HIGHT READY TO PUT DISTRACTIONS BEHIND HIM, QUICKEST FRIDAY AT WINTERNATIONALS
For Robert Hight, this offseason has been one of the longest and most challenging of his entire career.
As acting president of John Force Racing in addition to his racing duties, Hight has had to endure a full season’s worth of hardships in only a short three month span, leaving the two-time champ exhausted before the season even began.
“Honestly, I didn’t think this day was ever going to get here,” Hight said. “This has been the longest winter, so many ups and downs and things to work out. There were sponsorship issues, not knowing if we were going to run a third car or a fourth car, Courtney (Force) leaving, I just didn’t think I was ever going to get out of that office. Actually getting out to the racetrack and getting with the fans, all of the Auto Club people, this is what I have lived for all winter. I just didn’t think it was ever going to get here.”
But if there is one thing that can cure a few heartaches and hardships, it is success on the track.
And that is exactly how Robert Hight started off the 2019 season, driving his Auto Club of Southern California 2019 Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car to the provisional top spot Friday at the 59th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals presented by ProtecttheHarvest.com at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.
Hight was the only driver to dip into the 3.80s after two rounds on Friday, racing to a 3.871-second elapsed time at 329.67 mph to overtake first round leader Ron Capps in the late session. Capps was second with a 3.915 at 304.87 mph, while Shawn Langdon was third with a 3.927 at 325.77 mph. Tommy Johnson Jr. (3.929) and Cruz Pedregon (3.930) rounded out the top five.
“We had a good test in Phoenix a week ago and came in here with the same setup, but needed some tweaking and some changes,” Hight siad. “The first run we didn’t make it down, but they got it the second run and, honestly, I feel there is a lot left in it. Jimmy Prock is pretty enthused about it and I shut it off a little earlier and had a cylinder out. So if we can get the same conditions tomorrow, honestly I think we can go two or three hundredths quicker.”
Hight, a four-time winner in 2018, hasn’t won the season opener since 2011 and looks forward to continuing the momentum shown on Friday throughout the rest of the weekend, especially at the home race for he and many of his sponsors.
“All the Chevy folks are here with us this weekend and of course all of the Auto Club people, so we want to put on a good show for them,” Hight said. “I’d say well done on day one.”
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