IHRA: Romine Needs First Round Win to Clinch IHRA World Championship

19 October 1998

Shreveport, La. -- With a first round win at the IHRA World Finals at the new Red River Raceway, Paul Romine and his CARQUEST Top Fuel Dragster will clinch the 1998 IHRA Snap-on Drag Racing World Championship.

Currently IHRA points leader Tommy Johnson, Jr. failed to qualify for the World Finals while Romine qualified fourth with a 4.895/290.19.

"What a crazy day," Romine said. "First we didn't know if we'd even race because of the weather, then we went out and qualified and Tommy didn't make the show."

Romine was the last car down the track in the IHRA Night of Fire and was on the bump with a 5.39. Needing to qualify into the top half of the field in order to gain first round lane choice and crucial Snap-on points, Romine rocketed down the quarter-mile in 4.895 seconds at 290.19 MPH. Romine's fourth qualify position moved him within 10 points of Tommy Johnson, Jr. and needing a first round win against Luigi Novelli (#5 4.951/265.64) to clinch his second consecutive championship.

"That first round will no doubt be the most important drag race of my career," Romine said. "We're just hoping the weather holds off so we can run tomorrow."

Points entering round one (unofficial):
  entering event, perfect attend., attending, qualifying  position, round
win 
Tommy Johnson, Jr. 5540,471,100,0,0,6111 (final)
Paul Romine        5180,471,100,50,300,6101 (active)