PATRICK POCKETS $20,000 IN TORCO’S COMPETITIONPLUS.COM PRO STOCK SHOWDOWN

Robert Patrick started coming to Maryland International Raceway when he was barely tall enough to watch the races over the spectator fence. He remembered Pro Stock icons “Dyno” Don Nicholson, Bill Jenkins and Ronnie Sox drawing admiration from the thousands of fans packed along the same fence line. Tonight Patrick was the admired one.

Patrick, of Fredericksburg, Va., drove his Purvis Ford-sponsored Mustang to a $20,000 payday by stopping Frank Gugliotta in the final round of the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock Showdown during the second day of the IHRA Torco Race Fuels President’s Cup Nationals.

PATRICK POCKETS $20,000 IN TORCO’S COMPETITIONPLUS.COM PRO STOCK SHOWDOWN

Robert Patrick started coming to Maryland International Raceway when he was barely tall enough to watch the races over the spectator fence. He remembered Pro Stock icons “Dyno” Don Nicholson, Bill Jenkins and Ronnie Sox drawing admiration from the thousands of fans packed along the same fence line. Tonight Patrick was the admired one.

Patrick, of Fredericksburg, Va., drove his Purvis Ford-sponsored Mustang to a $20,000 payday by stopping Frank Gugliotta in the final round of the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock Showdown during the second day of the IHRA Torco Race Fuels President’s Cup Nationals.

“Coming in here and doing what we did, I needed this redemption,” Patrick said after losing last weekend on a holeshot. “This is an event I’ve always wanted to win and never got the chance. It means a lot to do this in front of my home crowd. I couldn’t be happier than I am now.

“I want to thank my parents and my family and especially Evan Knoll and Torco Race Fuels for allowing me to experience this honor.”

Patrick entered the Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock Showdown as the highest ranked driver amongst the eight combatants. He has gained four pole positions this season.

Patrick’s ride to the money opened against a driver he has raced at least twice in 2006. Pete Berner nailed the low elapsed time of the opening round with a 6.349, 219.97 but it was the combination of a 6.367, 219.79 and a .031 that scored the win-light for Patrick.

Patrick’s starting line prowess extended to the second round as he nailed the defending Torco’s CompetitionPlus.com Pro Stock Showdown champion Steve Spiess with a .006 reaction time and the quickest elapsed time in the history of Pro Stock racing with a 6.312, 220.94.

On the other side of the ladder, Gugliotta felt fortunate just to be racing this season much less in the final round of such a prestigious event. It wasn’t until ten days before the season that he was signed as the driver for Charlie Taylor’s Pro Stock operation. The Mt. Airy, Md.-based driver lost his ride a month before the season began when team owner Steve Thodos disbanded his operation.

Gugliotta fought his way into the Showdown field on the strength of two pole positions. He stopped Tony Gillig and John Nobile for the opportunity to race in the final round.

With the 6.20s within striking distance, it was likely that Patrick was gunning for the elusive performance standard. Gugliotta was quicker on the tree with a .017 reaction time but that wasn’t enough to fend off Patrick’s 6.320, 221.20 run. Gugliotta scored the runner up with a respectable 6.374, 220.80.

Patrick’s victory was monumental but also served as a measure of payback.

“A couple of years ago, Frank beat me in front of a packed house at the Mountain Motor Nationals,” Patrick said. “I owed him this one. We did what we had to do to win this one.”

For his efforts, Gugliotta scored $9,000 for runner-up.