Tasca and Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Reach Semifinals

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 1, 2010: Bob Tasca III and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team entered The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway determined to perform well. Perform well they did, although they lost to eventual race champion John Force in the semifinals.

Tasca qualified in the sixth position for Sunday’s eliminations after posting a weekend’s best qualifying effort of 4.092 seconds at 309.20 miles per hour during Friday’s opening session.

In the opening elimination round, Tasca faced Gary Densham. Tasca was first off the line and had a clean pass to the finish line, while Densham smoked the tires at 300 feet. Tasca posted a 4.158-second pass at 305.49 miles per hour compared to Densham’s 6.190-second pass at 118.94 miles per hour.

During the quarterfinals, Tasca faced the Dodge of Ron Capps. The pair had nearly identical reaction times and Capps took the lead but started smoking the tires just past the 330-foot marker. Tasca dropped a cylinder at the hit of the throttle, but recovered in time to pass Capps at the 660-foot maker. Tasca’s 4.305-second run at 297.94 miles per hour defeated Capps’ 4.763-second run at 183.87 miles per hour. Tasca’s margin of victory was 0.4573 seconds, more than 100 feet.

In the semifinals, Tasca faced fellow Ford driver John Force. Tasca was first off the line, shook the tires and pedaled the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang. Force had a clean pass with a 4.130-second run at 307.72 miles per hour compared to Tasca’s 5.962-second run at 122.71 miles per hour.

“It was a very good weekend for us but it wasn’t good enough,” said Tasca. “We race to win and that’s the attitude of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team. Unfortunately we just missed by just a hair. I felt the car rattle so I pedaled it. With a fuel car, sometimes it will stick and go, other times it will smoke the tires. When I pedaled it, the clutch was flying at the engine and the track was good. It actually has enough energy to take the car and wheelie it. I was able to get out of it [tire shake] and get back in control.”

Tasca remains fifth in series points with one race remaining in the 2010 season. Before heading to Pomona, Tasca and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team will test in Las Vegas.

“For this Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, we’ve positioned ourselves in the number five spot, put a lot of points on everyone behind us and closed the gap a little bit on the fourth spot,” said Tasca. “We have a real shot to move into that fourth spot in our third year. That’s something I know my whole team is proud of accomplishing. Winning the championship and winning races is why I’m out here; it’s why I’m dedicating my life to it. We made a lot of progress this year and you can see our development on track with our performance in posting big numbers in optimal conditions. I’d love to end the season on a win in Pomona and carry some momentum to next year.”

Force defeated Matt Hagan in the finals to win Sunday’s 10th Annual NHRA Las Vegas Nationals.

“I tip my hat to John; he had a great hot rod this weekend,” said Tasca. “Congratulations to John; he made a big gain in points to put his team and Ford in a position to win the championship going into Pomona.”

The series takes a break for one weekend and returns on Thursday, November 11, for the Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, in Pomona, CA.

NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Points 1. Matt Hagan, 2537; 2. John Force, 2500; 3. Jack Beckman, 2401; 4. Ashley Force Hood, 2388; 5. Bob Tasca III, 2324; 6. Del Worsham, 2253; 7. Ron Capps, 2252; 8. Robert Hight, 2239; 9. Tim Wilkerson, 2232; 10. Tony Pedregon, 2199