Changes at Morgan Lucas Racing

[vegasnitro]

at the end of the day, performance on the level they expect, is hard to come by.

Dammed right ... if it was easy, then everyone would be doing it.

I don't understand the vitriol directed at Morgan ... he is a good guy by most accounts ... he has certainly paid his dues ... his family is THE BIGGEST supporters of NHRA racers on all levels ... yet whenever they change crew chiefs on the flagship car the daggers come out around here. Crew chiefs get hired and fired ... it happens. There are very few teams out there who keep their crew chiefs year over year over year.

IMO, it is smart to bring in new blood now ... they can get a few races under their belts and head into the offseason with a game plan for next year.

 

[Nitrohelper]

...Lucas Oil dropping the sponsorship...

This was going to happen last year , but a reduced deal was made for this season...

 

[TR]

If you ignore the absolutely horrible fan interaction.

Gotta agree with Mark on that.

Rick

 

[Rajunz]

ever since the setback blowers became the norm, seems like it's been more
of crap shoot vs. consistency.........very few tuners have consistently shown
top of the pack performance; the jfr tuners and AJ being the exceptions........

I dunno, I wouldn't discount the Dark Side, there are several cars in that camp that are still fighting for a Championship...............

I'm just saying....

 

[Crash]

While I understand the analogy between Morgan and Troy, it's not a completely fair one, IMO. Both cars have their own idiosyncrasy's and while not quite apples & oranges, comparing the skill required to drive two completely different cars is tough.

So you are saying that driving a Pro Stock is the same as driving a TF/FC?

Nope, I am not saying that driving a TF car is anything like driving a PS car...I wasn't trying to make any kind of comparison like that, (I see it as a shortstop compared to a pitcher, both play the same game, but with vastly different skillsets) I was only referring to the fact that money and privilege/opportunity don't make you win races. I have met Troy, and he seemed a good guy. I have not met Morgan, and I can't speak as to how nice of a guy he is, but I am not talking about either man as a person, just as drivers.

 

[johnny]

So you are saying that driving a Pro Stock is the same as driving a TF/FC?

Nope, I am not saying that driving a TF car is anything like driving a PS car...I wasn't trying to make any kind of comparison like that, (I see it as a shortstop compared to a pitcher, both play the same game, but with vastly different skillsets) I was only referring to the fact that money and privilege/opportunity don't make you win races. I have met Troy, and he seemed a good guy. I have not met Morgan, and I can't speak as to how nice of a guy he is, but I am not talking about either man as a person, just as drivers.

Read my post. Troy's resume verifies his ability. No defense is necessary. It's ludicrous to compare him with one of the greatest drivers of all time, in such a matter of fact manner, especially omitting the size difference between the two. They were never in identical, equal cars because the set-up accommodated the drivers. Troy in PS, not a good fit. Much better fit in a Pro Mod, and he seems to be getting results equivalent to Rickie Smith's who is far from a duck.i Tell the Pro Street guy's Troy is soft.

 

[CrewGuy]

Nope, I am not saying that driving a TF car is anything like driving a PS car...I wasn't trying to make any kind of comparison like that, (I see it as a shortstop compared to a pitcher, both play the same game, but with vastly different skillsets) I was only referring to the fact that money and privilege/opportunity don't make you win races. I have met Troy, and he seemed a good guy. I have not met Morgan, and I can't speak as to how nice of a guy he is, but I am not talking about either man as a person, just as drivers.

Lucas is fielding 2 cars in this economy.......his money, his cars, let him be!

 

[Tim5636sc]

This was going to happen last year , but a reduced deal was made for this season...

Thanks Newman...

 

[mick]

I dunno, I wouldn't discount the Dark Side, there are several cars in that camp that are still fighting for a Championship...............

I'm just saying....

lance, what i mean't was consistently contending year after year; yes you're
right there are certainly other contenders, but annually the same one's rise
to the top consistently........AJ is the best example, followed by j. prock
and m. neff.........these might not be your 3 favorites, but i see these three
being able to dig themselves out of a hole.......on their own......
year after year.

jim walsh did a fine job for the lucas' - he'll find another home and maybe he'll
hit on a combination that will win races as he did previously with JR todd.

 

[clwill]

Lucas is fielding 2 cars in this economy.......his money, his cars, let him be!

