JOLIET, Ill. – After the completion of the halfway point of nine NHRA regular season races, J.R. Todd finds his Lucas Oil Octane Booster team 67 POWERade points out of the Countdown and seeing that on the horizon has the Lawrenceburg, Indiana resident thinking more round wins.
Todd, despite having struggled for most of the season, likes the close competition level that has been offered this season knowing he still has time to rebound and receive inclusion in the elite Top 10.
“It’s hard to believe that mathematically we’re still within range of the Countdown, ” said a relieved Todd. “That’s just goes to show how competitive everything has become in Top Fuel. There’s definitely a possibility with some round wins, we could easily catch back up and put ourselves in position to gain access to the championship.
“The long hot summer will separate the teams and contenders and by Labor Day at the U. S. Nationals, we hope to be in a solid place to launch our bid for the title. ”
In Todd’s two previous outings at Route 66, they have only amassed two quarterfinal finishes, but with his best pass of 4.510 seconds of record last year, the talented young driver knows how to get down the Chi-Town quarter-mile.
“Chicago has a smooth surface that you can really apply the power, ” said Todd. “I’m hearing that it could warm this weekend and that could play right into our hands. The team has a great handle on the clutch and that could prove to be a key when negotiating a hot track. Of course, that all depends and with the way the races have fallen this season, it’s anyone’s game. You just have to be consistent. ”
The start of the 11th annual Torco Race Fuels Nationals begins at the Route 66 Raceway on Friday, June 6 with two nitro qualifying sessions starting at 4:30 p. m. (CDT) and 7:00 p. m. Saturday’s time trials start at 1:00 p. m. for the nitro classes followed by a second session at 4:00 p. m. The race starts promptly at 11 a. m. on Sunday, June 8.
J. R. TODD—LUCAS OIL RACING DRIVER NOTES:
J. R. Todd, of Lawrenceburg, Ind., has five NHRA POWERade Top Fuel wins out of seven final round appearances. He claimed his first win, the 2006 Mopar Mile-High Nationals in only his eighth start defeating Tony Schumacher in the finals. He finished eighth in the 2006 NHRA Top Fuel Point standings with 1,105 points after completing his first full season on the competitive 23-race NHRA circuit. He finished eighth with 2,273 points in 2007, making the cut of the first class for the Countdown to the Championship.
Todd’s’ quickest elapsed time is 4.473 seconds, set on Feb. 11, 2007 at Pomona Raceway. He sped to his fastest top speed of 334.24 mph on Nov. 4 in the first round of eliminations at the 2007 Auto Club Final in Pomona, Calif. He has won two Low E. T. qualifier awards—his first on July 21 at the Seattle International Raceway recording a time 4.577 seconds and Sept. 22 on the all-concrete surface of the Texas Motorplex setting the pace with his run of 4.541 seconds. J.R. Todd’s first NHRA Top Fuel event came behind the wheel of the Dexter Tuttle-owned dragster in the 2006 CarQuest Auto Parts Winternationals at the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona on February 12, 2006. He was awarded the 2006 Road to the Future award, which recognizes NHRAs top performing rookie driver. DOB: December 16, 1981.
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