Rick Santos - 1998 FMD Champion

RICK SANTOS CLINCHES 1998 FEDERAL-MOGUL DRAGSTER WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

DALLAS, Tex. --- Rick Santos was named the 1998 Federal-Mogul Dragster Champion following the Revell Nationals on October 25, 1998. Santos clinched in the semi-final round when Darrell Russell was defeated by Rick Henkelmen. This is Santos' second consecutive Federal-Mogul Dragster World Championship. He won the title for the first time in 1997. The event win this weekend was Santos' ninth of the season in only 13 starts.

"We couldn't have picked a better place to wrap this thing up," said Santos. "Texas is a strong market for Oakwood Homes and we were fortunate enough to have several people from Oakwood here. We were thrilled to have won the championship after the semi-finals, but we knew we had a lot of work to do to prepare for the finals. To go on and win both in the same weekend is just incredible. It was just the confidence this team needed. We came out this year with a real strong program, and we have struggled some over the past few weeks, but this team always seems to pull together."

At the Revell Nationals, Santos defeated John Costanza with a 5.539-second pass at 250.69 mph to Costanzas' 5.622/246.30. In round two eliminations, Santos defeated Bill Hynes with a 5.510-second pass at 255.31. Darren Nicholson was unable to make the semi-finals so Santos ran a single with an E.T. of 5.557 and speed of 254.30. Russell lost to Henkelmen in the semi-finals giving Santos his second consecutive National Championship. Santos won the final against Henkelmen with an E.T. of 5.618 and speed of 242.78 mph.

Santos has national wins in 1998 at Pomona (Calif.) Raceway, National Trail (Ohio) Raceway, Seattle (Wash.) International Raceway and the Texas Motorplex. This is the first time Santos has won four national events in a single season. Santos divisional wins came at Firebird (Idaho) International Raceway, Famoso (Calif.) Raceway, Mission (B.C.) Raceway Park, Rocky Mountain (Utah) Raceways and Sears Point (Calif.) Raceway. Santos has been the top qualifier seven times in 1998

Santos started his season off with seven consecutive wins. He clinched the 1998 Pacific Division Championship back at the division race at Sears Point (Calif.) Raceway in July.

Santos and his family team joined Jack O'Bannon Racing in the middle of 1996. The combination won the 1997 Federal-Mogul Dragster World Championship and the 1997 Division Seven Championship. Santos was Car Craft Magazines All-Star of the Year in the alcohol dragster category this year.

Santos was with the S & S owned family team, driving since 1984. Driving small-block Chevy powered dragsters, Santos won the Northwest Division Championship in 1992 and 1994, the Pacific Division Championship in 1993, the prestigious U.S. Nationals in 1993 and finished runner-up in the National Championship in 1994.

RICK SANTOS CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1998 Federal-Mogul Dragster World Champion

1998 Pacific Division Champion

15 career national wins

Four National event wins in 1998: Chief Auto Parts Winternationals at Pomona (Calif.) Raceway Pontiac Excitement Nationals at National Trail (Ohio) Raceway Northwest Nationals at Seattle (Wash.) International Raceway Revell Nationals, Texas Motorplex

Five Divisional event wins in 1998: Firebird (Idaho) International Raceway Famoso (Calif.) Raceway Mission (B.C.) Raceway Park Rocky Mountain (Utah) Raceways Sears Point (Calif.) Raceway

Seven top qualifier starts in 1998

Started off season with seven consecutive wins

1997 Federal-Mogul Dragster World Champion

1997 Pacific Division Champion

Three National event wins in 1997: Lone Star Nationals at Texas Motorplex Northwest Nationals at Seattle (Wash.) International Raceway Sears Craftsman Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, Kansas.

Finished runner-up in the National championship in 1994 driving the Santos family Chevy-powered entry

Won two Northwest Division Championships in 1992 and 1994

Won the Pacific Division Championship in 1993

Won the prestigious U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis (Ind.) Raceway Park in 1993

Drove small-block, Chevy powered dragsters for the Santos family racing team since 1984, until joining Jack O'Bannon Racing in 1996