WALSH ‘GREAT OPPORTUNITY WITH GREAT ORGANIZATION”
Fri, 2008-08-01 08:00
Veteran crew chief Jimmy Walsh is excited to have a chance to contend for a championship.
The opportunity arrived earlier this weekend when team owner Morgan Lucas, owner of Morgan Lucas Racing, announced the addition of Walsh to his team to work alongside of longtime team tuner John Stewart.
Walsh will tune the dragster driven by Lucas while Stewart will concentrate J.R. Todd's dragster. Together Todd and Walsh accounted for four national event victories and a berth in last season’s Countdown to Four.
He tuned Todd to his first national event victory, and he’s hoping to pull off the same feat Veteran crew chief Jimmy Walsh is excited to have a chance to contend for a championship.
The opportunity arrived earlier this weekend when team owner Morgan Lucas, owner of Morgan Lucas Racing, announced the addition of Walsh to his team to work alongside of longtime team tuner John Stewart.
Walsh will tune the dragster driven by Lucas while Stewart will concentrate J.R. Todd's dragster. Together Todd and Walsh accounted for four national event victories and a berth in last season’s Countdown to Four.
He tuned Todd to his first national event victory, and he’s hoping to pull off the same feat
“It was a good opportunity to work with a great organization,” Walsh said of his hiring in a phone conversation.
Lucas is a mere nine points behind Doug Kalitta in the race for a berth within the prestigious NHRA Countdown to the Championship. MLR’s lead driver made a move towards championship contention during the West Coast swing with two trips to the quarter-finals.
Walsh said J.R. Todd and his father Mario were instrumental in his decision to join the team just weeks after announcing a reunion with Tuttle’s Vis Viva team. Walsh had previously left the Tuttle operation in late 2007 to join Kenny Bernstein Racing. He left Bernstein in June of this season.
He pointed out the urging of the Todd’s and potential to help the team chart a different course within their established tune-up weighed heavily in his decision.
“J.R. and Mario were interested in me coming over and helping out,” Walsh said. “They are just trying to get the whole deal going in a different direction, I guess. We are going to try two different deals for a while to see which one works out better for the team. Not that they are that far off, they are running okay now.”
Lucas pointed out recently in a media teleconference that the primary focus of the team for the next three races will be in getting one, if not both of the cars in NHRA Drag Racing’s version of the playoffs.
“Our main goal and focus right now is just getting one if not both cars in the top 10,” Lucas said. “I know JR (Todd)’s car, it’s almost impossible at this point. But we’re going to work our butt off to make sure it happens.”
Lucas is understandably excited about the addition of Walsh to the team.
“That might add a pretty cool mix to things and hopefully he can bring a performance advantage over and maybe even get us further than just 10th or 9th, maybe get us around that 9th place spot so we have a little cushion,” Lucas added.
Walsh, according to a report on NHRA.com, parted with Tuttle on good terms.
"Tony [Shortall] and I are going to tune the car like we had been doing all year," Tuttle told NHRA.com. "Jimmy and I are still good friends. Morgan has a shot at the top 10 and we don't, so I'm okay with Jimmy going over there to help them out. It's just been a weird year."
Walsh couldn’t say what his plans for 2009 are at this point, as he’s fixated on the task at hand.
“As far as I know, I’ll be staying with Lucas … but you never know … these [drag racing crew chief] deals are as bad as being a football coach,” Walsh said.
The opportunity arrived earlier this weekend when team owner Morgan Lucas, owner of Morgan Lucas Racing, announced the addition of Walsh to his team to work alongside of longtime team tuner John Stewart.
Walsh will tune the dragster driven by Lucas while Stewart will concentrate J.R. Todd's dragster. Together Todd and Walsh accounted for four national event victories and a berth in last season’s Countdown to Four.
He tuned Todd to his first national event victory, and he’s hoping to pull off the same feat Veteran crew chief Jimmy Walsh is excited to have a chance to contend for a championship.
The opportunity arrived earlier this weekend when team owner Morgan Lucas, owner of Morgan Lucas Racing, announced the addition of Walsh to his team to work alongside of longtime team tuner John Stewart.
Walsh will tune the dragster driven by Lucas while Stewart will concentrate J.R. Todd's dragster. Together Todd and Walsh accounted for four national event victories and a berth in last season’s Countdown to Four.
He tuned Todd to his first national event victory, and he’s hoping to pull off the same feat
“It was a good opportunity to work with a great organization,” Walsh said of his hiring in a phone conversation.
Lucas is a mere nine points behind Doug Kalitta in the race for a berth within the prestigious NHRA Countdown to the Championship. MLR’s lead driver made a move towards championship contention during the West Coast swing with two trips to the quarter-finals.
Walsh said J.R. Todd and his father Mario were instrumental in his decision to join the team just weeks after announcing a reunion with Tuttle’s Vis Viva team. Walsh had previously left the Tuttle operation in late 2007 to join Kenny Bernstein Racing. He left Bernstein in June of this season.
He pointed out the urging of the Todd’s and potential to help the team chart a different course within their established tune-up weighed heavily in his decision.
“J.R. and Mario were interested in me coming over and helping out,” Walsh said. “They are just trying to get the whole deal going in a different direction, I guess. We are going to try two different deals for a while to see which one works out better for the team. Not that they are that far off, they are running okay now.”
Lucas pointed out recently in a media teleconference that the primary focus of the team for the next three races will be in getting one, if not both of the cars in NHRA Drag Racing’s version of the playoffs.
“Our main goal and focus right now is just getting one if not both cars in the top 10,” Lucas said. “I know JR (Todd)’s car, it’s almost impossible at this point. But we’re going to work our butt off to make sure it happens.”
Lucas is understandably excited about the addition of Walsh to the team.
“That might add a pretty cool mix to things and hopefully he can bring a performance advantage over and maybe even get us further than just 10th or 9th, maybe get us around that 9th place spot so we have a little cushion,” Lucas added.
Walsh, according to a report on NHRA.com, parted with Tuttle on good terms.
"Tony [Shortall] and I are going to tune the car like we had been doing all year," Tuttle told NHRA.com. "Jimmy and I are still good friends. Morgan has a shot at the top 10 and we don't, so I'm okay with Jimmy going over there to help them out. It's just been a weird year."
Walsh couldn’t say what his plans for 2009 are at this point, as he’s fixated on the task at hand.
“As far as I know, I’ll be staying with Lucas … but you never know … these [drag racing crew chief] deals are as bad as being a football coach,” Walsh said.
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