Patrick’s IHRA title defense season becoming a test of will
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<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/PatrickSA.jpg" alt="PatrickSA" />
<br><font color="Navy">“I think we gained a lot of momentum with our performance in Martin,” Patrick admitted.</font>
<P>MARTIN, MI. – The look on Robert Patrick’s face after losing a semi-final match to Pete Berner told the story. Nevermind the fact the defending IHRA Pro Stock world champion had just turned in his best performance of the year. The hole in his engine block spoke volumes for the kind of season this has been for the veteran driver from Fredericksburg, VA,
“We were ahead and then it just went bad,” Patrick admitted. “That’s the kind of season we’ve had. But, I should have switched out engines before we went up there, but there just wasn’t enough time for that. We took a gamble and it bit us.”
That bite extends upwards into the mid five-figure range for one of the mega-cubic inch engines that powers Patrick’s Purvis Ford-sponsored Cobra Shelby, which ironically recorded the quickest naturally aspirated doorslammer elapsed time [6.266] in preseason testing. That day in March seems like eternity lately.
Patrick is a drag racer and a good one at that. He’s only raced in the IHRA’s popular mountain motor Pro Stock division and since the early 1990’s and in that time has amassed a tie for fourth among all-time winners in the class. He’s currently sharing that monumental post with the legendary Ronnie Sox.
“You can have a tough season but then when you realize things like being tied with Ronnie Sox, it all puts things into perspective,” Patrick said. “I’d like to think I’ve grown up in the sport and I can remember the guys like Lee Edwards [who built Patrick’s first race engine] and Rickie Smith … guys I grew up wanting to follow in their footsteps … and you quickly realize you must roll with the punches and you might have one day that doesn’t give you what you want, but around the corner you’ll have three more good ones that make everything worth it all.”
Patrick currently ranks eighth in the championship points standings and while he’s all but eliminated from the title contention, that factoid doesn’t prevent a potential run for the top five ranking with only three races left in 2008.
“I think we gained a lot of momentum with our performance in Martin,” Patrick admitted. “We weren’t the fastest car out there, but we ran well when we needed to. Getting into the top five in points is a realistic goal and one that we plan to go all-out for.
“We’re hoping for a great performance in Tulsa. We have a strong car and a championship crew; we just need a few breaks here and there. Those breaks have been the difference.”
Just as long as those breaks aren’t like the one his team encountered in Michigan, Patrick will be pleased.
<p style="width:300px;float:right;font-weight:bold;padding-right:0px;">
<img src="http://www.nitromater.com/gallery/files/5/PatrickSA.jpg" alt="PatrickSA" />
<br><font color="Navy">“I think we gained a lot of momentum with our performance in Martin,” Patrick admitted.</font>
<P>MARTIN, MI. – The look on Robert Patrick’s face after losing a semi-final match to Pete Berner told the story. Nevermind the fact the defending IHRA Pro Stock world champion had just turned in his best performance of the year. The hole in his engine block spoke volumes for the kind of season this has been for the veteran driver from Fredericksburg, VA,
“We were ahead and then it just went bad,” Patrick admitted. “That’s the kind of season we’ve had. But, I should have switched out engines before we went up there, but there just wasn’t enough time for that. We took a gamble and it bit us.”
That bite extends upwards into the mid five-figure range for one of the mega-cubic inch engines that powers Patrick’s Purvis Ford-sponsored Cobra Shelby, which ironically recorded the quickest naturally aspirated doorslammer elapsed time [6.266] in preseason testing. That day in March seems like eternity lately.
Patrick is a drag racer and a good one at that. He’s only raced in the IHRA’s popular mountain motor Pro Stock division and since the early 1990’s and in that time has amassed a tie for fourth among all-time winners in the class. He’s currently sharing that monumental post with the legendary Ronnie Sox.
“You can have a tough season but then when you realize things like being tied with Ronnie Sox, it all puts things into perspective,” Patrick said. “I’d like to think I’ve grown up in the sport and I can remember the guys like Lee Edwards [who built Patrick’s first race engine] and Rickie Smith … guys I grew up wanting to follow in their footsteps … and you quickly realize you must roll with the punches and you might have one day that doesn’t give you what you want, but around the corner you’ll have three more good ones that make everything worth it all.”
Patrick currently ranks eighth in the championship points standings and while he’s all but eliminated from the title contention, that factoid doesn’t prevent a potential run for the top five ranking with only three races left in 2008.
“I think we gained a lot of momentum with our performance in Martin,” Patrick admitted. “We weren’t the fastest car out there, but we ran well when we needed to. Getting into the top five in points is a realistic goal and one that we plan to go all-out for.
“We’re hoping for a great performance in Tulsa. We have a strong car and a championship crew; we just need a few breaks here and there. Those breaks have been the difference.”
Just as long as those breaks aren’t like the one his team encountered in Michigan, Patrick will be pleased.
