NHRA - Lucas Oil Racing Taking Forward Steps
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Jay Wells (704) 662-3525 – Office (704) 281-5678 – Cell LucasOil.com LUCAS OIL RACING TAKING FORWARD STEPS SEATTLE (July 17) – The revival of Morgan Lucas Racing has been taking forward steps similar to the ones his teammate, Melanie Troxel has made recently. Since both dragsters are being prepared identically, it sure seems plausible that you’ll to see this 23-year old’s stock rise really soon. This weekend’s race at Pacific Raceways, the Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals offers Lucas a chance to fulfill that budding racing proficiency that has eluded his Lucas Oil team in the first half of the 2007 NHRA POWERade Top Fuel season. “It’s great to see the progress we’ve made from where we were,” said Lucas. “We gathering information for a great baseline tune up to build from and then carry it out from there. Richard (Hogan, crew chief) and John Stewart (Troxel’s crew chief) have been working closely together insuring we have a great combination. It’s coming. Once we get there, it will be one quick race car.” Lucas took a measure up with his career at Seattle back in 2003 when he moved up to the Darien/Meadows Alcohol dragster’s driver’s seat and from there, he’s never looked back to a professional drag racing career that has produced five final round appearances. “Seattle will always be a favorite of mine,” said Lucas. “It’s where I made my first move up to the Alcohol ranks and that’s kind of where it all started for me. I remember meeting so many people that weekend and that’s a great memory to have. “As far this weekend, it’s just about anyone’s race. I know our time is coming and we’ve been having some consistency in qualifying, so I’m feeling confident we’ll get it together and bring some good news our way. Look at Melanie’s performance last weekend in Denver. She was No. 1 qualifier and ran quickest elapsed time of the event. It doesn’t get any better than that. We’re running the same tune up and we’ll see those same results very soon.” The start of the 20th annual Schuck’s Auto Supply Nationals begins at the Pacific Raceways on Friday, July 20, with two qualifying sessions starting at 3:30 p.m. (PDT) with a second session at 6:30 p.m. Saturday's time trials start at 12:00 p.m. for the nitro classes followed by a second session at 3:00 p.m. The race starts promptly at 11 a.m. on Sunday, July 22. 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 has won two Technicoat 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. SCHUCK’S AUTO SUPPLY NATIONALS TELEVISION ADVISORY (ALL TIMES EASTERN – ALL PROGRAMS ON ESPN2 HD) QUALIFYING HIGHLIGHTS Saturday, July 21 11:30 P.M. – 1:30 A.M. NHRA RACE DAY Sunday, July 22 11:00 P.M. – 11:30 P.M. FINAL ROUND COVERAGE Sunday, July 22 7:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M. Encore Performance Wednesday, July 25 4:00 A.M. – 6:00 A.M Jay Wells (704) 662-3525 - Office (704) 281-5678 - Cell Lucas Oil Racing jaywell1@ix.netcom.com EarthLink Revolves Around You.