ROBERT PATRICK BATTLES ADVERSITY WITH MOMENTUM WAITING IN THE WINGS
FREDRICKSBURG, VA. (7-16-2007) - Robert Patrick has encountered more than his share of obstacles in drag racing but in the days leading up to the IHRA Torco Sooner Nationals, the IHRA Pro Stock racer suffered a loss that had him questioning more than drag racing.
Patrick lost a friend, and a close one.
Cary Coleman’s death left Patrick reeling from a setback that no test session could overcome or that money couldn’t buy relief from.
Patrick learned a lot from Coleman over the years about fitness and proper maintenance of his body, but the most invaluable lesson – how to be a friend – was what left a lasting impression.
“It’s been a tough few weeks,” Patrick, of Fredericksburg, Virginia, said. “Doing as well as we’ve done lately eases the burden some, but it is still tough. Being tough motivates us. You have to smile when you don’t feel like it.”
Losing a friend that close to death is uncharted territory for Patrick. That is territory the 15-time national event winner hopes he doesn’t encounter any time soon.
Just eighteen points out of first place in the IHRA Torco’s CompetitionPlus Pro Stock point lead; Patrick is readying that second-half surge. A surge he hopes takes him to his first career world championship.
“We are coming into our own at the right time,” said Patrick. “I guess if there is a point and time that you can get on a hot streak, it would be best to do it in the second half. But, if I had my way I’d just as soon to perform consistently all season long.”
Patrick readily admits consistency has always been his albatross. He’s been a dominant figure for the last few seasons, but there has always been a streak of misfortunate that nailed him to the wall when it came down to the final points tallying time.
In Tulsa, after qualifying solidly on the pole during Friday’s qualifying, Patrick mortally wounded his primary engine during the first session the next day. Fate dealt Patrick a favorable nod when rain delayed final eliminations. That provided Patrick’s engine builder Bob Ingles the opportunity to not only fix the damage but to up the ante for the competition.
Patrick’s revamped engine acquired some extra horsepower, but for some reason it did not jibe with the conditions that Tulsa Raceway Park offered.
Patrick lost the first round of eliminations; not exactly the kind of reward he had in mind for gaining engine power. That prompted a team meeting.
“We all got together with Bob Ingles and we just laid it on the line,” Patrick said. “Bob is breaking his back to give us a great motor and we are too good of a team to be this inconsistent. We just made a pact to return to the basics and go from there.
“That’s what we did. We went back to what got us in the winner’s circle in San Antonio and decided to work from there.”
Patrick qualified an impressive #2 in Edmonton, and methodically worked his way through the field defeating low qualifier Pete Berner in the final round. He was the quickest throughout eliminations and established track record on Sunday.
Beating Berner in the final round erased the depression of the first round loss in Tulsa.
“We didn’t feel that we could beat Pete on the back-half, but we were confident that we could get out on him in the front-half,” Patrick said. “We felt that if I could drive halfway decent and we could make the right calls, that we had a chance of making it to the finals. That’s what we did.”
Patrick’s recent victory during the IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals ensured that he’s won at least once every IHRA Knoll Gas Nitro Jam event in Canada. As fate has it, he's headed to Canada again this weekend for the IHRA Canadian Nationals in Grand Bend, Ontario.
The Edmonton victory was extra special to Patrick. He’d trade the fourteen others for this one because he won it for a friend.
“I won it for Cary,” Patrick said. “He carried me to the winner’s circle and that’s the greatest ride a friend can have.”
Or, one can give. Rest in peace Cary.
