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SUNDAY NOTEBOOK - A DAY OF CHAMPIONS AND CLOSURE

ON ONE HAND AND THEN THE OTHER - The Meatball giveth and the meatball taketh away.

Veteran Pro Stock driver and event low qualifier Frank “The Flying Meatball” Gugliotta preserved Jeff Dobbins chances to contend for the eliminator world championship on Saturday only to end them a day later.

Dobbins faced Gugliotta needing only one more round than Pete Berner in order to clinch the title following the latter’s first round exit.

Gugliotta swiped 25 points from Berner on Saturday therefore keeping Dobbins in the race.

Gugliotta, who boasts strong friendships with both combatants, said he was just racing this weekend and that would bring forth a fair outcome. He was eliminated from championship contention following Saturday’s first qualifying session.

Dobbins knew Gugliotta was in a tough position and their exchange after the round confirmed there was nothing but mutual admiration between the combatants.

His loss left him 8 points short of a championship.

This weekend marked the final race for the team owned by Jimmy Johnson and Kevin Burnett. Their equipment was listed for sale at the conclusion of the event.

“We gave it our best shot,” Dobbins said. “You look back over the years and you see the rounds where we could have won. Then we wouldn’t have put me or him in this position.

“Frank felt bad and I could tell. I think he was pulling for me because we both run Kaase motors. He told me down there that he knew I wouldn’t have wanted a gimme. He was right. I didn’t want a gift. I wanted to earn it.”

Gugliotta confirmed Dobbins feelings.

“It was a no-win situation,” Gugliotta confirmed. “He’s a racer just like me and we want a win only if we’ve earned it.”

Gugliotta only regret in the situation is that he didn’t go on to win the race to justify the situation.

“I really couldn’t believe I was that late,” Gugliotta admitted. “It’s a shame because our team will be disbanding like theirs is.”

THE LAST HURRAH – Gugliotta distributed his resume to the IHRA Pro Stock community without physically doing so during his first round victory over Jon Konigshofer. He drove Bob Yoak’s Ford Mustang to the quickest elapsed time in Pro Stock history with a 6.251-second pass.

Gugliotta confirmed the race was his last driving for Yoak who plans to exit drag racing now that the season is complete.

“It is what it is,” Gugliotta said. “That run probably did us more good than bad and I’m sure someone will buy that car and run really quick. He wanted to come out this year and try and win a championship. He’s going back to the family life.”

Yoak has two owner championships to his credit while teamed with his son Jon during the 1990s.

Gugliotta said he will focus on assisting NHRA Pro Stock racer Justin Humphreys and is unsure if he’ll return to IHRA in 2009, but one thing is for sure, the mountain motor Pro Stock car is a breed all in its own.

“There’s nothing like one of those mountain motor cars,” Gugliotta added. “That’s a fact.”

Gugliotta would like to thank the following for their assistance: Bob Yoak, Mark Whisnant [OPiranaz] Jon Kaase, Greg Brown, Sgteve Chrisapolie, and his girlfriend Kim Hohlman.

THE WINNER- Pete Berner captured the 2008 IHRA Pro Stock World Championship after an intense season long battle.

The championship had its Maalox moments as Berner clinched when Jeff Dobbins lost in the second round.

"Words simply can't describe this feeling," exclaims Berner. "Everyone's put so much hard work into this program and the competition has been pretty intense, especially in the last half of the season. I don't think it's truly sunk in yet. It's pretty unbelievable."

The 2008 championship closely mirrored his Berner’s 2006 title run where he captured the championship at the last possible moment. He finished runner-up in 2007 in a championship battle that also went down to the wire.

Berner didn’t help his nerves by losing in the first round of eliminations to Elijah Morton. That left the championship in Dobbins’ hands pending a second round match in which he lost.

Berner procured the title with only eight points to spare.

"I almost thought I had lost the Championship after round one," tells Berner, "but I knew Frankie [Gugliotta] was on a roll this weekend and if anyone could take out Jeff, it would be him. Jeff is a great competitor and the battle between the two of us all year has been a lot of fun. This weekend has been a little nerve-wrecking with things coming down to the wire like they have, but that's one of the reasons I love this sport so much. Congratulations to Jeff and his whole team for such a great year and a hard fought battle.

