<img src="http://gallery.nitromater.com/files/6/5/M_Ashley.jpg" alt="M_Ashley" align="right"borders="0"/>
SOMONA, Calif. -- NHRA POWERade Funny Car racer Mike Ashley has distinct goals headed into this weekend's NHRA FRAM Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, Ca. The most important of which is to recognize his team's full potential.
"We are building a team that I feel is competitive and our first two outings is just proof of that," Ashley said. "This team is young and the early results are in. Those results are good and show that we have even more potential. We have the resources and talent to go down the track and to do it successfully more times than not."
Ashley will be making his third start behind the wheel of Evan Knoll's Knoll Gas - Torco Race Fuels Dodge Stratus managed by Don Schumacher Racing.
"This is a team that can win and will win," Ashley said. "I am excited about our chances this weekend. I think we showed a glimpse of that potential by our qualifying #4 in Seattle. We just didn't get aggressive enough in the first round but that is behind us."
Ashley turned in his best career qualifying effort during Saturday's opening qualifying session with a 4.872, 313.58 to qualify fourth. His previous best was eighth.
Ashley has only eight runs on the car he presently campaigns. In the weeks prior to the Denver debut his car was a bare frame and there wasn't a tool in the trailer. Yet they qualified.
Ashley's sticking point thus far has been finding the right balance on reaction times. In Denver he was too quick. In Seattle, he wasn't as aggressive in reaction time.
"I'm struggling on the starting line and I'll admit it," Ashley said. "In Seattle qualifying we staged the car like it was an eliminations round and I went red with the same exact reaction time as in Denver. In eliminations, I was slower and I really need to find that happy medium in staging and reacting. I probably could have pulled one for the team if I had gotten more aggressive on the starting line. I was more conservative but I learned quickly in Denver that a red-light is a definite loss.
"I think I need about three or four more runs to get my reactions dialed in as well as the car's reaction. I think I am in the best shape of my life and this is a big fight. We are on the right course."
Four more good runs will put him in the field at Sonoma. Four excellent runs will put him in the winner's circle.
"People had better take this team seriously because we will be in the winner's circle."
Racing begins on Friday, July 28 with qualifying sessions at 4:00 and 7:30 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 12:00 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations begin at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
Mike Ashley Looking to Turn Potential Into Results at Sonoma
SOMONA, Calif. -- NHRA POWERade Funny Car racer Mike Ashley has distinct goals headed into this weekend's NHRA FRAM Autolite Nationals in Sonoma, Ca. The most important of which is to recognize his team's full potential.
"We are building a team that I feel is competitive and our first two outings is just proof of that," Ashley said. "This team is young and the early results are in. Those results are good and show that we have even more potential. We have the resources and talent to go down the track and to do it successfully more times than not."
Ashley will be making his third start behind the wheel of Evan Knoll's Knoll Gas - Torco Race Fuels Dodge Stratus managed by Don Schumacher Racing.
"This is a team that can win and will win," Ashley said. "I am excited about our chances this weekend. I think we showed a glimpse of that potential by our qualifying #4 in Seattle. We just didn't get aggressive enough in the first round but that is behind us."
Ashley turned in his best career qualifying effort during Saturday's opening qualifying session with a 4.872, 313.58 to qualify fourth. His previous best was eighth.
Ashley has only eight runs on the car he presently campaigns. In the weeks prior to the Denver debut his car was a bare frame and there wasn't a tool in the trailer. Yet they qualified.
Ashley's sticking point thus far has been finding the right balance on reaction times. In Denver he was too quick. In Seattle, he wasn't as aggressive in reaction time.
"I'm struggling on the starting line and I'll admit it," Ashley said. "In Seattle qualifying we staged the car like it was an eliminations round and I went red with the same exact reaction time as in Denver. In eliminations, I was slower and I really need to find that happy medium in staging and reacting. I probably could have pulled one for the team if I had gotten more aggressive on the starting line. I was more conservative but I learned quickly in Denver that a red-light is a definite loss.
"I think I need about three or four more runs to get my reactions dialed in as well as the car's reaction. I think I am in the best shape of my life and this is a big fight. We are on the right course."
Four more good runs will put him in the field at Sonoma. Four excellent runs will put him in the winner's circle.
"People had better take this team seriously because we will be in the winner's circle."
Racing begins on Friday, July 28 with qualifying sessions at 4:00 and 7:30 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 12:00 and 3:30 p.m. Final eliminations begin at 12 p.m. on Sunday.
