[coverattach=1INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 2) -- BASF Agricultural Products will be a big part of drag racing's longest running and most prestigious event as it joins Morgan Lucas Racing for this weekend's 55th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals presented by Lucas Oil.
This initial foray into NHRA Drag Racing was sparked by a wildly successful venture between BASF's Agricultural Products group and Lucas Oil Motorsports at the recently completed Indy Super Pull event during Lucas Oil Motorsports Weekend at the 2009 Indiana State Fair.
"We were certainly impressed with everything we were able to do at the Indy Super Pull," said Kent Stickler, BASF's District Manager - Crop Protection Products. "The Agricultural Products group is committed to developing unique and innovative solutions for today's corn and soybean growers to help them produce greater yields and get the most out of every acre. Innovation and technology will be key to the success of BASF for years to come.
"There are many similarities between what we do and the way drag racers operate on the edge of technology to get the most out of their racecars, engines, and equipment."
BASF Agricultural Products certainly has aligned itself with a great race team. Team owner and driver Morgan Lucas, the youngest professional in the NHRA's nitro ranks at age 25, is a multi-time national event winner in the midst of a career season. His teammate, rookie Shawn Langdon, has proven to be quite adept at handling an 8,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster and is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year.
Lucas' GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster and Langdon's Lucas Oil/Dixie Chopper dragster will both sport prominent BASF signage at this weekend's race.
"I'm extremely proud to bring a corporation of this magnitude into our sport and really introduce them to motorsports in general," Lucas said. "BASF is the largest chemical company in the world with nearly 100,000 employees on five continents and annual revenues in excess of $50 billion. It's awesome to bring them on board.
"This is a nice byproduct of our successes this year and it's neat to see people recognize our accomplishments. Everyone we've met at BASF has been awesome to work with and I can only see great things happening with this partnership as we move forward."
This initial foray into NHRA Drag Racing was sparked by a wildly successful venture between BASF's Agricultural Products group and Lucas Oil Motorsports at the recently completed Indy Super Pull event during Lucas Oil Motorsports Weekend at the 2009 Indiana State Fair.
"We were certainly impressed with everything we were able to do at the Indy Super Pull," said Kent Stickler, BASF's District Manager - Crop Protection Products. "The Agricultural Products group is committed to developing unique and innovative solutions for today's corn and soybean growers to help them produce greater yields and get the most out of every acre. Innovation and technology will be key to the success of BASF for years to come.
"There are many similarities between what we do and the way drag racers operate on the edge of technology to get the most out of their racecars, engines, and equipment."
BASF Agricultural Products certainly has aligned itself with a great race team. Team owner and driver Morgan Lucas, the youngest professional in the NHRA's nitro ranks at age 25, is a multi-time national event winner in the midst of a career season. His teammate, rookie Shawn Langdon, has proven to be quite adept at handling an 8,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragster and is a strong contender for Rookie of the Year.
Lucas' GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster and Langdon's Lucas Oil/Dixie Chopper dragster will both sport prominent BASF signage at this weekend's race.
"I'm extremely proud to bring a corporation of this magnitude into our sport and really introduce them to motorsports in general," Lucas said. "BASF is the largest chemical company in the world with nearly 100,000 employees on five continents and annual revenues in excess of $50 billion. It's awesome to bring them on board.
"This is a nice byproduct of our successes this year and it's neat to see people recognize our accomplishments. Everyone we've met at BASF has been awesome to work with and I can only see great things happening with this partnership as we move forward."
