TASCA: THIRD BECOMES FIRST
Mon, 2009-03-16 11:00
Bob Tasca, III was Bob Tasca the FIRST on this Sunday.
Tasca scored his first national event win at a track that holds a special place in his heart. It was in Gainesville where Tasca came to the attention of Ford based on his performance at Gainesville Raceway.
“To come here, at a race track that is really close to my heart,” started Tasca, “you know that right lane has been really awfully good to me, I might even kiss it before I leave. I set the world record in alcohol funny car in that lane and I won my first race in that lane. It was a pretty special day for me.” Bob Tasca, III was Bob Tasca the FIRST on this Sunday.
Tasca scored his first national event win at a track that holds a special place in his heart. It was in Gainesville where Tasca came to the attention of Ford based on his performance at Gainesville Raceway.
“To come here, at a race track that is really close to my heart,” started Tasca, “you know that right lane has been really awfully good to me, I might even kiss it before I leave. I set the world record in alcohol funny car in that lane and I won my first race in that lane. It was a pretty special day for me.”
The final run wasn't pretty, but it was enough to take the final light for the first time. Tasca ran a 4.2 second, 280.720 miles per hour to Tony Pedregon's 4.536, 210.90. On the path to the finals, Tasca ran past Jim Head, team mate Tim Wilkerson and then John Force.
“I am speechless over it and that's hard to believe,” Tasca said after finishing victory lane ceremonies. “You qualified number one. You beat Tim Wilkerson, only John Force and only Tony Pedregon to get your first win.”
Tasca ran fairly consistent all day. Crew chief Chris Cunningham tuned the car to a 4.19, 4.19, 4.17 and a 4.20 with an engine that was expiring as the car cross the finish line.
“Unfortunately, I made a mistake first round and didn't get after it enough,” Cunningham admitted. “I underestimated the track and it ran 19. We were fortunate to get by.
“The second run, a .19, I was real happy with. The semis, extremely happy with a 17; it was spinning the tires hard at the finish line. It was actually was running better than a 17. The last run wasn't so pretty. It went out there and spun the tires, I think it might have knocked a rod out of it, but you do what you can when you need to win.”
While Cunningham saw the ugly in the final run, Tasca thought it was the best of the bunch.
“It was a pretty cool ride,” Tasca said. “It left beautiful and when you don't see the guy next to you it's even more beautiful. And, when you don't hear it, it's even more beautiful.”
Then the run got bad.
“I felt it come out of retard and man it was trucking on through,” Tasca remember. “Then I heard it take the tire off and I said, 'Oh boy'. It’s amazing how your brain slows everything down and I said, 'well, if he's on a run I'm about ready to see him. I didn't see him and I didn't see him and the motor kept climbing, climbing, climbing way higher and right when it went through the finish line I heard something let go. I saw the fire in the windows and I hit the button and pull the fire extinguishers.
“I knew I was past the finish line, I saw light on and I didn't care at that point. It was just an amazing feeling right then.”
Finished with the winner's interview, Tasca took a phone call from another guy who was experiencing his own amazing feeling, Ford CEO Alan Mulally. This was more than an important win for Tasca. This was an important win for all of Ford, Motorcraft and Quick Lane.
Tasca scored his first national event win at a track that holds a special place in his heart. It was in Gainesville where Tasca came to the attention of Ford based on his performance at Gainesville Raceway.
“To come here, at a race track that is really close to my heart,” started Tasca, “you know that right lane has been really awfully good to me, I might even kiss it before I leave. I set the world record in alcohol funny car in that lane and I won my first race in that lane. It was a pretty special day for me.” Bob Tasca, III was Bob Tasca the FIRST on this Sunday.
Tasca scored his first national event win at a track that holds a special place in his heart. It was in Gainesville where Tasca came to the attention of Ford based on his performance at Gainesville Raceway.
“To come here, at a race track that is really close to my heart,” started Tasca, “you know that right lane has been really awfully good to me, I might even kiss it before I leave. I set the world record in alcohol funny car in that lane and I won my first race in that lane. It was a pretty special day for me.”
The final run wasn't pretty, but it was enough to take the final light for the first time. Tasca ran a 4.2 second, 280.720 miles per hour to Tony Pedregon's 4.536, 210.90. On the path to the finals, Tasca ran past Jim Head, team mate Tim Wilkerson and then John Force.
“I am speechless over it and that's hard to believe,” Tasca said after finishing victory lane ceremonies. “You qualified number one. You beat Tim Wilkerson, only John Force and only Tony Pedregon to get your first win.”
Tasca ran fairly consistent all day. Crew chief Chris Cunningham tuned the car to a 4.19, 4.19, 4.17 and a 4.20 with an engine that was expiring as the car cross the finish line.
“Unfortunately, I made a mistake first round and didn't get after it enough,” Cunningham admitted. “I underestimated the track and it ran 19. We were fortunate to get by.
“The second run, a .19, I was real happy with. The semis, extremely happy with a 17; it was spinning the tires hard at the finish line. It was actually was running better than a 17. The last run wasn't so pretty. It went out there and spun the tires, I think it might have knocked a rod out of it, but you do what you can when you need to win.”
While Cunningham saw the ugly in the final run, Tasca thought it was the best of the bunch.
“It was a pretty cool ride,” Tasca said. “It left beautiful and when you don't see the guy next to you it's even more beautiful. And, when you don't hear it, it's even more beautiful.”
Then the run got bad.
“I felt it come out of retard and man it was trucking on through,” Tasca remember. “Then I heard it take the tire off and I said, 'Oh boy'. It’s amazing how your brain slows everything down and I said, 'well, if he's on a run I'm about ready to see him. I didn't see him and I didn't see him and the motor kept climbing, climbing, climbing way higher and right when it went through the finish line I heard something let go. I saw the fire in the windows and I hit the button and pull the fire extinguishers.
“I knew I was past the finish line, I saw light on and I didn't care at that point. It was just an amazing feeling right then.”
Finished with the winner's interview, Tasca took a phone call from another guy who was experiencing his own amazing feeling, Ford CEO Alan Mulally. This was more than an important win for Tasca. This was an important win for all of Ford, Motorcraft and Quick Lane.
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