Morgan Lucas And Team Excited To Head To Torco Race Fuels Nationals
Jun 04, 2008
NHRA
JOLIET, Ill. – Morgan Lucas and his Lucas Oil Top Fuel team have a couple of good reasons to be excited about as they head into this Sunday’s Torco Race Fuels Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.
The first is that Lucas is only 30 points from entering the coveted NHRA POWERade Countdown to the Championship chase. He has accumulated through the halfway point of nine events the total sum of 347 points and trails Doug Herbert, who has 377.
“Being only 30 points from the Countdown is a good thing, ” smiled Lucas. “It’s coming up with only nine races remaining and we’re going to have to step it up and ‘do it’ and right now is the time. ”
Secondly, when Lucas takes the green light on Sunday, it will mark his 150th career round of NHRA professional competition. He has a career racing register of 72-77 win/loss record averaging out to a solid. 483 percentage. It’s taken him 77 races to reach this point that began with the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Mn. in August of 2004.
“We’re going to do our best to get into the show and then go as far as we can on race day, ” said Lucas. “Who knows, we might end the day with our 153rd round win. That’s what we’re really shooting for. That’s what makes drag racing great! ”
Coming off fresh from a quarterfinals finish in Topeka, Lucas feels the Route 66 Raceway is one of best, well noted quarter-miles in the country and fans could see some interesting NHRA racing.
“Chicago is a dynamite race track, ” said Lucas. “It has a smooth surface that can be unpredictable in the heat. Most of the cars will be racing right on the edge and those who figure it out will see great results. It’s known as one of the quickest tracks in our sport and we’ll see if we can find the kitchen sink and throw it at it and do our best to win. ”
Lucas Oil Racing Driver Notes:
Morgan Lucas has five runner-up finishes, which the Brownsburg, Ind. driver reached in only his seventh (04 Las Vegas2), eighth (04 Pomona2), 10th (05 Phoenix), 20th (05 St. Louis) and 21st (05 Denver) starts. He finished fifth in the 2005 NHRA Top Fuel Point standings with 1,357 points after completing his first full season on the competitive 23-race NHRA circuit. He finished 11th in 2006 and 15th in 2007.
Lucas’ quickest elapsed time is 4.474 seconds, set on Feb. 12, 2005 at Pomona Raceway. He sped to his fastest top speed of 333.33 mph on Feb. 9, in the final round of qualifying at the 2008 CarQuest Auto Parts Winternationals in Pomona, Calif. He has won two low qualifier awards—His first on May 14, 2005 at the Atlanta Dragway recording a time 4.541 seconds and Oct. 22 on The Strip at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway setting the pace with his run of 4.508 seconds. Morgan Lucas first Top Fuel event came behind the wheel of the Joe Amato-owned dragster at the 2004 Lucas Oil Nationals at the Brainerd (MN. ) International Raceway on August 15, 2004. DOB: November 27, 1983.
