Fri, 4 Sep 2009, 08:34 PM TAD Driver Jim Whiteley Looking to Bounce Back at the "Big Go"

Courtesy of Will Hanna

CLERMONT, Ind. -- Defending NHRA Division 7 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion Jim Whiteley and his YNot Racing team will be looking to return to the form that netted them four straight wins in the month of June at the biggest race of them all, this weekend's Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis. Whiteley enters the event once again locked in a tight battle with Bill Reichert for the World Championship.

Whiteley, from Grand Junction, Colo., is currently second in national points, trailing Reichert, the three-time defending World Champion by 42 points. Competitors in Top Alcohol Dragster can earn points at their best five out of the first eight national events they attend. The YNot team has attended five nationals this year, scoring three wins in Pomona, Topeka and Chicago, but has a second round loss and first round loss to complete his total. All Whiteley needs to do is make it past the first round to add to his points total.

"We're ahead of where we were at this point last year, but Reichert has put together another strong season," said Whiteley. "It seems like every time we win, he answers with a win of his own. It can seem stressful in the heat of battle, but at the end of the day, the challenge of trying to beat the best guys and gals out there is why we do this. Norm [Grimes - Crew Chief] and the guys have this car running great right now. All we can do is do our jobs the best we can do, and let the points take care of themselves. We just have to take it one run at a time this weekend."

Championship hopes aside, Whiteley and the team would love to add their name to the list of winners at the most prestigious race in all of drag racing.

"They say there are two people they remember at the end of the year, who won the championship and who won Indy," stated Whiteley. "It's always a tough field here, but a win here would be a huge accomplishment for the team. Everybody brings their A game for Indy; you push a little harder. We're looking forward to it."

Qualifying begins on Friday for the alcohol cars with two sessions, followed by one session on Saturday and one final session Sunday morning. Eliminations begin with round one Sunday evening and final eliminations will conclude the event on Monday.

For more information on the team, visit their website at http://www.YNotRacing.com

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