Bob Tasca III
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Shelby Mustang
Nitro Funny Car class
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
Second Annual NHRA Nationals
zMAX Dragway in Concord, NCSeptember 18-20, 2009
Race 19 of 24
1st Race in Countdown to 1
SPECIAL WEEKEND FOR TASCA AND MOTORCRAFT/QUICK LANE RACING TEAM IN CHARLOTTE
DEARBORN, MI – September 15, 2009 – At the beginning of the season, Bob Tasca III and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team circled the NHRA Carolina Nationals on their calendars. This was a weekend the team has looked forward to all season long.
In addition to racing at one of the series’ top tracks, Tasca and the team are celebrating the grand opening of their race shop in Concord, NC. During that grand opening celebration, the team will make one young person’s dream car design come to life on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang.
“This is a big weekend for everyone at Motorcraft/Quick Lane and Tasca Racing,” said Tasca. “This is the first race of the Countdown, the grand opening of our race shop, the unveiling of our JDRF car and we’re picking up on a tune-up that was very competitive in Indianapolis. We’re looking forward to Charlotte this weekend.”
Tasca hopes that the special JDRF paint scheme on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang helps him move up the ladder as this weekend marks the first race in the Countdown to 1, the NHRA playoffs.
“The JDRF-designed Mustang is awesome,” said Tasca. “This is the second year we’ve partnered with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and held the Funny Car design contest. The winning child and their family are going to be in Charlotte to help unveil the race car and watch me race it down the track on Friday.”
NHRA implemented a new qualifying and record-setting points system for this weekend allocating points for the top three slots in each qualifying session and Tasca thinks his team can benefit from the recent change.
“We go out every round and try to go for the No. 1 spot,” said Tasca. “When you look at Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang and how consistent we’ve been during every qualifying session, I think it can play to our advantage. We have the opportunity to pick up some extra points. The more consistent a race car is over the course of the weekend, they will benefit with the new point system and we think we’ll be one of them.”
Tasca Racing Open House and JDRF Funny Car Unveiling
Open House: Thursday, September 17: Noon – 7 p.m.
JDRF Unveiling: Thursday, September 17: 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Tasca Racing, 4467 Raceway Road, Concord, NC.
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Experience
The Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Experience interactive consumer display returns to NHRA Nitro Alley in Indianapolis. Fans can enter to win prizes and participate in the Motorcraft Holeshot Challenge and Quick Lane Challenge. Fans visiting the display have the opportunity to enter the ‘Race Hot to a Mustang’ sweepstakes. The winner of the sweepstakes will receive a 2010 Ford Mustang GT equipped with a Ford Racing Performance Parts package and upgrades courtesy of Ford Custom Accessories.
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing Experience Hours of Operation
Friday, September 18: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Saturday, September 19: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, September 20: 9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Countdown to 1 Points Standings – Funny Car
1. Tony Pedregon, 2,110; 2. Ron Capps, 2,080; 3. Ashley Force Hood, 2,070; 4. Bob Tasca III, 2,060; 5. Jack Beckman, 2,050; 6. Tim Wilkerson, 2,040; 7. John Force, 2,030; 8. Del Worsham, 2,020; 9. Mike Neff, 2,010; 10. Robert Hight, 2,000.
Concord Race Notes
- Tasca qualified 12th during last year’s event at Concord and lost in the first round to Cruz Pedregon.
- Tasca is currently fourth in points heading into the 19th race of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Tasca Funny Car Achievements
- First round win, defeated Melanie Troxel, February 10, 2008, NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, CA
- First time in the semi-finals, April 27, 2008, NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta, GA
- First No. 1 qualifier, March 14, 2009, Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL
- First win, March 15, 2009, Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL
- Second win, August 23, 2009, Toyo Tires Nationals, Reading, PA
- First back-to-back semi-final appearances this season (Englishtown, NJ and Norwalk, OH)
- Tasca has an average qualifying position of seventh during the 2009 season
- Tasca has at least one round win in 14 of the 18 races this season
- Tasca clinched a spot in NHRA’s Countdown to 1 after a first round win in Reading.
- Tasca will compete for the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Series championship after clinching the sixth spot in the NHRA Countdown to 1.
- Tasca is one of six Ford Mustangs that will compete for the championship this season.
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Notes
- 2009 marks the second year Ford Customer Service Division brands Motorcraft and Quick Lane sponsor Bob Tasca III and Tasca Racing.
- Motorcraft® continues its relationship with NHRA, having sponsored Hall-of-Fame NHRA driver Bob Glidden and drag racing legend Kenny Bernstein, among others, in the late 80s and early 90s.
- Motorcraft® products strike the perfect balance of precision, quality and pricing.
- Manufactured to strict specifications, they install quickly and give the confidence of doing a job right the first time. Motorcraft is the preferred choice of Ford Motor Company.
- Quick Lane Tire® & Auto Centers provide the services your car or truck needs most, performed by factory-trained experts and on your schedule. You’ll never need an appointment and you’ll get service while you wait, even on evenings and weekends. They’ll take care of any make, or model using quality Motorcraft® parts. Give them a try and see why life is better in the Quick Lane®.
- Quick Lane® offers routine maintenance and light repair services, such as oil and filter changes, brake repairs and tire replacement for all makes and models.
- Quick Lane celebrated the opening of its 500th tire and auto center in 2008. Visit www.quicklane.com to find the one of the 16 Quick Lanes in the greater Charlotte area.
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing on the Web
Twitter – http://www.twitter.com/MQL_Racing
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/MQLRacing
Flickr – http://www.flickr.com/photos/motorcraftquicklaneracing/
Television
Saturday, September 19: ESPN2 will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 11:30 p.m. (ET)
Sunday, September 20: ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
Satellite (Analog feed)
Friday, Sept. 18, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 6K
Saturday, Sept. 19, 6:30 - 7 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 6KSunday, Sept. 20, 7 – 7:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 6K(11820 MHz, horizontal)
About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of original equipment-approved parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood and powertrain repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available locally and are backed nationwide by Ford Motor Company's Service Parts Limited Warranty. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
About Quick Lane
Quick Lane® provides automotive quick services for all makes and models. Quick Lane's® nationwide network of 530 facilities provides the convenience of an aftermarket company (no appointment necessary, service while you wait, evening and weekend hours, competitive prices) with the confidence of a major automotive manufacturer (quality parts, factory-trained technicians). Quick Lane® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.quicklane.com.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.
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