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Martino to Major League!
Bruce Biegler - February 3, 2010
 It seems like eons since a Canadian driver has done it -- but the 2010 racing season will include a Canadian driver within the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Pro Stock ranks.
Stoney Creek Ontario’s Mark Martino, who clocked the quickest and fastest times ever by a Canadian Pro Stock racer last season on the IHRA tour (6.338 secs 222.77 mph), has confirmed a major new development for 2010.
In the very near future Martino will take delivery of a brand new race car (a Rick Jones-built 2010 GXP) and that car will in fact be configured to run on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series. When that happens Mark Martino will become the first Canadian driver since the early 1990’s (Alban Gauthier) to try his luck within that very demanding and very expensive 500 CID Pro Stock category.
 Martino has confirmed initial plans to race at three events next year, the NHRA Full Throttle Series stops at Joliet, IL, Indianapolis, IN and Reading, PA.
Mark will drive his car in conjunction with Richard Freeman's Elite Performance and also Titan Motorsports. They will employ a leased engine from Freeman's group which is being assembled by Jimmy Oliver. Eric Luzinski (from Michigan) will be the team's crew chief.
 "Originally we were going to race the car with a Mountain-motor," said Martino. "But with all the uncertainly over there after the IHRA's meltdown we decided to change plans. This car was already on order but we called up Rick Jones and told him to convert for NHRA. We hope to take delivery within a month and then begin testing it in April."
In addition to racing the GXP in NHRA, the progressive Martino Motorsports team also have plans to run a full Mountain Motor Pro Stock Association & ADRL circuit season. That will however be using their 2nd car, the highly capable Mountain-motored Chevy Colbalt, which they acquired last year from Steve Spiess.
The team will receive it's primary backing from DeSantis Crane Service, a very successful heavy application crane company which is owned by Mark and founded by his father Tony Martino.
(Photos by: Bruce Biegler - Graphic Courtesy of Scott Brown)
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