Foley Focused on Living Up to His Budding Reputation
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/d_foley.jpg" alt="d_foley" align="right"borders="0"/>
MOHNTON, Pa. -- Three years ago, drag racing instructor and former IHRA Rookie of the Year winner Doug Foley made his NHRA debut at his home track of Maple Grove Raceway. Now, 25 NHRA national events later, Foley returns to "the Grove" with designs on claiming his first victory in NHRA's Top Fuel ranks.
Foley is no stranger to winning races in his 8,000-horsepower Foley & Lewis rail, which will once again carry the colors of Fx Caprara Car Companies at this weekend's 24th annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals. In IHRA competition, Foley claimed six Top Fuel victories, finishing as high as second in the championship points in 2005.
Yet despite earning the nickname "Giant Killer" from the media covering the NHRA tour, Foley hasn't broken through for a win at the top level of the sport. It's a goal he hopes to realize very soon, and considering his impressive record against the top racers in the sport, it could happen any time he enters a race.
"When we run, I think we do a good job of representing ourselves," said Foley, who's entered just three events this year after unexpectedly losing his title sponsor in the days leading up to the season opener. "We try to stay within our capabilities and our approach is to do everything we can to land that major sponsor we need to race fulltime.
"Our goals at the start of the year, and I thought of them as realistic goals, were to earn a spot in the Countdown to 1, win some races along the way, and make a run at the title. If our success in 2007 taught us anything it was that we could compete with anyone. Unfortunately, our plans took a drastic turn but we're still hoping to be a part of the Countdown to 1, only this time as a spoiler."
A resident of the Philadelphia suburb of Sewell, N.J., Foley has run well at the three events he's entered this year, qualifying in the top half of the field in both Houston and Englishtown, N.J., where he was a lofty third overall. He was able to keep his skills sharp and compete thanks to the support of Billy Caprara and his numerous dealerships in Watertown, N.J.
"Billy's a drag racer and a friend and he's been great to us," said Foley, who co-owns his team with retired publishing executive Tim Lewis. "He realizes how important it is to stay out here, even in a limited capacity, to show potential sponsors first-hand what drag racing is all about and what we can do for them. It's helped tremendously and we'll always be grateful to Billy. I'd love nothing more than to give him a Wally for all of his help.
"I know everyone else is thinking about the playoffs but we're thinking about our future. If we could kill a few more giants down the stretch, all the better for what we're trying to do to get this team back out there fulltime."
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/d_foley.jpg" alt="d_foley" align="right"borders="0"/>
MOHNTON, Pa. -- Three years ago, drag racing instructor and former IHRA Rookie of the Year winner Doug Foley made his NHRA debut at his home track of Maple Grove Raceway. Now, 25 NHRA national events later, Foley returns to "the Grove" with designs on claiming his first victory in NHRA's Top Fuel ranks.
Foley is no stranger to winning races in his 8,000-horsepower Foley & Lewis rail, which will once again carry the colors of Fx Caprara Car Companies at this weekend's 24th annual Toyo Tires NHRA Nationals. In IHRA competition, Foley claimed six Top Fuel victories, finishing as high as second in the championship points in 2005.
Yet despite earning the nickname "Giant Killer" from the media covering the NHRA tour, Foley hasn't broken through for a win at the top level of the sport. It's a goal he hopes to realize very soon, and considering his impressive record against the top racers in the sport, it could happen any time he enters a race.
"When we run, I think we do a good job of representing ourselves," said Foley, who's entered just three events this year after unexpectedly losing his title sponsor in the days leading up to the season opener. "We try to stay within our capabilities and our approach is to do everything we can to land that major sponsor we need to race fulltime.
"Our goals at the start of the year, and I thought of them as realistic goals, were to earn a spot in the Countdown to 1, win some races along the way, and make a run at the title. If our success in 2007 taught us anything it was that we could compete with anyone. Unfortunately, our plans took a drastic turn but we're still hoping to be a part of the Countdown to 1, only this time as a spoiler."
A resident of the Philadelphia suburb of Sewell, N.J., Foley has run well at the three events he's entered this year, qualifying in the top half of the field in both Houston and Englishtown, N.J., where he was a lofty third overall. He was able to keep his skills sharp and compete thanks to the support of Billy Caprara and his numerous dealerships in Watertown, N.J.
"Billy's a drag racer and a friend and he's been great to us," said Foley, who co-owns his team with retired publishing executive Tim Lewis. "He realizes how important it is to stay out here, even in a limited capacity, to show potential sponsors first-hand what drag racing is all about and what we can do for them. It's helped tremendously and we'll always be grateful to Billy. I'd love nothing more than to give him a Wally for all of his help.
"I know everyone else is thinking about the playoffs but we're thinking about our future. If we could kill a few more giants down the stretch, all the better for what we're trying to do to get this team back out there fulltime."
