Countdown Hopes Alive and Well as Tasca and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Team Head to Brainerd

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*Bob Tasca III*

*Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Shelby Mustang*

*Nitro Funny Car class*

*NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series*

* *

*28th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals*

*Brainerd International Raceway *

*August 13-16, 2009*

*Race 16 of 24*

* *

*COUNTDOWN HOPES ALIVE AND WELL AS TASCA AND THE MOTORCRAFT/QUICK LANE
RACING TEAM HEAD TO BRAINERD*

* *

*DEARBORN, MI – August 11, 2009 – After a few weeks away from the drag
strip, Bob Tasca III and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team return to
Brainerd for the 28th Annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals with hopes of moving
up the points ladder, clinching a spot in the crucial Countdown, and
bringing home another Wally.*

* *

*With only three races left until the start of the Countdown, Tasca feels
confident in his Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang and team.*

* *

“We feel a win is just around the corner for us,” said Tasca. “We’ve been
very competitive. We made it to the finals in Norwalk, reached the
quarterfinals three times in a row, and lost in Sonoma by an eyelash, but we
had Mustang that could win the race. That is such a confidence booster for
everybody on the team to know rolling into every race with a
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang that can win.”



*Last year Tasca qualified 13th in Brainerd and lost in the second round to
Tim Wilkerson. This year, Tasca is eager to race in Brainerd and considers
the new surface a learning opportunity. *

* *

“Brainerd is race track that poses its challenges,” said Tasca.  “It’s a
brand new track surface, which was has just been paved, similar to Norwalk,
and we all remember how difficult it was to race in Norwalk.”



*In Sonoma, Funny Car drivers Tony Pedregon, Ron Capps and Ashley Force Hood
secure their spots in the Countdown. This weekend in Brainerd, Tasca,
currently in sixth place, hopes to do the same.*

* *

“If we win one round in Brainerd, we’re locked in to the Countdown, but it’s
not about getting locked in this weekend,” said Tasca. “I want to finish
this two-race stretch strong. Our focus is to move up the ladder. We’re not
resting on our laurels. Last year at this time, our Championship hopes were
over. This year, our Championship hopes are alive and well, but its just not
about making the top 10, it’s about solidly placing in the top 10 and to get
every point we can.”



*Second Annual Funny Car Design Comes to a Close *

Now through August 14, the public is invited to visit www.jdrf.org/ford,
view more than 300 paint scheme designs and vote for their favorite
children’s design by making a monetary donation to JDRF, all as part of Ford
Customer Service Division’s second annual Funny Car Design Contest.



The top five donation-earning designs will go in front of a panel of judges
and narrowed down to one.  The winning design will be featured on
Motorcraft/Quick Lane sponsored Mustang Shelby driven by Bob Tasca III
during the NHRA Carolinas Nationals in Concord, NC, on Sept. 18-20.



*Race Hot to a Mustang Sweepstakes *

*Enter to win a 2010 Ford Mustang GT equipped with a Ford Racing Performance
Parts package and *upgrades courtesy of Ford Custom Accessories in the *Ford
Customer Service Division ‘Race Hot to a Mustang Sweepstakes.’  *Enter
online until November 23, 2009, at www.motorcraft.com, www.quicklane.com,
www.racefanoffers.com and www.bobtasca.com.  The Race Hot Sweepstakes is
open to all licensed U.S. citizens over the age of 18.



*Full Throttle Points Standings – Funny Car*

1. Tony Pedregon, 1,101; 2. Ron Capps, 1,090; 3. Ashley Force Hood, 1,054;
4.Tim Wilkerson, 919; 5. Jack Beckman, 889; *6. Bob Tasca III, 841*; 7. Del
Worsham, 824; 8. John Force, 772; 9. Mike Neff, 740; 10. Cruz Pedregon, 713.

* *

*Brainerd Race Notes*

-         Tasca qualified 13th during last year’s event at Brainerd and lost
in the second round to Tim Wilkerson.

*-         **Tasca is currently sixth in points heading into the 16th race
of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.*

* *

*Tasca Funny Car Achievements*

- First round win, defeated Melanie Troxel, February 10, 2008, NHRA
Winternationals, Pomona, CA

- First time in the semi-finals, April 27, 2008, NHRA Southern Nationals,
Atlanta, GA

- First No. 1 qualifier, March 14, 2009, Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL

- First win, March 15, 2009, Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL

- First back-to-back semi-final appearances this season (Englishtown, NJ and
Norwalk, OH)

- Tasca has qualified eighth or better in the 10 of 15 races this season**



*Motorcraft/Quick Lane Notes*

- 2009 marks the second year Ford Customer Service Division brands
Motorcraft and Quick Lane sponsor Bob Tasca III and Tasca Racing.

- Motorcraft® continues its relationship with NHRA, having sponsored
Hall-of-Fame NHRA driver Bob Glidden and drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein,
among others, in the late 80s and early 90s.

- Motorcraft® products strike the perfect balance of precision, quality and
pricing.

- Manufactured to strict specifications, they install quickly and give the
confidence of doing a job right the first time. Motorcraft is the preferred
choice of Ford Motor Company.

- Quick Lane Tire® & Auto Centers provide the services your car or truck
needs most, performed by factory-trained experts and on your schedule.  You’ll
never need an appointment and you’ll get service while you wait, even on
evenings and weekends.  They’ll take care of any make, or model using
quality Motorcraft® parts.  Give them a try and see why life is better in
the Quick Lane®.

- Quick Lane® offers routine maintenance and light repair services, such as
oil and filter changes, brake repairs and tire replacement for all makes and
models.

There are 530 Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers in the United States. Visit
www.quicklane.com to find the Quick Lanes in the Brainerd area.



*Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing on the Web*

*Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/MQL_Racing *

*Facebook – *http://tinyurl.com/MotorcraftQuickLaneRacing

*Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorcraftquicklaneracing/*

* *

*Television*

Saturday, August 15: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying
highlights at 6 p.m. (ET).

Sunday, August 16: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air *NHRA Race Day*, at 11 a.m.
(ET).

Sunday, August 16: ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of final
eliminations at 10 p.m. (ET).



*Satellite (Analog feed)*

Friday, August 14, 8:30  - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 17K (12040 MHz,
vertical)

Saturday, August 15, 7:30 - 8 a.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 17K (12040
MHz, vertical)

Sunday, August 16, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 17K (12040 MHz,
vertical)

Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’
interviews on Sunday.



*About Motorcraft*

Motorcraft® offers a complete line of original equipment-approved parts that
are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance
to underhood and powertrain repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional
value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices.
Motorcraft parts are available locally and are backed nationwide by Ford
Motor Company's Service Parts Limited Warranty. For more information, visit
www.motorcraft.com
.



*About Quick Lane *

Quick Lane® provides automotive quick services for all makes and models.
Quick Lane's® nationwide network of 530 facilities provides the convenience
of an aftermarket company (no appointment necessary, service while you wait,
evening and weekend hours, competitive prices) with the confidence of a
major automotive manufacturer (quality parts, factory-trained technicians).
Quick Lane® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. For more
information, visit
*www.quicklane.com
*.



*About Ford Motor Company*

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn,
Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents.   With
about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s brands
include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial
services through Ford Motor Credit Company.  For more information regarding
Ford’s products, please visit
www.ford.com
.



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*MEDIA CONTACT:*

*Susan Pollack*

*Motorcraft/Quick Lane *Tire & Auto Center

313.203.7162 | 313.434.6912

spollack@pcgcampbell.com

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