<img src="http://gallery.nitromater.com/files/6/5/40Ashley.jpg" alt="40Ashley" align="right"borders="0"/>
MARTIN, Mich. --Just one weekend removed from his best finish in NHRA POWERade Funny Car competition, Mike Ashley continued his run of solid performance by landing in the provisional top spot Friday evening at the Torco IHRA Northern Nationals in Martin, Michigan.
Ashley posted a solid 4.866, 311.99 to vault to the top of the eight car field. His run represents a new speed world record pending the required 1% back up. Two opportunities remain on Saturday to do just that.
“Running with IHRA is like coming back to family,” Ashley said. “I know all these guys and I grew up over here. They welcomed me home just like a family. It feels great. To be able to come here and to have so many great fans and to have my sponsor here and this is his home race, and to qualify number one is a great feeling. I am on top of the world right now.
“I’d like to get my first nitro Funny Car win here considering I got my first Pro Modified win over here. I’d love to be able to do that for Evan Knoll.”
Ashley’s success came very quickly during the event. He was in the first pair of nitro cars to assault the U.S. 131 Dragway racing surface on Friday evening.
“That’s a testament to Brian Corradi,” Ashley said. “These guys were really able to size up the track and size up the conditions and put a tune-up in the car. I was basically along for the ride.”
Some might consider Ashley’s weekend as a testing venue considering he’s a regular on the NHRA POWERade tour. Ashley doesn’t. For him and the Knoll Gas – Torco Race Fuels team campaigned under the Don Schumacher Racing umbrella; the weekend provides the opportunity to gain much-needed seat time.
“Every lap I make is an experience builder,” Ashley said. “We need as much experience as we can get. I think it is starting to show. We are starting to qualify better and run better. We had our first semi-final finish last weekend. I think things are coming together exactly and we hoped.”
Mike Ashley's Gotham City Racing is also sponsored by:
* Oakley - www.Oakley.com
* Optima Aluminum Trailers - www.OptimaTrailers.com
* Lend America - www.LendAmerica.com
* Impact Racing - www.ImpactRaceProducts.com
* Knoll Gas Motorsports - www.TorcoRacingFuels.com
* RPM Depot - www.RPMperformance.net
* SKULL Shine - www.TorcoRacingFuels.com
* SKULL H2O - www.TorcoRacingFuels.com
MIKE ASHLEY THUNDERS TO FIRST CAREER PROVISIONAL POLE POSITION
MARTIN, Mich. --Just one weekend removed from his best finish in NHRA POWERade Funny Car competition, Mike Ashley continued his run of solid performance by landing in the provisional top spot Friday evening at the Torco IHRA Northern Nationals in Martin, Michigan.
Ashley posted a solid 4.866, 311.99 to vault to the top of the eight car field. His run represents a new speed world record pending the required 1% back up. Two opportunities remain on Saturday to do just that.
“Running with IHRA is like coming back to family,” Ashley said. “I know all these guys and I grew up over here. They welcomed me home just like a family. It feels great. To be able to come here and to have so many great fans and to have my sponsor here and this is his home race, and to qualify number one is a great feeling. I am on top of the world right now.
“I’d like to get my first nitro Funny Car win here considering I got my first Pro Modified win over here. I’d love to be able to do that for Evan Knoll.”
Ashley’s success came very quickly during the event. He was in the first pair of nitro cars to assault the U.S. 131 Dragway racing surface on Friday evening.
“That’s a testament to Brian Corradi,” Ashley said. “These guys were really able to size up the track and size up the conditions and put a tune-up in the car. I was basically along for the ride.”
Some might consider Ashley’s weekend as a testing venue considering he’s a regular on the NHRA POWERade tour. Ashley doesn’t. For him and the Knoll Gas – Torco Race Fuels team campaigned under the Don Schumacher Racing umbrella; the weekend provides the opportunity to gain much-needed seat time.
“Every lap I make is an experience builder,” Ashley said. “We need as much experience as we can get. I think it is starting to show. We are starting to qualify better and run better. We had our first semi-final finish last weekend. I think things are coming together exactly and we hoped.”
Mike Ashley's Gotham City Racing is also sponsored by:
* Oakley - www.Oakley.com
* Optima Aluminum Trailers - www.OptimaTrailers.com
* Lend America - www.LendAmerica.com
* Impact Racing - www.ImpactRaceProducts.com
* Knoll Gas Motorsports - www.TorcoRacingFuels.com
* RPM Depot - www.RPMperformance.net
* SKULL Shine - www.TorcoRacingFuels.com
* SKULL H2O - www.TorcoRacingFuels.com
