Bob Tasca III
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Shelby Mustang
Nitro Funny Car class
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
22nd Annual O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals
Heartland Park Topeka in Topeka, Kansas
May 21 – May 23, 2010
Race 9 of 23
TASCA AND MOTORCRAFT/QUICK LANE RACING TEAM READY TO BRING ON THE HEAT AT O’REILLY NHRA SUMMER NATIONALS
DEARBORN, MI – May 19, 2010 – As the weather heats up, so does the competition. Coming off back-to-back, semi-final appearances in St. Louis and Atlanta, Bob Tasca III and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team look to turn up the heat in Topeka this weekend at the O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals.
“Topeka is a hot track and will be very similar to what we saw in Atlanta,” said Tasca. “We’ve proven that our Motorcraft/Quick Lane Shelby Mustang can be lethal on a hot track in the past and I’m confident that this weekend will be no different.”
With a knack for the warm weather tune-up, crew chief Chris Cunningham is confident that as the temperatures continue to rise, the competition can expect the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shelby Mustang to be more consistent and gain some ground in the point standings.
“Our Mustang has always performed well in the heat,” said Cunningham. “We like racing in the hot conditions and since we’re heading into the summer months, we’re hitting our stride at the right time.”
Tasca moved up two positions in points after Atlanta. Now eighth overall, Tasca hopes to keep the momentum going as the weather gets warmer and the cutoff for the Countdown to 1 gets closer.
“Our momentum keeps building,” said Tasca. “It started in Las Vegas and our Mustang started to come around during the test, then back-to-back semi-finals in St. Louis and Atlanta. When we get rolling – we really get rolling. That’s what is important – to gather points, stay solidly in the top-10 and give yourself a chance when the season rolls along. I’m looking forward to keeping that momentum rolling into Topeka.”
Mustang 5.0 Fever Sweepstakes
Enter to win an all-new 2011 Ford Mustang GT equipped with Ford Racing Performance Parts and Ford Custom Accessories as part of Ford Customer Service Division’s “Mustang 5.0 Fever” Sweepstakes. Bold and powerful, the all-new 5.0-liter V-8 Mustang uses advanced technology to deliver 412 horsepower, 390 ft-lb. of torque and class-leading highway mileage of 25 mpg. Enter online until November 23, 2010, at www.racefanoffers.com, www.quicklane.com, and www.fordparts.com. The “Mustang 5.0 Fever” Sweepstakes is open to all licensed U.S. citizens over the age of 18.
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Points
1. John Force, 671; 2. Ashley Force Hood, 556; 3. Robert Hight, 551; 4. Jack Beckman, 538; 5. Ron Capps, 518; 6. Matt Hagan, 497; 7. Tony Pedregon, 459; 8. Bob Tasca III, 455; 9. Tim Wilkerson, 440; 10. Del Worsham, 413.
Topeka Race Notes
- In two previous appearances at Topeka, Tasca has two round wins and two round losses.
- During last year’s Topeka race, Tasca lost to Ashley Force Hood in the second round.
Tasca Funny Car Achievements - 2010
- Three top-eight qualifiers (fourth in Pomona, seventh in Gainesville, and fourth in Atlanta)
- Three semi-final appearances (Pomona, St. Louis and Atlanta)
- One runner-up finish (Gainesville)
- 2010 Round record: 9 wins and 8 losses
- Tasca is 8th in series points, 216 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: 43 wins and 52 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 Topeka area.
Television
Saturday, May 22, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, May 23, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise final eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
Satellite (Analog feed)
Friday, May 21, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 22K (12140 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, May 22, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 22K (12140 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, May 23, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 22K (12060 MHz, vertical)
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 nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers, independent distributors, and automotive parts retailers and are backed 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, connecting 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, and the flexibility of choosing in-store pick-up or having the parts delivered. 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 176,000 employees and about 80 plants worldwide, the company’s brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and, until its sale, 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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