“The bottom line is that we need to make sure to get in there and do what we have to do to make sure we get the CAT car the championship. We need to line up against the other Countdown guys and take them out and help out Hot Rod (Fuller). If we can do that and win the race for Matco, it would be an awesome weekend for the entire David Powers team. ”
Baca Pomona Notebook
Last weekend in Las Vegas Baca made his 2007 NHRA debut driving the Matco Tools dragster. He qualified fifth with a pass of 4.532 seconds at 326.79 mph on his first qualifying attempt at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Baca advanced to the quarterfinals before falling to teammate Rod Fuller.
Last November, Baca qualified 15th at the Auto Club Finals with an elapsed time of 4.583 second at 312.57 mph. He fell in the opening round of eliminations to eventual race winner Tony Schumacher (4.489 to 9.882).
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’s father, Dennis, won the Top Fuel title at the prestigious U. S. Nationals in 1977.
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