And I give Forrest and Charlotte a ton of credit. As a sportsman racer, I owe them a huge debt of gratitude for everything they do for everything in the NHRA. True champions of the sport.

I also can clearly see all the support and patience they've shown with Morgan. But changing tuners, pipe, team members, etc. doesn't seem to help. That tuning job is looking like Doug Herbert or Tony Pedregon in the number of tuners they've gone through. At some point you have to be saying, to quote Pogo: we've met the enemy and they is us.

 

[Crash]

Lucas is fielding 2 cars in this economy.......his money, his cars, let him be!

I agree completely. He is providing jobs (20? 30?) in this economy and supporting the sport I love. Like I said, I have no problem with Morgan, I was merely discussing his ability as an owner/driver.

 

[Crash]

Read my post. Troy's resume verifies his ability. No defense is necessary. It's ludicrous to compare him with one of the greatest drivers of all time, in such a matter of fact manner, especially omitting the size difference between the two. They were never in identical, equal cars because the set-up accommodated the drivers. Troy in PS, not a good fit. Much better fit in a Pro Mod, and he seems to be getting results equivalent to Rickie Smith's who is far from a duck.i Tell the Pro Street guy's Troy is soft.

I think comparing him to his brother is the best possible way to prove my point, which seems to have been lost in all the randomness....
It is completely possible for 2 different people with all the resources in the world to have vastly different results when competing in the same arena. I stick by my statement that Troy was a lousy PRO STOCK driver. His resume there proves it. I never talked about Pro Mod/Pro Street, as it was irrelevant to the discussion.

 

[johnny]

And I give Forrest and Charlotte a ton of credit. As a sportsman racer, I owe them a huge debt of gratitude for everything they do for everything in the NHRA. True champions of the sport.

I also can clearly see all the support and patience they've shown with Morgan. But changing tuners, pipe, team members, etc. doesn't seem to help. That tuning job is looking like Doug Herbert or Tony Pedregon in the number of tuners they've gone through. At some point you have to be saying, to quote Pogo: we've met the enemy and they is us.

Really...
Englishtown
Rd.1 win immediate smoke
Rd.2 5.04 to Bernstein 3.91, smoke 250ft. Left 1st.
Bristol
Rd.1 win 3.98 to Dixons 4.00. Left 1st.
Rd2 loss 6.06 to Schumacher 3.97, smoke 150ft, left 1st.
Norwalk
Rd.1 loss 4.62 Dakin 3.97, cylinders out at the hit, smoke, mops at starting line after the pass.
Sonoma
Rd.1 loss 4.00 to Schumacher 3.88, left 1st, passed at the tree.
Denver
Rd.1 loss 6.28 to Dixon 3.96 left move at the hit.
Indy
Rd.1 win 3.88 to Grubnic 5.01
Rd.2 loss 5.90 to Schumacher 3.88, tire smoke before 330ft.
Charlotte
Rd.1 loss 3.96 to Cory 3.87
Dallas
Rd.1 loss 8.49 to Cory 3.81, out of power 200 ft.

 

[johnny]

I think comparing him to his brother is the best possible way to prove my point, which seems to have been lost in all the randomness....
It is completely possible for 2 different people with all the resources in the world to have vastly different results when competing in the same arena. I stick by my statement that Troy was a lousy PRO STOCK driver. His resume there proves it. I never talked about Pro Mod/Pro Street, as it was irrelevant to the discussion.

I could argue he drove well but never had a chance because of a bad fit, or state, good driver, lousy (in your terminolgy) results. Maskin may say, he had great results under the circumstances. Saying the guy is a sub-par driver is irresponsible and lebelious, without first considering all of the facts. Having said that, if your saying Big Troy was lousy because his big ass didn't fit, maybe I agree. If you're saying, it was apples to apples between the two, i don't. Your omission, in my opinion, was an effort to bolster a foundationless contention. In the end, his complete resume stands up. What is irrelevant is a discussion of the Coughlin Brothers talent relative to the Lucas car underperforming. The point was lost because, it's not the great of a point.

 

[Crash]

I could argue he drove well but never had a chance because of a bad fit, or state, good driver, lousy (in your terminolgy) results. Maskin may say, he had great results under the circumstances. Saying the guy is a sub-par driver is irresponsible and lebelious, without first considering all of the facts. Your omission, in my opinion, was an effort to bolster a foundationless contention. In the end his complete resume stands up.

