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It’s been roughly seven months since the Foley & Lewis Mach Series Accelerator-sponsored Top Fuel machine pulled into the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona to open the season at the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals. The plan was to attend a select number of NHRA/POWERade events, but a mid-season meeting with sponsor Evan Knoll opened the door for the Foley & Lewis team to run the balance of the ’07 season, along with plans to compete at all 24 POWERade events in 2008.
The plan worked, with the Doug Foley -driven car racing its way to five semi-final finishes and establishing the team as somewhat of a giant-killer, due in part to the team’s ability in dispatching several of the top cars in the class.
Last weekend’s AC Delco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals found the team making four consistent runs in qualifying. “We were really trying to step it up a little each time,” Foley said after qualifying, “but we’re just happy though to have our early season consistency back with us.” However, in the first round, the Mach Series Accelerator-sponsored car smoked the tires shortly into the run, forcing Foley to abandon his chances for the win.
Moving four hours south after the Las Vegas race back to the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals, earned the team their first top half qualifying position. In the first round, the team once again consistently went down the track, although on the losing end of a tight 4.56 to a 4.57 elapsed time.
A first round loss might normally have been a cause for despair, but Foley said, “Naturally, I’m disappointed to have lost in the first round of both of these west coast races, but I’m extremely happy for how our team has done this past year.
“Our initial plans after Evan [Knoll, team sponsor] gave us the opportunity to run, was to simply use the balance of the season as a tune-up for a run for the 2008 Countdown to the Championship. I’m even more excited now because our team gelled together so well. We finished the year No. 16 in the POWERade points, which is not so bad for a somewhat part-time effort. But it gives us real hope for ’08. We now know what has to be done and we’re going to spend all winter preparing to climb to the top,” Foley added.
While wintertime might be termed as the “off-season,” it’ll be a busy period for the Foley & Lewis team. Several new crew members have already been hired, which will require training, but in addition, a new hospitality trailer and attending crew will be constructed to better serve the team’s sponsors and fans. Add in the building of a new car, and you have the makings of a busy winter.
Team co-owner, Tim Lewis said, “This has been said before, but we’re happy with the year we had. Besides the moral and financial support from Evan Knoll, our team led by crew chief Doug Kuch, did a fantastic job; one that we can’t thank them enough for. Doug [Kuch] has done a great job for us and we feel honored to have him on our side. With 24 POWERade races now on our schedule in ’08, we’re going to focus on being an integral part of the ’08 Countdown to the Championship.”
For more information on Foley & Lewis, please visit Doug Foley
For more information on the Torco Mach Series Accelerator products, please visit Torco Race Fuels - Home.
FOLEY & LEWIS – SEASON WRAP-UP
It’s been roughly seven months since the Foley & Lewis Mach Series Accelerator-sponsored Top Fuel machine pulled into the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona to open the season at the Carquest Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals. The plan was to attend a select number of NHRA/POWERade events, but a mid-season meeting with sponsor Evan Knoll opened the door for the Foley & Lewis team to run the balance of the ’07 season, along with plans to compete at all 24 POWERade events in 2008.
The plan worked, with the Doug Foley -driven car racing its way to five semi-final finishes and establishing the team as somewhat of a giant-killer, due in part to the team’s ability in dispatching several of the top cars in the class.
Last weekend’s AC Delco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals found the team making four consistent runs in qualifying. “We were really trying to step it up a little each time,” Foley said after qualifying, “but we’re just happy though to have our early season consistency back with us.” However, in the first round, the Mach Series Accelerator-sponsored car smoked the tires shortly into the run, forcing Foley to abandon his chances for the win.
Moving four hours south after the Las Vegas race back to the Auto Club Raceway at Pomona for the season-ending Auto Club NHRA Finals, earned the team their first top half qualifying position. In the first round, the team once again consistently went down the track, although on the losing end of a tight 4.56 to a 4.57 elapsed time.
A first round loss might normally have been a cause for despair, but Foley said, “Naturally, I’m disappointed to have lost in the first round of both of these west coast races, but I’m extremely happy for how our team has done this past year.
“Our initial plans after Evan [Knoll, team sponsor] gave us the opportunity to run, was to simply use the balance of the season as a tune-up for a run for the 2008 Countdown to the Championship. I’m even more excited now because our team gelled together so well. We finished the year No. 16 in the POWERade points, which is not so bad for a somewhat part-time effort. But it gives us real hope for ’08. We now know what has to be done and we’re going to spend all winter preparing to climb to the top,” Foley added.
While wintertime might be termed as the “off-season,” it’ll be a busy period for the Foley & Lewis team. Several new crew members have already been hired, which will require training, but in addition, a new hospitality trailer and attending crew will be constructed to better serve the team’s sponsors and fans. Add in the building of a new car, and you have the makings of a busy winter.
Team co-owner, Tim Lewis said, “This has been said before, but we’re happy with the year we had. Besides the moral and financial support from Evan Knoll, our team led by crew chief Doug Kuch, did a fantastic job; one that we can’t thank them enough for. Doug [Kuch] has done a great job for us and we feel honored to have him on our side. With 24 POWERade races now on our schedule in ’08, we’re going to focus on being an integral part of the ’08 Countdown to the Championship.”
For more information on Foley & Lewis, please visit Doug Foley
For more information on the Torco Mach Series Accelerator products, please visit Torco Race Fuels - Home.
