NHRA - Lucas Looks to Tame Tough Texas Top Fuel Field

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jay Wells
(704) 662-3525 – Office
(704) 281-5678 – Cell
LucasOil.com
 
LUCAS LOOKS TO TAME
TOUGH TEXAS TOP FUEL FIELD
 
DALLAS (Sept. 19) – There’s not anything more than Morgan Lucas would like to do than to lasso the Top Fuel field at this week’s 22nd annual O’Reilly Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex and corralling the competition in seeing him finally get his first Top Fuel victory.
            After a disappointing first round loss in Memphis last weekend, he qualified in the No. 7 position with a great 4.582 elapsed time, so he knows the power and potential is there to propel him into some big rounds of eliminations.  
            His teammate, Melanie Troxel took the crown last weekend in Memphis, but the competition level is equal at Morgan Lucas Racing, so Lucas is looking forward to a great run at the Lone Star drag racing title.
            “We have two great race cars running wonderfully,” said Lucas.  “It’s great one of teams won last week and I’m hoping for the same for me to come real soon.  We have a great group that knows how to get a car down the track and I couldn’t be any happier with the way we’re running.  Our qualifying times are improving and we’re steadily getting after it.”
            This will be Lucas’ fourth time at the Texas Motorplex and in his previous meetings; Tony Schumacher took him out of contention all three times.  It’s a situation Lucas wants to rectify.
            “I knew Schumacher went on a championship roll the last couple of years, but didn’t realize he took us out every time I’ve raced there,” said Lucas.  “I think we have a car capable of winning and it’s not just one car we need to beat, we’ve got 15 other hungry drivers to contend with including my teammate.  That’s an interesting stat, but I can’t let that get in my mind.  We just have to win rounds, period!”
The start of the 22nd annual O’Reilly Fall Nationals begins at the Texas Motorplex on Friday, Sept. 21, with two qualifying sessions starting at 4:30 p.m. (CDT) with a second session at 7:30 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, September 23.  
 
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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.
 
O’REILLY FALL NATIONALS
TELEVISION ADVISORY
(ALL TIMES EASTERN – ALL PROGRAMS ON ESPN2 HD)
 
QUALIFYING HIGHLIGHTS
Sunday, September 23
12:30 A.M. – 2:00 A.M.
 
NHRA RACE DAY
Sunday, September 23
11:00 A.M. – 11:30 A.M.
 
FINAL ROUND COVERAGE
Sunday, September 23
7:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M.
 
Encore Performance
Thursday, September 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
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