ROUTE 66 NHRA NATIONALS RESULTS

“I think another strong start for the team. Qualifying on the bottom half of the field, gaining lane choice first round. We’re working on a package for later in the season, and we’re slow rolling it out, and we don’t know how big that hill is, as we’re climbing it. That’s why we see maybe sometimes our attrition rate going down the track isn’t as strong as it had been before. We’re working on power level’s in different places, and I say that, because it lent its hand to our finishing of today.

We all know I’ve been working on my lights and a lot of different capacities and there are many things that I’ve had to change to be consistent. Having a feel for the car, knowing when it’s smoking the tires in different spots, has made me very sensitive. Knowing that we had the right lane going for the semis, I should never have questioned our capabilities of getting down the track, but I was extra sensitive. One of the new ways that I brace myself in the car on a load standpoint, is different, and basically, I had the sensation that we were smoking the tires, and I peddled it. That broke the throttle cable, and I couldn’t complete the run. So that semifinal finish is 100% on me, when I felt that high drive shaft, I thought I was catching it quick. And I think many drivers that have been in a situation of, ‘Is it gonna make it? Is it not?,’ And I thought it wasn’t going to make it, so I peddled it.

“Hate to find new ways to lose, but we had a great points weekend and a tortilla tussle [#2Fast2Tasty Challenge] for next race. Always difficult to look the guys in the eyes on a loss like that, but things to stand on are, we are making strong runs, and we’re figuring out with our new package: how to address it at different parts of the track, but it’s all part of the plan. Sometimes there’s hiccups in the plan, that’s why robots don’t drive these cars.”​

“We struggle a little bit in qualifying, knocking the tires off two of the qualifying rounds. But one thing I’ll say about Mike [Knudsen] is he adapts well. I was kind of patting him on the back about the adaptability, coming out here first round, and not knocking the tires off and going down the racetrack. Unfortunately, in the semifinals, it just had a hole out down there. I also didn’t have a great light, if I’d had a .70 light, we’d win that round. So combination of everything, and a .90 light is, I guess it’s okay, but it’s not cutting it, you know what I mean?

“That being said, still having fun driving. I mean, that Dodge Funny Car was sucking me hard inside, and I was like, ‘I don’t know if I got enough real estate to kind of keep it there, but we’re gonna try it.’ you get over there kind of close to the cones and your butt draws up a little bit, ‘did I hit it or did I not?’ At the end of the day, that’s why they’re fun to drive, you know? The guys did really good as far as adapting to the situation, the racetrack. Anytime we go some rounds, it’s always great. I think at least we kept close to the top of the points and we just have to keep that positive momentum and that thought process moving forward. We got a good group and Mike’s had 15 years under Dickie [Venables] (former crew chief), but he’s still learning. I think he’s doing a tremendous job and Phil [Shuler] and Alex [Conaway], they all work great together. So I’m excited every day to show up. Obviously we want to put this Dodge in the winners circle, but there’s a lot more racing to do.”​