Bob Tasca III
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Shelby Mustang
Nitro Funny Car class
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
Inaugural Four-Wide NHRA Nationals
zMAX Dragway in Concord, NC
March 26-28, 2010
Race 4 of 23
TASCA AND MOTORCRAFT/QUICK LANE RACING LOOK “FOUR-WARD” TO FOUR-WIDE RACING THIS WEEKEND IN CHARLOTTE
DEARBORN, MI – March 23, 2010 – For Bob Tasca III and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team, this weekend’s race at zMAX Dragway marks the first of several homecomings for the team.
Concord, North Carolina, is home to Tasca Racing, the first Funny Car race shop in the heart of NASCAR country and located minutes from zMAX Dragway. All crew members live in Charlotte and are eager to race not only at their home track, but to make history as event champions of this weekend’s Inaugural NHRA Four-Wide Nationals.
“I’m excited to get to the track for the four-wide racing because this is the first time it’s ever been done,” said Tasca. “Whenever you can be a part of history, whether you’re a fan, a spectator, a driver or a crewmember, I think there’s a lot of nostalgic value about it. This weekend will go down in the history books as a significant moment in NHRA competition.”
A resident of Hope, Rhode Island, Tasca has logged many hours in the race shop and embraces the Charlotte community. Determined to make his second home proud, Tasca looks to check “Win Charlotte” off his drag racing to-do list.
“Last year we finished building our Tasca Racing shop, so I’ve spent a lot more time in Concord,” said Tasca. “On top of Charlotte being one of our team’s home track, it is one of the premier facilities for NHRA. You want to win no matter where you race, but I want to win at Charlotte, especially since it is in our backyard. That’s my goal looking this weekend – win the four-wide race at Charlotte.”
Although the racing format is changed for this weekend, Tasca and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team will take to the track and attack each round one run at a time.
“The only thing that will be different for this weekend is staging,” said Tasca. “Once the stage bulb is on and the amber flashes, you could have ten cars running next to you, and it wouldn’t make a difference. I’m so focused on my lane, driving my Mustang and making the proper inputs to get the car from A to B. To me, it doesn’t matter how many people are racing next to you. Other than getting over the first staging process, which we’ll get done on Friday, I don’t think it will make much of a difference at all.”
Now in his third season of NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing competition, Tasca has shown significant improvement since his 2008 rookie season. After three races this season, Tasca has reached the semi-final round twice and has one runner-up finish.
“We know that our Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team has more round wins in us, more wins in us, and more performance in us when the time comes at the end of this year to run for this championship,” continued Tasca. “The best is yet to come, and I really believe that’s the case. But it’s early; it’s early in the season. We’re going to go through highs and lows. It’s just being able to manage and fight your way through day-to-day, weekend-to-weekend and hopefully putting our team in the position to win.”
In addition to Tasca’s quick start to the season, he has helped build a mini streak for Ford Racing where a Ford Mustang has been in the finals of each Funny Car race this season, winning twice.
“We always like to see our Ford Shelby Mustang in the finals or winner’s circle,” said Tasca. “To see how the Ford teams are performing on the track, it’s really a tribute to the crews, to the crew chiefs and all of the hard work that they’ve put in because the level of competition is unbelievably fierce. Every car out there is capable of winning the race. It just goes to show the presence that we have both on and off the race track. It’s pretty cool to be driving a Ford in NHRA.”
Mustang 5.0 Fever Sweepstakes
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NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Points
1. John Force, 280; 2. Ron Capps, 226; 3. Jack Beckman, 219; 4. Bob Tasca III, 205; 5t. Robert Hight and Matt Hagan, 181; 7. Tony Pedregon, 180; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 177; 9. Ashley Force Hood, 149; 10. Del Worsham, 128.
Charlotte Race Notes
- In two previous appearances at Charlotte, Tasca has one round win and two round losses.
- During last fall’s Charlotte race, Tasca defeated Ron Capps in round one and lost to Robert Hight in the quarterfinals.
Tasca Funny Car Achievements - 2010
- Two top-eight qualifiers (fourth in Pomona and seventh in Gainesville)
- Two semi-final appearances (Pomona and Gainesville)
- One runner-up finish (Gainesville)
- 2010 Round record: 5 wins and 3 losses
- Tasca is fourth in points, 80 points behind the leader
Tasca Funny Car Achievements - Career
- First round win: Defeated Melanie Troxel, February 10, 2008 (NHRA Winternationals, Pomona, CA)
- First semi-final appearance: April 27, 2008 (NHRA Southern Nationals, Atlanta, GA)
- First No. 1 qualifier: March 14, 2009 (Gatornationals, Gainesville, FL)
- Career wins: Two in 2009 – Gatornationals in Gainesville, FL and Toyo Tires Nationals in Reading, PA
- Finished eighth in series points in 2009
- Career round record: 39 wins and 47 losses
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/
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Notes
- 2010 marks the third 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’s nationwide network will surpass 600 facilities in 2010. Visit www.quicklane.com to find the one of the Quick Lanes in the greater Charlotte area.
Television
Saturday, March 27, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 9 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise final eliminations at 5 p.m. (ET).
Satellite (Analog feed)
Friday, March 26, 6 - 6:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 21K
Saturday, March 27, 6:30 – 7 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 21K
Sunday, March 28, 6 - 6:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 6 / Transponder 21K
About Motorcraft
Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood 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 Tire & Auto Centers
Quick Lane® provides automotive quick services for all makes and models. Quick Lane’s nationwide network will surpass 600 facilities, each providing 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 FordParts.com
FordParts.com allows customers to shop online, order and receive original equipment parts. FordParts.com enables customers to remain connected to a Ford or Lincoln Mercury dealership of their choice for the parts expertise, personal delivery assistance, and post-sale follow-up associated with a traditional purchase at a parts counter. FordParts.com is designed to support anyone who needs to find and buy original equipment Ford parts. Repair shops, body shops, fleets and do-it-yourselfers will all appreciate the speed and convenience of researching and purchasing Ford parts via this online portal. For more information, visit www.fordparts.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 198,000 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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The David Hyder-led crew used several early pit stops to tune on the car, and they hit on a set-up that allowed Elliott to begin climbing through the field. Just after the 300-mile mark, the team was getting some quality TV time on FOX, and it wasn’t for old-times sake. It was due to hard work on pit road and hustle behind the wheel as Elliott worked his way into the top 15 and even into the lead at Lap 215 before surrendering the top spot to make a pit stop.
As the lead pack raced through Turns 3 and 4 on the first restart, a multi-car melee began unfolding just ahead of Elliott and his No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion. The ol’ cat behind the wheel showed he still had some pretty quick reflexes, and he steered his way through the smoke and grinding metal to line up 14th for the final restart. But Elliott found himself at a disadvantage to drivers behind him who had fresher tires, a huge advantage on an abrasive track like AMS, and he lost two spots at the end. He crossed the finish line challenging pole-sitter Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a top-15 finish but had to settle for a 16th, his best of the young season. It was his second straight strong effort – and second straight 16th-place run, going back to Homestead last fall - on an intermediate track, the size facility that makes up the bulk of the team’s limited schedule.
He found the speed to make the race without having to resort to the provisional, a victory in itself on a potentially disappointing day. To do so, he picked up 6/10 of a second over his best lap in practice, a difference in running 185 miles per hour and 189. It was about the same pick-up that Dale Earnhardt Jr. needed to win the pole for Sunday’s race.