Wow. I'm not sure how to even respond to that. He won what, one race in Pro Stock? During the same time period Jeg won a couple of championships and 20+ races (I am pulling that number out of thin air, it may be a little more, it may be a little less. Either way it is substantially more than Troy)
Again, my point is being missed, so I am going to try one more time.
2 drivers, same resources, VASTLY different results. This (hopefully) makes my point that maybe the problem with Morgan is the one common denominator. The driver. It is possible that another driver with the same resources could have a vastly different result...

 

[Randy]

So you are saying that driving a Pro Stock is the same as driving a TF/FC?

We were pitted next to Jeg's toterhome rig and got a chance to check out the new Jeg's Hemi Challenger last year. I had a chance to speak to him when he came over and wanted to borrow some salt for his soup one evening. If you remember, he told Bob Frey on TV he had no desire "at this time" to drive a TA/FC when asked at the Jeg's All Stars if he ever wanted to try it. I asked him why not, and he seemed pretty open to trying it some time. I made the offer. Haven't heard back yet. But a yellow TA/FC would look nice in the mean time.

RG

 

[johnny]

Wow. I'm not sure how to even respond to that. He won what, one race in Pro Stock? During the same time period Jeg won a couple of championships and 20+ races (I am pulling that number out of thin air, it may be a little more, it may be a little less. Either way it is substantially more than Troy)
Again, my point is being missed, so I am going to try one more time.
2 drivers, same resources, VASTLY different results. This (hopefully) makes my point that maybe the problem with Morgan is the one common denominator. The driver. It is possible that another driver with the same resources could have a vastly different result...

Tim, you said Troy was a lousy Pro Stock driver and implied he was a lousy driver with money and privilege (like Morgan?). I think it more accurate he was an inappropriate Pro Stock Driver. 2 Drivers, same resources applied differently, Vastly different results.
It's hard to get L.E. Tonglets results at 160 lbs. You could hit shift points better, have a better avg. reaction time, be easier on gear, have a potentially better set up and the 25lb body weight issue can and will have an insurmountable negative effect on comparitive results.

I tried to help this adolescent *****foolery subside by adding recent race results.

 

[Bullet]

Anyone basing their opinion that Morgan Lucas is "not a good driver" of a Top Fuel car based on the comparison of two brothers who raced in Pro Stock, one of which is possibly the best/most versatile drivers to ever shoe a drag racing car, is quite simply not a student of the sport of drag racing.

1. Morgan is a more than adequate driver of any race car that I have seen him drive.

2. Comparing ANYONE to Jeg Coughlin Jr behind the wheel is unfair.

 

[Crash]

Anyone basing their opinion that Morgan Lucas is "not a good driver" of a Top Fuel car based on the comparison of two brothers who raced in Pro Stock, one of which is possibly the best/most versatile drivers to ever shoe a drag racing car, is quite simply not a student of the sport of drag racing.

1. Morgan is a more than adequate driver of any race car that I have seen him drive.

2. Comparing ANYONE to Jeg Coughlin Jr behind the wheel is unfair.

for crying out loud, for the the last time....
I AM NOT COMPARING MORGAN TO JEG OR TROY....
Also, I don't believe that I ever said that Morgan was "not a good driver"
I was using the difference between Troy's results and Jeg's results to illustrate a point. How can I make that clearer? The point is, the driver has something to do with the end result, even with all the money and resources in the world.
As to your comment #2 ... I am a devoted fan and "student of the sport" and I believe Jeg is one of the best drivers ever. I have argued that point over and over when someone wants to say driver "X" or "Y" is better. I can always win that particular discussion...the evidence is overwhelming if you know anything about drag racing.

 

[johnny]

I don't think that was a cheap shot, I think that was stating the obvious. Ultimately it comes down to the guy behind the wheel. I'd use the example of Troy Coughlin vs Jeg Jr. Troy had access to all the same equipment, the same $$ and all the other resources. Who won more races? (waaaaaaay more) Was it because of some strange, invisible reason? No, Troy was a lousy driver, and I do believe the same thing is going on with Morgan. Sh*tpiles of money don't make you a good driver.

Huh??? Guess I misunderstood.