“I love Vegas. Who doesn’t love Vegas? I’m just very excited to have this opportunity and to get back in the seat in one of the top cars in the nation. This is awesome! I’m really honored to have this opportunity and to let everyone know that we’re still alive and kicking. We want to do our best to win the race for Matco Tools and to help Hot Rod (Fuller) get the No. 1 spot. If we can knock off some of the other contenders, that will be great. ”
Last October, Baca qualified 15th at the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals with an elapsed time of 4.597 second at 322.42 mph. He fell in the opening round of eliminations to Brandon Bernstein.
Baca last competed at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona last November where he qualified 15th (4.583, 312.57) and was knocked off in round one by eventual race winner Tony Schumacher.
Last season, Baca finished 12th in the NHRA Top Fuel standings. He qualified for 22 of 23 races and clocked a career-best speed (331.69 mph) at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill. He also advanced to the final-round at the season-opening Winternationals.
Baca’s best season as a pro came in 2003—his first full season in Top Fuel—where he finished seventh in the Top Fuel division. He posted a runner-up finish at Sonoma, Calif. and earned two poles (Indianapolis and Memphis).
Baca made his NHRA Top Fuel debut at the fall Las Vegas race in 2002. He missed the 16-car field qualifying 18th run a qualifying-best pass of 4.733 seconds at 315.05 mph.
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