Atlanta Pre Race Report

by | May 2, 2018 | News

NHRA Atlanta Highlights: 

  • Six-time event winner:
    • Top Fuel (2008, 2011, 2013, 2015)
    • Pro Stock Motorcycle (2001, 2006)
  • 2003 PSM runner-up
  • Two-time No. 1 qualifier:
    • TF (2015)
    • PSM (2006)

2017 Atlanta Recap:
Qualified third; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Troy Coughlin Jr. in E1, defeated by Leah Pritchett in E2)

Last event (Charlotte I):
Qualified third; First round exit (defeated by Doug Kalitta, Mike Salinas in E1)

2018 Season Statistics:
Seven round wins; ranked fifth in points

Career Statistics:
388 races; 65 wins (16 Pro Stock Motorcycle); 49 No. 1 qualifiers (11 PSM)

Notable:

  • In a three-way tie for winningest Top Fuel driver at Atlanta Dragway with four Southern Nationals event wins:
    • 2008, 2011, 2013, 2015
  • Reset the Top Fuel speed record in 2017 (329.91-mph)
  • Has won in both TF and PSM at Atlanta Dragway
  • Has qualified No. 1 in both categories at Atlanta Dragway
  • Driving a special Matco’s Tools for the Cause livery to benefit the Fisher House Foundation
    • May 1st – June 30th, Matco will donate 15% of sales of the Tools for the Cause merchandise to Fisher House Foundation.
    • The Matco Top Fuel Dragster will feature Tools for the Cause graphics during the month of May and will highlight the names of over 700 active duty military members and veterans submitted by Matco Distributors
    • In addition to the 15% donation from the sale of Tools for the Cause merchandise, people can log on to https://donate.fisherhouse.org/matcotools to directly make a donation to the Fisher House Foundation.
    • Since launching the Tools for the Cause program in 2012, Matco Tools has donated nearly $800,000 to research and community-based organizations.

Quotable:
“Atlanta has always been a great race track for us. It has an old-school feel to it. I love racing on the east coast; it’s where I’m from and it gives me that feeling of how I grew up around dragstrips. We’ve had a lot of success there – I’ve been fortunate to win in Atlanta in both Pro Stock Motorcyle (2001, 2006) and Top Fuel (2008, 2011, 2013, 2015).  I won my second Top Fuel race there during my first year. It was incredible. I remember that we beat Tony Schumacher in the final on a holeshot. When we went out there and won that race, it was a statement that we were here to compete and win. It gave us an air of legitimacy. I’m really looking forward to getting back there and trying to put our Matco Tools/U.S. Army/Toyota team back in the winner’s circle.”