Deby
Nitro Member
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POMONA, Calif. - For Rodger Brogdon, the pursuit of a life long dream has come to be reality this weekend as the Texas based RoofTec Roofing company owner made his debut in the NHRA Pro Stock category, and did it in fine style.
With a string of 6.6-second elapsed times in his Dodge Stratus, Brogdon qualified twelfth in the field and will look for his first Pro Stock round win when eliminations get under way on Sunday. After a strenuous week of highs and lows in test sessions, and engines that arrived just hours before the first qualifying session, Rodger and his RoofTec Racing crew rose to the challenge and solidly performed under the pressures of the toughest category in NHRA POWERade competition.
The RoofTec Racing teams weekend started off with the team awaiting the arrival of their David Nickens engines, engines that arrived just a couple of hours before the first qualifying session. That first session though found the team rise to the occasion with a fifth best qualifying time (6.672), a time that would certainly have been better had Brogdon not inadvertently hit the parachute release before the finish line was reached. The track in Pomona CA is known to be "short" in the shutdown area and for Brogdon that knowledge combined with his first Pro Stock qualifying lap proved to be a "better safe than sorry" get acquainted lap at the historic facility.
Throughout the remaining qualifying sessions the RoofTec team of Pete Smallwood, Dustin Stricker, Ralph Brogdon, and Scott DeSpain from Nickens engine shop continued to provide Brogdon with a very consistent race car that turned in consecutive 6.690, 6.674 and 6.697 elapsed times all of which were over 207 miles an hour. And for Brogdon, the opportunity to continue to gain valuable seat time has now allowed this first year Pro Stock driver to complete only his tenth full lap in his Dodge Stratus.
Rodger after his second qualifying lap said, " That was the first lap I've been able to make in the car that I didn't have some issue I was dealing with." "The car wanted to dart left at the Showdown in Vegas, but we've been able to get that corrected." "My new Impact helmet arrived and that's improved my visibility in the car dramatically, and that has in turn allowed me to better perform my functions behind the wheel."
"No matter how you look at it," Brogdon continued, "it's been a terrific weekend." "From here on out it can only get better." Come Sunday eliminations, Brogdon will be looking to add his name to a very short list of drivers that won in their first pro start. And for this tenacious team from Texas, that is a very strong possibility.
Rodger Brogdon Qualifies for First Pro Stock Field
POMONA, Calif. - For Rodger Brogdon, the pursuit of a life long dream has come to be reality this weekend as the Texas based RoofTec Roofing company owner made his debut in the NHRA Pro Stock category, and did it in fine style.
With a string of 6.6-second elapsed times in his Dodge Stratus, Brogdon qualified twelfth in the field and will look for his first Pro Stock round win when eliminations get under way on Sunday. After a strenuous week of highs and lows in test sessions, and engines that arrived just hours before the first qualifying session, Rodger and his RoofTec Racing crew rose to the challenge and solidly performed under the pressures of the toughest category in NHRA POWERade competition.
The RoofTec Racing teams weekend started off with the team awaiting the arrival of their David Nickens engines, engines that arrived just a couple of hours before the first qualifying session. That first session though found the team rise to the occasion with a fifth best qualifying time (6.672), a time that would certainly have been better had Brogdon not inadvertently hit the parachute release before the finish line was reached. The track in Pomona CA is known to be "short" in the shutdown area and for Brogdon that knowledge combined with his first Pro Stock qualifying lap proved to be a "better safe than sorry" get acquainted lap at the historic facility.
Throughout the remaining qualifying sessions the RoofTec team of Pete Smallwood, Dustin Stricker, Ralph Brogdon, and Scott DeSpain from Nickens engine shop continued to provide Brogdon with a very consistent race car that turned in consecutive 6.690, 6.674 and 6.697 elapsed times all of which were over 207 miles an hour. And for Brogdon, the opportunity to continue to gain valuable seat time has now allowed this first year Pro Stock driver to complete only his tenth full lap in his Dodge Stratus.
Rodger after his second qualifying lap said, " That was the first lap I've been able to make in the car that I didn't have some issue I was dealing with." "The car wanted to dart left at the Showdown in Vegas, but we've been able to get that corrected." "My new Impact helmet arrived and that's improved my visibility in the car dramatically, and that has in turn allowed me to better perform my functions behind the wheel."
"No matter how you look at it," Brogdon continued, "it's been a terrific weekend." "From here on out it can only get better." Come Sunday eliminations, Brogdon will be looking to add his name to a very short list of drivers that won in their first pro start. And for this tenacious team from Texas, that is a very strong possibility.
