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CLERMONT, Ind. -- For the second season in a row PEAK, HERCULINER and O'Reilly Auto Parts will send T.J. Zizzo to the MAC Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park. The Labor Day weekend event is considered by many to be the most prestigious drag racing event in the world, and Zizzo will be making his fourth appearance in Top Fuel. While Zizzo is normally an energetic and optimistic person, the week leading into the Indianapolis event finds him more energetic and optimistic than normal. "We're 'jacked' up about being there," Zizzo said. "To say we're excited about being back in Indy would be an understatement." Some of Zizzo's energy comes from the successful outing that the team experienced recently at the World Series of Drag Racing. "We made several great passes in Cordova," Zizzo said. "Those runs will give us a solid base to work from in Indy." Zizzo Racing also spent some time at O'Reilly corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri this past week promoting the upcoming racing events. Two lucky store managers from around the country will also be 'crew members for a day' of the Zizzo team at the U.S. Nationals. Brian Bohlander, HERCULINER Brand Manager explained, "This was a very successful promotion that introduced PEAK Motor Oil at O'Reilly Auto Parts," he said. "We're excited about having these store managers as honorary crew members on T.J.'s team and they are excited about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of a professional race team. We're also excited about the PEAK brand being the primary sponsor with T.J. again for this great event which leads us into the fall car care and antifreeze season." The U.S. Nationals also marks the addition of a new marketing partner in Blager Concrete of Urbana, Illinois to the Zizzo team. "We've done well at this race over the years," Zizzo said. "This is by far the biggest race of the year and our entire team is looking forward to being there." As the Zizzo Racing transporter made its way to Indianapolis for this weekends event, they experienced some problems that required the help of friend and competitor, Bruce Litton. Zizzo, who battled Bruce Litton for the IHRA championship until the last race of the 2007 season found out again how special Litton is. Bruce who was celebrating his 31st anniversary with his wife, heard of Zizzo's need for a driver to complete the trip and jumped at the opportunity to help the Zizzo team. "Bruce is a one-of-a-kind guy," T.J. said. "Whenever we race, we're always trying so hard to beat each other. It's always amazing to me how when the competition ends on the track, the bond between drag racers is always so strong. There's a special place in this world for Bruce. His friendship means the world to me." Professional qualifying for the 54th Annual U.S. Nationals begins Friday, August 29 with eliminations on Monday, September 1st.
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