Mechanical issues force early exit for Stivers in Indy
<p style="width:300px;float:right;font-weight:bold;padding-right:0px;">
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/Stivers_684646.jpg" alt="Stivers_684646" />
<br><font color="Navy">"All in all, it wasn’t a bad first outing for my crew chief Quain Stott and our ‘Support our Troops’ car,"Stivers said.</font>
<P> (9/2/08) CLEREMONT, Ind. – Pro Mod racer Rick Stivers had his weekend at the MAC Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals end early at the hands of a broken two-step clutch in his first-round eliminations match in the JEGS ProMod Challenge.
After qualifying No. 15 out of 22 cars with a 6.118/233.24, Stivers faced off against No. 2 Mike Knowles. After the burnout, Stivers attempted to stage his ’63 Corvette but was unable to engage the two-step clutch left the line before the tree was activated.
“All in all, it wasn’t a bad first outing for my crew chief Quain Stott and our ‘Support our Troops’ car, but honestly, I wasn’t really thinking about racing a whole lot. My mind was really focused on Steve Engel and his recovery,” Stivers said.
Engel, of Shandon, Ohio, entered surgery Sunday morning for injuries he sustained after his car went out of control and crashed Saturday during qualifying. According to his family, Engel has fractures in six cervical vertebrae and damage to his spinal cord.
“It’s been a really though year in drag racing, and, when something like that happens to a close friend of yours, it really makes you think. Honestly, I’m not quite sure how I feel – I’m just really concerned for Steve and his wife Tonya. My prayers are with them, and the doctors who are working with them,” Stivers said.
The next scheduled event in the JEGS ProMod Challenge is in Dallas, September 17-21.
<p style="width:300px;float:right;font-weight:bold;padding-right:0px;">
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/Stivers_684646.jpg" alt="Stivers_684646" />
<br><font color="Navy">"All in all, it wasn’t a bad first outing for my crew chief Quain Stott and our ‘Support our Troops’ car,"Stivers said.</font>
<P> (9/2/08) CLEREMONT, Ind. – Pro Mod racer Rick Stivers had his weekend at the MAC Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals end early at the hands of a broken two-step clutch in his first-round eliminations match in the JEGS ProMod Challenge.
After qualifying No. 15 out of 22 cars with a 6.118/233.24, Stivers faced off against No. 2 Mike Knowles. After the burnout, Stivers attempted to stage his ’63 Corvette but was unable to engage the two-step clutch left the line before the tree was activated.
“All in all, it wasn’t a bad first outing for my crew chief Quain Stott and our ‘Support our Troops’ car, but honestly, I wasn’t really thinking about racing a whole lot. My mind was really focused on Steve Engel and his recovery,” Stivers said.
Engel, of Shandon, Ohio, entered surgery Sunday morning for injuries he sustained after his car went out of control and crashed Saturday during qualifying. According to his family, Engel has fractures in six cervical vertebrae and damage to his spinal cord.
“It’s been a really though year in drag racing, and, when something like that happens to a close friend of yours, it really makes you think. Honestly, I’m not quite sure how I feel – I’m just really concerned for Steve and his wife Tonya. My prayers are with them, and the doctors who are working with them,” Stivers said.
The next scheduled event in the JEGS ProMod Challenge is in Dallas, September 17-21.
