Morgan.

Check local listings for viewing times on ESPN2.

-credit: th