Just ask Laurie Cannister if she expected to be undefeated headed into the third race of the IHRA season and she’ll quickly respond the experience has come as a pleasant surprise. An already strong Cannister will get stronger headed into this weekend’s IHRA Motor City Nationals in Milan, MI.

Cannister will be rejoined on the tour by crew chief Mike Couch.

Couch was unable to attend the San Antonio and Rockingham races.  First due to an illness and second to attend his daughter’s wedding. He assisted the team via telephone.

"We are all looking forward to having Mike be there with us,” she said. “It seems like such a long time since he's been at the track.  Although, we have stayed in constant contact with him each race, it's never the same as him being there."

Make no bones about it, Couch wanted to be there to celebrate with the team.

Just ask Laurie Cannister if she expected to be undefeated headed into the third race of the IHRA season and she’ll quickly
respond the experience has come as a pleasant surprise. An already strong Cannister will get stronger headed into this weekend’s IHRA Motor City Nationals in Milan, MI.

Cannister will be rejoined on the tour by crew chief Mike Couch.

Couch was unable to attend the San Antonio and Rockingham races.  First due to an illness and second to attend his daughter’s wedding. He assisted the team via telephone.

"We are all looking forward to having Mike be there with us,” she said. “It seems like such a long time since he's been at the track.  Although, we have stayed in constant contact with him each race, it's never the same as him being there."

Make no bones about it, Couch wanted to be there to celebrate with the team.
   
“Of course it just killed me not being there,” said Couch. “I wanted to be with the team no matter what, but to miss the fantastic outcome of the first two events just makes me even more anxious to join Dale (Cannister) and the rest of the team at the track.  I’m just real excited to get back out there with everyone”

“No more long distance help,” he added. “Now I think I’ll just throw my cell phone away and enjoy getting my hands dirty along side the rest of the crew.”

The one person expected to benefit greatly from Couch’s return is tuner Dale Cannister, Laurie’s husband.

“We are working on a few things that we would like to try, but with only getting three qualifying sessions, we have decided to stay and test Monday after the event.  Hopefully, all the ideas we have will work out." 

The wrenching duo will test the boundaries of their tune-up. Couch is convinced there is more power in their torrid tune-up and the post-race tune-up should prove this theory correct.

“We’re real confident with what we have seen so far. Like Dale said, we’re going to hang out on Monday and try some things out that you just can’t do during qualifying, let alone race day,” Cannister said. “This car has more in it and we’re going to shake it right out of her.”

While the Kalbones-sponsored team has been on fire since the beginning of the season, they just didn’t feel complete without having Couch at the races. 

Couch describes the team’s consensus as, “It’s kinda felt like we’ve been on seven cylinders so far and now it’s time to fire on all eight.  By no means am I referring to our on track performance but to the extra set of hands I can provide to the rest of my racing family.  I can’t tell you how happy I am to get back out there and work together side-by-side.”