Lee Beard can relate to Michael Corleone. Corleone, the main character, and protagonist in The Godfather film series uttered a famous quote which suits Beard these days.

"Just when I thought I was out... they pull me back in," said Corleone.

"Actually, I had retired from being a full-time crew chief on the NHRA tour, but I never quit racing or being a consultant to race teams," explained Beard. "I was fortunate enough to go to Australia and race cars for the Rapisarda's over there, with Larry Dixon driving, and had great success winning a Winternationals and setting a national record."

In some settings, Beard would be considered a lurker. At the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., he returned to help a longtime friend. Beard was assisting Cruz Pedregon in getting his troubled Snap-On Tools Funny Car back on the right track.

"Cruz has had a very trying season," said Beard. "Not the type of performance that he expected, or the rest of us expected out of this car. He called me up and asked if I’d mind coming and looking over their shoulders and seeing if there was anything that a new set of eyes could pick up. That would maybe be able to get the car back on track. And that’s basically why I’m here."

Drag racing is a bit like the Godfather, or the popular Eagles hit song Hotel California, which suggests you can check out but never truly leave.

"When you’re a competitor in this sport, you become obsessed with it," Beard said. "There was a time in my life where that’s the only thing that I did. I ate, slept, drag racing 24/7. As I grow older now, I enjoy other things in life. Obviously, I have a passion for fly fishing and have done a lot of that. But, I must say, when I’m standing in the river all by myself, and even though I’m surrounded by nature and all the beauty of it, I still think about drag racing."