TEAM REPORTS (POMONA, CA.) - LUCAS RACES TO SEMI-FINALS AT POMONA

Morgan Lucas raced to the semi-finals at the season-opening NHRA event – the 48th annual CarQuest Winternationals at Pomona Raceway before bowing out against Cory McClenathan after completing three rounds of racing.

In the first round of competition, Lucas powered his way to the finish line with his best time of the day of 4.546 seconds, 331.77 mph to his opponent, Bob Vandergriff’s tire smoking time of 8.210 seconds, 96.24 mph.

The quarterfinals placed the 24-year old Lucas against Hillary Will and with a huge jump off the starting line (.081 - .411), he never had to look back and motored to a clean win with a time of 4.564 seconds, 322.73 mph to her lap of 4.594 seconds, 325.85 mph.

It was the semi-finals that plagued Lucas on Sunday against Cory McClenathan when his Lucas Oil ride started mixing up the cylinders around midway point of the track allowing Cory Mac to take the round win. Lucas, despite his nitro-burning engine woes, managed a time of 4.612 seconds, 278.98 mph to McClenathan’s quicker time of 4.555 seconds, 329.34 mph.

“I’m very happy about today’s race,” said Lucas, who advanced his 23rd semi-finals appearance of his young professional career than began in 2004. “The car performs great, everything looks nice and all the guys are getting along really well. It’s a great way to start a year on a good note reaching the semis. My teammate, J.R. (Todd) smoked the tires in the first round and I think that when they get their primary chassis back from Hadman’s, they will become a frontrunner again. We have one big team with two cars with each one contributing to the other and we know it will pay off in the long run.”

Lucas in qualifying posted a career best speed, not once, but twice as he up the ante starting the race from the No. 4 starting position with a time 4.514 seconds at a blistering speed of 333.33 mph in a quarter-mile distance.

With him progressing to the semi-finals, he starts the season on a positive note in the fourth position in the POWERade Top Fuel points standings with 75 points, just a mere 41 points out of the lead.

The next NHRA National event will be the Checker, Schuck’s Kragen Nationals on February 22-24 at the Firebird Sport Park in Phoenix.