When it came to the ADRL Ford Drive One Summer Drags VI earlier this month, there was both good and bad for Pro Extreme driver Jason Hamstra. The good was that the race at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, MI was close to home and Hamstra, currently ninth in the point standings, advanced to the semifinals. The bad was that during that semifinal race, his motor let go in an explosive way, sending the motor flying and destroying the front of his ’68 Camaro. Hamstra and his crew hoped to get the car back to racing shape before the ADRL Hardee’s Independence Drags IV in Topeka, KS on July 2-3. Before that race, however, Hamstra, who is just 23, discussed just how loaded Pro Extreme has become in this “Beyond the Guardwall” segment. ADRL: You’ve only had a few races since that big, explosive wreck at the Battle for the Belts last October in Dallas. Is that something that sticks with you or was there any trepidation getting back in the car after something like that? Hamstra: You have to approach it pretty much the same. You have to respect the car, but you can’t be scared. We’re still working out some little bugs on the car, but I think we’re in good shape. We want to qualify for that Battle for the Belts. That’s the main thing. ADRL: You’re also one of the younger drivers in the ADRL at 23 (though he has been racing since he was 17). Is that an advantage or a burden for you? Hamstra: I don’t know. Experience definitely helps, but being younger, I might be a little quicker, too. It’s my sixth year so I’ve made quite a few laps, too. ADRL: You mentioned making that top eight for Battle for the Belts. How difficult is that in this class? Hamstra: It’s definitely tight. Everybody’s good and everybody’s got a stout piece. It’s so close. Even last year, if you went 3.79 you would be close to number one. Everyone has just picked up so much.
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Beyond the Guardwall: Jason Hamstra
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