NHRA - Bristol - One of Lucas' Favorite Tracks
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jay Wells (704) 662-3525 – Office (704) 281-5678 – Cell LucasOil.com BRISTOL – ONE OF LUCAS’ FAVORITE TRACKS BRISTOL, Tenn. (July 3) – One of the sure things that Morgan Lucas looks forward to every year is the annual trek the professionals on the NHRA tour make to the scenic and picturesque Bristol Dragway. The seventh annual O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals, nestled amongst the Blue Ridge Mountains, offers a perfect setting for great racing and Lucas would love to score his first National event win at the fabled Tennessee quarter-mile. Although his previous record at the Bristol Dragway shows only a first round and quarterfinals appearance, his qualifying at the track reflects the potential of his Lucas Oil Racing team with his best run ever of 4.561 seconds in his first full season as a Top Fuel driver. “It’s such a great place to race,” said a delighted Lucas. “The way the track is located between the mountains and the echoes coming off makes a sound like I’ve never heard before. It’s pretty neat, really, and it’s the only place in the world like it. I suggest the race fans coming for the first time be prepared for it.” Lucas, who has struggled through the first half of the season, is ready to make amends to his racing competence and is hoping to turn the year around. Bristol is the first step towards that goal. “It’s been tough, but throughout it all, I really appreciate all the fans, which have stood by me,” said Lucas. “As long as they want an autograph and offer support, it keeps me pumped up and I deeply appreciate it. It keeps me determined and focused. It’s been a tough season for our Lucas Oil team and we want to get things turned around and Bristol is our starting point to get that done.” It will be his new team’s third start as a group with noted tuner, Richard Hogan at the helm of this racing speedster. “Richard has brought so much to our team,” said Lucas. “It takes that kind of experience to bring forth the production we need to get back in the competitive hunt. At this point, we’ll take a great weekend of racing at Bristol.” The start of the seventh annual O’Reilly Thunder Valley Nationals begins at the Bristol Dragway on Friday, July 6 with two qualifying sessions starting at 5:30 p.m. (EDT) with a second session at 8:00 p.m. Saturday's time trials start at 1:00 p.m. for the nitro classes followed by a second session at 3:30 p.m. The race starts promptly at 12 p.m. on Sunday, July 8. www.lucasoil.com Add 1-1-1 LUCAS OIL RACING DRIVER NOTES: Morgan Lucas has five runner-up finishes, which the Brownsburg, Ind. driver reached in only his seventh (04 Las Vegas2), eighth (04 Pomona2), 10th (05 Phoenix), 20th (05 St. Louis) and 21st (05 Denver) starts. He finished fifth in the 2005 NHRA Top Fuel Point standings with 1,357 points after completing his first full season on the competitive 23-race NHRA circuit. He finished 11th in 2006. Lucas' quickest elapsed time is 4.474 seconds, set on Feb. 12, 2005 at Pomona Raceway. He sped to his fastest top speed of 328.94 mph on May 29 in the first round of eliminations at the 2005 O’Reilly Summer Nationals in Topeka, Kansas. He won two Budweiser low qualifier awards. His first on May 14 at the Atlanta Dragway recording a time 4.541 seconds and Oct. 22 on ‘The Strip’ at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway setting the pace with his run of 4.508 seconds. Morgan Lucas’ first Top Fuel event came behind the wheel of the Joe Amato-owned dragster at the 2004 Lucas Oil Nationals at the Brainerd (MN.) International Raceway on August 15, 2004. DOB: November 27, 1983. O’REILLY THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY (ALL TIMES EASTERN – ALL PROGRAMS ON ESPN2 HD) QUALIFYING HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, July 7 4:00 P.M. – 6:00 P.M. NHRA RACE DAY Sunday, July 8 11:00 P.M. – 11:30 P.M. FINAL ROUND COVERAGE Sunday, July 8 9:30 P.M. – 12:30 A.M. Encore Performance Monday, July 9 3:30 A.M. – 5:30 A.M Jay Wells (704) 662-3525 - Office (704) 281-5678 - Cell Lucas Oil Racing jaywell1@ix.netcom.com EarthLink Revolves Around You.