ATCO, N.J., May 17, 2004 - In what is becoming an all-too familiar scenario
in Pro FWD, Lisa Kubo in her Ecotec-powered Saturn Ion faced off against Chevy
Cavalier driver Nelson Hoyos and his Ecotec power in today's Pro FWD final
eliminations at the 3rd annual NHRA Northeast Sport Compact Nationals presented
by General Motors at Atco Raceway, and Kubo took the win light for the eighth
time in her career.

All Ecotec-Powered Pro FWD Finals Goes To Kubo, Ladwig Pilots His Pontiac Sunfire Into HOT ROD Finals

ATCO, N.J., May 17, 2004 - In what is becoming an all-too familiar scenario in Pro FWD, Lisa Kubo in her Ecotec-powered Saturn Ion faced off against Chevy Cavalier driver Nelson Hoyos and his Ecotec power in today's Pro FWD final eliminations at the 3rd annual NHRA Northeast Sport Compact Nationals presented by General Motors at Atco Raceway, and Kubo took the win light for the eighth time in her career.

The divisions points leader coming into this race had a final-round elapsed time of 7.956 seconds at 189.95 mph to Hoyos' 8.009-second pass at 182.06 mph. On Saturday Hoyos, the defending series champ in Pro FWD, powered his Chevy Cavalier to his first No. 1 qualifying position of the season and the fifth of his career with a track-record run of 7.853 seconds at 188.23 mph.

"The car shook a bit in second gear but the lane held up for us and we were able to pull out the win," Kubo said. "We didn't feel like we knew the track well, but it just happened for us this time. It was a lucky win."

Lucky or not, it was the fifth consecutive Pro FWD win for the Chino Hills, Calif., native dating back to the finals at Pomona in 2003.

In HOT ROD, Marty Ladwig qualified third and drove his Pontiac Sunfire to the 11th final-round appearance of his career before being bested by Gary Gardella in the finals. Gardella, the No. 4 qualifier, drove his Honda to his first win of the season with a final-round elapsed time of 8.654 seconds at 157.03 mph to Ladwig's 9.693/114.52.

Ladwig, the 2003 NHRA Summit Racing HOT ROD champion, beat Rafael Estevez in Round 1 and Kenny Tran in Round 2 before facing off with Gardella in the finals. Both Estevez and Tran were unable to make it to the starting line for their runs and Ladwig ran unopposed. Gardella had bested Eric Del Rosario in Round 1 and No. 1 qualifier Mike Crawford in Round 2 to reach the final round.

Television coverage of today's 3rd annual Northeast Sport Compact Nationals presented by General Motors can be seen on ESPN2 on Sunday, June 6, beginning at 12:00 p.m. (ET).

The next stop on the NHRA Summit Racing Sport Compact tour is the inaugural Rocky Mountain NHRA Sport Compact Nationals on June 12-13 at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colo.


"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about
the former." - Albert Einstein