Fri, 17 Dec 2010, 02:28 PM Hernandez Celebrates Bahrain National Day with Pro Extreme Provisional No. 1 at QRC

Courtesy of Matthew Brammer, Active Marketing

DOHA, Qatar -- After three of four qualifying rounds, Bahrain 1 Pro Extreme driver Joshua Hernandez holds the provisional No. 1 qualifying position in the Arabian Drag Racing League Round 3 at Qatar Racing Club in Doha. Teammate Rickey Smith sits No. 6, and Pro Nitrous driver Kahlid Mohammed sits No. 4.

Hernandez' best pass Thursday was a Pro Extreme-class-best 3.653-second run at 206.76 mph while Rickie Smith's best lap was a 3.819 at 200.44 mph for the provisional No. 6. Kahlid Mohammed ran a best 3.919 at 191.76 and sits No. 4 in Pro Nitrous.

"Everything is going as planned," Hernandez said. "We picked up right where we left off last week, and the car is running consistently fast. Jim [Oddy] and Troy [Critchley, crew chiefs on Hernandez' car] are fine-tuning things to get us ready for race-day tomorrow, and every lap gives our whole team more data to get us back into the winner's circle.

"Being number one today is a great way for all the citizens of Bahrain to celebrate National Day, with the whole B1 team doing so well. We want to wish all of the citizens a happy National Day, as it's one of their most-celebrated holidays."

Bahrain National Day, December 16, 1971, marks the day the island-country became an independent nation, freed from British control.

Kahlid Mohammed said, "Everything is OK for tomorrow and Rickie [Smith, Kahlid Mohammed's crew chief] has our nitrous car running very well. We made changes with the clutch before the race, and everything is working out fine and we will be ready for eliminations."

One qualifying lap remains on Friday, followed by eliminations in the eight-car field later Friday evening.