(9-15-2011) CONCORD, NC – After winning Super Stock / B Automatic at the 2010 U.S. Nationals, Roy Hill set out to defend his title two weeks ago at the 57th annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis.
He did just that.
Hill once again emerged with the SS/BA class trophy and is riding that momentum into his “home race”, this weekend’s 4th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway just outside of Charlotte, NC.
“Winning the U.S. Nationals two years in a row in this Phoenix Racing 2010 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet is quite a fulfilling experience,” said Hill. “In addition to my SS/BA win, we had Charley Downing in the second Cobra Jet and he won Super Stock / A Automatic. It was a weekend to remember for our team. To come away with two wins at the biggest drag race in the world is just incredible.”
At the “Big Go”, the James Finch-owned Cobra Jets were making their national event debut with Roush Yates power, and will be utilizing the same strong engines in Charlotte this weekend.
“We went to Roush Yates sometime around the first of May, and it’s a good thing we did,” Hill admitted. “The technology they have with their modular engines brought a lot to my program, and while I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without everyone that has helped me along the way, working with Roush Yates has taken this team to another level.”
Hill and his teammate this weekend, Grant Lewis, will need all the power they can get, because after the U.S. Nationals, NHRA added 144 lbs. to the minimum weight requirements for both SS/AA and SS/BA.
“As a result of the new weight penalty, we can no longer run these cars in SS/BA because they’re too heavy, so both Grant and I will be running SS/AA this weekend,” Hill said. “I can say this: we’ll have a new Roush Yates engine coming soon that’s been in the works for several months. I just tested the engine last weekend, and believe me, it makes a ton of power. We’ll go out this weekend and see what these cars will run with the current engines and the new weight and go from there. I even added an extra 100 lbs. to them just to make sure we don’t hit the index.”
“We’ve got a new Cobra Jet being built by Petty’s Garage that we should have soon,” Hill continued. “It will be somewhat lighter, so we’ll be able to take advantage of these new rules.”
Though he has several new things in the pipeline, Hill knows his first order of business is to perform well this weekend at Bruton Smith’s “Bellagio of Dragstrips” for his family, friends, hometown fans, and sponsors.
“We’re expecting a lot of friends and family out at the track this weekend, as well as large groups from Roush Yates in Mooresville and also Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated, which is based here in the Charlotte area as well,” said the drag racing school owner. “We had a great pit tour with another one of my sponsors, Alsco, and several of their key employees on Wednesday night, and we’re happy to have the folks from Advertising Edge here as well.”
“I’m really excited about everything we have going on this weekend, and I hope we put on a heck of a show,” Hill concluded.
He did just that.
Hill once again emerged with the SS/BA class trophy and is riding that momentum into his “home race”, this weekend’s 4th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at zMax Dragway just outside of Charlotte, NC.
“Winning the U.S. Nationals two years in a row in this Phoenix Racing 2010 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet is quite a fulfilling experience,” said Hill. “In addition to my SS/BA win, we had Charley Downing in the second Cobra Jet and he won Super Stock / A Automatic. It was a weekend to remember for our team. To come away with two wins at the biggest drag race in the world is just incredible.”
At the “Big Go”, the James Finch-owned Cobra Jets were making their national event debut with Roush Yates power, and will be utilizing the same strong engines in Charlotte this weekend.
“We went to Roush Yates sometime around the first of May, and it’s a good thing we did,” Hill admitted. “The technology they have with their modular engines brought a lot to my program, and while I couldn’t have gotten to where I am without everyone that has helped me along the way, working with Roush Yates has taken this team to another level.”
Hill and his teammate this weekend, Grant Lewis, will need all the power they can get, because after the U.S. Nationals, NHRA added 144 lbs. to the minimum weight requirements for both SS/AA and SS/BA.
“As a result of the new weight penalty, we can no longer run these cars in SS/BA because they’re too heavy, so both Grant and I will be running SS/AA this weekend,” Hill said. “I can say this: we’ll have a new Roush Yates engine coming soon that’s been in the works for several months. I just tested the engine last weekend, and believe me, it makes a ton of power. We’ll go out this weekend and see what these cars will run with the current engines and the new weight and go from there. I even added an extra 100 lbs. to them just to make sure we don’t hit the index.”
“We’ve got a new Cobra Jet being built by Petty’s Garage that we should have soon,” Hill continued. “It will be somewhat lighter, so we’ll be able to take advantage of these new rules.”
Though he has several new things in the pipeline, Hill knows his first order of business is to perform well this weekend at Bruton Smith’s “Bellagio of Dragstrips” for his family, friends, hometown fans, and sponsors.
“We’re expecting a lot of friends and family out at the track this weekend, as well as large groups from Roush Yates in Mooresville and also Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated, which is based here in the Charlotte area as well,” said the drag racing school owner. “We had a great pit tour with another one of my sponsors, Alsco, and several of their key employees on Wednesday night, and we’re happy to have the folks from Advertising Edge here as well.”
“I’m really excited about everything we have going on this weekend, and I hope we put on a heck of a show,” Hill concluded.
