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Drag racing’s youngest nitro driver has fond memories of Seattle
Jul 8th
SEATTLE (July 5) — Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas was just 11 years old when he took his first drag racing road trip from Southern California to Seattle’s Pacific Raceways. Riding along with Top Alcohol Funny Car driver Jason Rupert, Lucas might as well have been travelling to the Land of Oz that weekend 15 years ago, for that’s how exotic the Emerald City seemed to the son of Lucas Oil founders Forrest and Charlotte Lucas.
“I will never forget that trip,” the now 26-year-old driver of the GEICO Powersports Lucas Oil dragster said. “It was the most significant thing I had ever done, up to that point in my life, by a long shot. I pretty much thought it didn’t get any better than that and, even now, I think I still feel the same way. It was an awesome experience.”
For that reason alone, although he’s added several more memories to his list, Lucas considers Pacific Raceways his favorite stop in the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, making this weekend’s Northwest Nationals a crown jewel in his eyes.
“First of all, it’s a beautiful part of the country,” Lucas said. “I feel as comfortable there as anywhere we go. Then you have to consider the fans up there. They are as diehard as you can get. We’ve had rainout races and you get there Monday and the stands are still packed. That’s how into drag racing they are.
“I started my Top Alcohol Dragster career there in 2002. I earned my first pole there. I won my first race there. In 2004, we announced I was turning pro and would be driving Joe Amato’s Top Fuel dragster. Obviously, those were all big moments in my life.”
Now a tour veteran with six-plus pro seasons under his safety belts, Lucas returns to town with a new set of goals.
“We’re reaching a point where we need to lock up a spot in the playoffs,” Lucas said. “We’d like to do that during the Western Swing (consecutive races in Seattle, Sonoma, and Denver). I’d love to win this race. It would mean the world to me to win Seattle.
“We brought (clutch specialist) Rob Wendland on board a few races back and his experience already has made a difference. We’re more consistent in the clutch department and the car is going down the track every time. Having an extra set of eyes, especially with a guy like Rob that has been through the wars, you just can’t put a price on that. We’re pretty excited about our program right now.”
Professional qualifying begins with two sessions at 2:30 and 5 p.m. PDT Friday.
DIXON GETS IMPRESSIVE SEVENTH WIN OF THE SEASON; WILKERSON GRABS SECOND WIN OF SEASON IN NORWALK
Jun 30th
DIXON GETS IMPRESSIVE SEVENTH WIN OF THE SEASON; WILKERSON GRABS SECOND WIN OF SEASON IN NORWALK: Top Fuel points leader Larry Dixon bounced back from his first-round loss in Bristol one week previous to grab his seventh win of the season, the most of any driver in the category, at the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals Sunday in Norwalk, Ohio. Dixon raced to the No. 1 qualifier on Saturday – his fourth for the year – then drove past Top Fuel pilots Troy Buff, Doug Foley, Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown en route to his 55th career win. His matchup with defending world champion and Top Fuel rival Tony Schumacher in the semifinals was the sixth time the pair have met in the semifinals this season. Dixon holds the lead in semifinal matchups over Schumacher with four wins. His seventh win of the season was also his seventh final round appearance for the year. “Seven for seven, I feel fortunate,” said Dixon. “There have been a lot of tight races. That one there was real tight. You could race that one again and get different outcomes. I heard Antron (Brown) at the start and saw him for a bit, and then he kind of faded. I kept looking for some win light, and it came on in our lane. That was just a great drag race, and it’s nice to be on the right side of a tight drag race.” In Funny Car, Tim Wilkerson drove his Levi Ray & Shoup Ford Mustang past points leader John Force to grab his second win of the season and move him from ninth to seventh in the point standings. It was Wilkerson’s 15th career win and the third time in five final-round matchups that he has beat NHRA legend John Force. “It was great to win over John because he’s so good, and he’s coming into his own again,” said Wilkerson. “After one bad year, he’s making us all look like we don’t know what we’re doing again, so we’re happy to have that win over John. We need to do our deal and keep going down the track run after run after run. There are still four races left (in the regular season), so we have to keep on our game.” For more results from the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, visit NHRA.com.