Retaining Points Lead Has Hernandez Motivated For Round Four In Qatar

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DOHA, Qatar (January 4, 2011) - Bahrain 1 Racing driver Joshua Hernandez hopes the No. 1 in his team description isn’t the only No. 1 appearing next to his name.Hernandez currently holds a three-point lead in the Pro Extreme points standings in the 2010-2011 Arabian Drag Racing League Championship heading into the fourth of eight races in the series. Qualifying begins Thursday with eliminations set for Friday.This week’s event at Qatar Racing Club in Doha is pivotal in the mind of the Houston-area standout, but he is far from fazed by the championship battle.“I like our chances,” Hernandez said laughing. “The car is running good, the team is working well together, and with Jim Oddy and Troy Critchley-inspired horsepower, we’ve got an amazing team.”With such a slim lead - it is just three points more than Frankie Taylor and 102 more than J.R. Todd - the points leader from the 2010 American Drag Racing League (ADRL) season is watching every qualifying round.Hernandez knows that each point is critical but with two final-round appearances and one win already his ‘57 Chevy Pro Extreme car is in prime form.“There are no changes to the car really since the last time we raced. We’re going to make some minor adjustments like we do every time we go down the race track, but the car is looking pretty good so far,” Hernandez said.“We’ll turn a few knobs here and there, and see if we can make it go a little bit faster.”Running on the same QRC dragstrip as the previous events would seem to offer a constant in the setup, but Hernandez said every day is different in the desert.“Racing at the same racetrack every weekend, you think we’d have a line on it pretty fast, but the conditions change every time we hit the race track. It has presented its challenges, but the team has stepped up and met those challenges every weekend.“I feel great, and I can’t wait to get on the racetrack this Thursday,” Hernandez said.Hernandez’s teammate, Ali Aryan, will have a different look in PX this week as he tries to move up in the standings.In both Rounds 1 and 2, Aryan struggled with mechanical issues and failed to qualify. In Round 3, he sat out pending arrival of parts for his car. Over the holiday, he was assigned the team’s ‘69 Camaro, and Aryan was excited about the possibilities. “I’m definitely ready for this race,” Aryan said. “I’m confident we will qualify this weekend because the Camaro has been running low 3.70’s.”Aryan is a multi-faceted driver with experience in several types of racing, so the idea of switching cars mid-season is not a worry.“True, I’ve never driven the car before, but, I should have a chance tomorrow to do three or four hits before we start qualifying on Thursday, so I’ll be up to speed.“My goal for the season is to be in the top four in the Championship, and I’ll do whatever it takes to put me there.”

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