[coverattach=1]POMONA, Calif. (Nov. 10) -- Armed with a new, first-rate sponsor in GEICO Powersports, Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas knew back in February when the NHRA tour first visited Auto Club Raceway at Pomona that the 2009 Full Throttle season could be very special.
It turns out he was right.
As his fifth professional campaign draws to a close this weekend with the season-ending 45th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the 25-year-old Lucas finds himself reflecting on a career year.
"I don't know if we could have asked for much more," Lucas said. "Every goal we set at the start of the year we were able to accomplish. I feel a great sense of pride in what we've done this season, both with my car and (teammate) Shawn Langdon's car."
Victories in Atlanta, Brainerd, Minn., and Memphis, Tenn., a pair of No. 1 qualifying efforts in St. Louis and Brainerd, and a berth in the Countdown to 1 playoffs fulfilled all of Lucas' expectations and set the table for a championship run in 2010. Add in Langdon's multitude of successes, including his own spot in the playoffs, and the future is looking very bright for Morgan Lucas Racing.
"We showed this year that both cars are capable of running with, and even out-running at times, all of the top cars in this class," Lucas said. "I think we did enough over the course of the season to prove that point over and over again. We gained a lot of respect on the track and I don't know why you wouldn't include both of our cars in the conversation when you talk about next year's title contenders.
"Pomona is going to be exciting for a number of reasons. First of all, it's where it all started for both Shawn and me. That fact alone is very cool. Secondly, we've got nothing to lose so we'll see if we can't go in there and upset the championship picture a little bit, win the race, and earn some more attention for our team. Finally, it would be a great lift to go into the off-season coming off a big race."
Lucas was a runner-up at this event in 2004 and raced to the semifinals at Pomona in February before losing to eventual race winner Doug Kalitta.
"It's a track I feel very comfortable at," Lucas said of Pomona. "If you count my time in Super Comp and Top Alcohol Dragsters I've probably raced Pomona more than any other track on tour. Plus, we lived in So-Cal when I was growing up so it's like coming home again. I can't wait to get started."
It turns out he was right.
As his fifth professional campaign draws to a close this weekend with the season-ending 45th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, the 25-year-old Lucas finds himself reflecting on a career year.
"I don't know if we could have asked for much more," Lucas said. "Every goal we set at the start of the year we were able to accomplish. I feel a great sense of pride in what we've done this season, both with my car and (teammate) Shawn Langdon's car."
Victories in Atlanta, Brainerd, Minn., and Memphis, Tenn., a pair of No. 1 qualifying efforts in St. Louis and Brainerd, and a berth in the Countdown to 1 playoffs fulfilled all of Lucas' expectations and set the table for a championship run in 2010. Add in Langdon's multitude of successes, including his own spot in the playoffs, and the future is looking very bright for Morgan Lucas Racing.
"We showed this year that both cars are capable of running with, and even out-running at times, all of the top cars in this class," Lucas said. "I think we did enough over the course of the season to prove that point over and over again. We gained a lot of respect on the track and I don't know why you wouldn't include both of our cars in the conversation when you talk about next year's title contenders.
"Pomona is going to be exciting for a number of reasons. First of all, it's where it all started for both Shawn and me. That fact alone is very cool. Secondly, we've got nothing to lose so we'll see if we can't go in there and upset the championship picture a little bit, win the race, and earn some more attention for our team. Finally, it would be a great lift to go into the off-season coming off a big race."
Lucas was a runner-up at this event in 2004 and raced to the semifinals at Pomona in February before losing to eventual race winner Doug Kalitta.
"It's a track I feel very comfortable at," Lucas said of Pomona. "If you count my time in Super Comp and Top Alcohol Dragsters I've probably raced Pomona more than any other track on tour. Plus, we lived in So-Cal when I was growing up so it's like coming home again. I can't wait to get started."
