D'Aprile Battles in "Operation Showdown for the Shoot-out"

Port Charlotte, Fla. - When the Evan Knoll sponsored "Support Our Troops" Pro Modified Corvette, piloted by Tommy D'Aprile, takes to the track at the Toronto Motorsports Park it will be a showdown for a shoot-out.

It's a race within a race for D'Aprile and the Quain Stott Drag Racing team car, one in which the team will pull out all of the stops to complete its mission.

"We have a job to do and that's to qualify for the shoot-out," D'Aprile said. "After that we can get back to the business of getting passed the first round."

After fighting all season to get into the eight elite teams that race for the Knoll Gas - Torco Pro Modified Shootout, D'Aprile finds himself on the outside looking in from the ninth position, just 10 points from Steve Bareman and 70 points from Rick Distefano for the final spot. D'Aprile will need to qualify two positions ahead of Bareman or eight positions ahead of Distefano to make the shoot-out field at the Torco Northern Nationals in August.

While D'Aprile has qualified well all season, the team has been at a slight disadvantage since this is D'Aprile's rookie season and didn't earn any points from the 2005 season. "If we get in, it will be quite a feat for this team," said D'Aprile. "If not, we're still having a good season."

D'Aprile has qualified in the top half of the field for all of the events in the first half of the eMax Drag Racing season, including two number one qualifiers in the first five events and added a number four, six and eight position to round out the first half of the season, giving them a shot at the shoot-out.

The last three races have been tough on the team with first round losses, two of which were very competitive hole shot losses, including a trip to the sand trap in Milan. D'Aprile and his team still find themselves fifth in points, about 3 rounds from number two, teammate Quain Stott.

"I'm real proud of Tommy," said Stott. "This team has done a great job in such a short amount of time. I expect some more great things from them before this season is over."

The first round of Pro qualifying starts Friday, July 21 at 7PM at the Toronto Motorsports Park.