Many drivers will use IHRA national events scheduled on off weeks for the NHRA tour to work out some kinks and test in a competitive situation for NHRA competition. Terry Haddock, the Washington-based driver who finished third in IHRA points standings last season, is taking the opposite approach.

“We’ve worked our asses off in the off-season to get ready for the IHRA schedule,” Haddock said. “We have every intention of being a championship-caliber team in 2008.” 

Haddock took delivery of a new Ty Baumgartner 2008 Dodge Stratus chassis two weeks before the NHRA season opener in Pomona. Haddock put the car together himself before hauling down to Pomona to race. He raced in Phoenix this before heading to Gainesville, then Houston for the NHRA races there. After that comes the IHRA season opener.

“We went back and looked at everything we didn’t do well last year,” Haddock said. “We switched to Allan Johnson cylinder heads and also switched to an Alan Johnson fuel system. We decided to do all the early NHRA races to get our new stuff figured out before the season opener in San Antonio because we want to be serious championship contenders.”