DON'T MESS WITH THE ACE
rather potent right hook.That was then. This is now and he's channeled his aggression elsewhere.
The 22-time winner as a driver is having fun in racing again and his run of good fortunes with a driver he describes as being as close to a son as one can have, has everything to do with his renewed passion.
In many circles of drag racing folklore, Ed "Ace" McCulloch carried a rather potent right hook.
That was then. This is now and he's channeled his aggression elsewhere.
The 22-time winner as a driver is having fun in racing again and his
run of good fortunes with a driver he describes as being as close to a
son as one can have, has everything to do with his renewed passion.
"I'm not sure that it's really sunk in yet," McCulloch said, of the
NAPA Auto Parts team's second consecutive victory. "We struggled a
little bit. We struggled in testing, we went to Pomona, struggled a
little bit, got through there. We came here, struggled a little bit. I
told some of the guys earlier, I don't like racing the car the way it
is. I'm not happy with it, but when it comes time to step up to the
plate, we've got to step up to the plate."
The opportunity presented itself to deliver a knockout punch and the crafty veteran left no doubt.
Call it running up the score, call it what you want.
McCulloch's actions called it leaving no doubt.
"It was good running what we did in the semifinals and then when Zippy
(Neff) had his malfunction out there, Ron asked me, 'Do you want me to
shut it off?’ If we shut if off there is always the thought [by the
competing team] that 'Well, if we had only made it we'd have beaten
'em.' I told Ron, Don't shut it off, because if it makes it down there
it's going to run pretty good. Let's send a message. Run it."
Adding to McCulloch's blockbuster weekend was the fact that along with
son Jason, tuner for Larry Dixon, they combined for the first
father-son No. 1 nitro qualifying effort in drag racing history,
regardless of sanction.
