BUFF MAKING PROGRESS
Rookie Top Fuel driver and Bill Miller student, Troy Buff, says he’s learning to drive a Top Fuel dragster the
right way. The former Top Alcohol dragster standout is making a significant amount of progress in his rookie season. Winning the first round of eliminations at the recently completed NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals for his first career Top Fuel round win confirms the advancement.
Rookie Top Fuel driver and Bill Miller student, Troy Buff, says he’s learning to drive a Top Fuel dragster the
right way. The former Top Alcohol dragster standout is making a significant amount of progress in his rookie season. Winning the first round of eliminations at the recently completed NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals for his first career Top Fuel round win confirms the advancement.
Buff defeated Dave Grubnic in the first round of the Bristol event.
“I’d like to say that I’m a lot better now than I was in Pomona,” Buff
said. “I was still learning a lot of Bill’s principles and routines and
now I feel like I have a lot better handle on what he prefers.”
“But when you look at it, I feel like Bill’s way is the right way,” Buff said.
The toughest lesson for Buff has been in abandoning the techniques he once employed while racing Top Alcohol Dragster.
“Just had to learn to slow down,” Buff said. “When we ran the alcohol
car, we rolled through the water fast for a reason. Back then we ran
the car a little lean and if you got the clutch ahead of the throttle,
it would backfire and blow out the burst panel. You just had to stay
ahead of that.”
“I brought that with me, and Bill had to slow me down.”
Buff noticed the differences with other drivers once he slowed.
“I used to look at some and say, ‘man, are they in a hurry or what?”