"I really can't thank my team enough. Pat Norcia, Randy Douthitt, Mike Vinezeano, Eric Flemming, and Doug Schriefer have put so much of themselves into this car. I am thrilled to win this Championship with them. They're the best in the business. Rick [Jones, owner of Quarter-Max] was able to be here to support us this weekend, and many thanks go out to him and the entire Quarter-Max and RJ Race Cars crew. I just can't say enough for all the people I have supporting me in chasing this dream. My wife Cheryl is always right by my side and I couldn't do this without her. Her love and support means the world to me."

DREAM COME TRUE - Terry Haddock began the event with the grim reality that nitro Funny Cars would likely be out in 2009 under the IHRA sanction. By Sunday, that meeting was a forgotten memory.

He was the champion.

The Lend America-sponsored Haddock claimed the 2008 IHRA Nitro Funny Car world championship Sunday by defeating rookie Matt Hagan in the first round of eliminations.

After qualifying No. 1 as the only racer in the four-second zone and almost two-tenths of a second ahead of the closest racer, Haddock said his confidence was high heading into eliminations, but the pressure of facing Hagan in round one was enormous.

“When I pulled to the line against Matt, I was stressed out,” Haddock said. “I knew it wasn’t completely on the line, but this was my shot at putting him away and wrapping the whole thing up. I wanted to do everything right, just like we had so many times this season, so that was what I focused on, and the results are in the history books.”

He left on Hagan and never looked back. 

 “I can’t thank my family, sponsors and crew enough for getting my here -- we all have earned this together. The crew has been with me through thick and thin, rain and shine, and they are the ones who put me in a car that could win rounds and races.

“On top of that, Lend America and Mike Ashley have been an incredible support, and Mike is such an amazing mentor and friend. He called me right after the race and told me how proud he was to have me on the Lend America team, and then said, ‘now go enjoy the win. You’ve earned every second of it.’

“We’ve had so many fine sponsors also help us along the way -- DJ Safety and Aircat Pneumatic tools, Red Line Oil, Race Girl and so many more. Without their support, we would never have gotten here,” he said.

Suddenly a blower separation in the second round and a subsequent loss didn’t deliver the same sting to Haddock.

 “We were just so relaxed and relieved after we clinched the championship that we probably didn’t check things as closely as we should have and it just blew apart about half-way down the track. I wasn’t too worried, though, because we came to do what we had to do, and we were successful in making that happen,” Haddock said.

“Winning the world championship hasn’t really hit me yet — I’ll probably be able to think about it tomorrow, but for now, I’m just kind of numb. This is a dream come true, and I’ve got so much to be thankful for, so many people who have helped me -- it just has to become real in my head.”

GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY – When you drive well, especially in your rookie season, it draws attention. Spencer Massey parlayed his IHRA prowess into a dream gig.

Massey was named as a driver for Don Prudhomme earlier this week.

The recently crowned IHRA Top Fuel champion told CompetitionPlus.com that his conversations with Prudhomme began earlier in the season when he was approached by the drag racing icon.

“I guess he saw how good it was going over here and we were just talking about different scenarios and how he may be looking for someone else to get a car for,” Massey explained. “He started asking if it was okay if he used my name in proposals and stuff so that’s how it came to what it is now. He wanted to sign me before somebody else got to sign me, is what he said. It will happen in 2010 or when the second team is started.”

Massey confirmed he will return to defend his title in the IHRA provided the Prudhomme team isn’t in operation. He’s also permitted to race NHRA under certain conditions such as driving Gene Snow’s A/Fuel Dragster or a non-conflicting Top Fuel operation such as that of Mitch King’s.

“For example if something happened and a team needs someone to emergency drive then I can step in and do that,” Massey said. “But I can’t drive for the full season or sign another agreement, that’s out of the question. If he needs me next year, if the team starts or whatever or if something happens to Larry [Dixon], I’ll drop whatever I’m doing to do it.”

In the meantime, don’t expect to see Massey turning the wrenches on Prudhomme’s team while he waits.

“That’s not in the agreement,” Massey said. “I think he wants me to be driving, whether it’s this car or the fuel car. That way I’m not getting rusty if I’m not driving one of his cars.”

END OF AN ERA –Quain Stott has come a long way in IHRA competition. From his humble beginnings of racing on a shoestring budget to making the most of a modest one, the Inman, S.C.-based driver scored a world championship in 2006 and picked up nine national event victories in 14 finals.

After entering his 144th consecutive event at Rockingham, N.C., Stott says he has tough decisions to make regarding his future. He’s walking away from the series in 2009, at least in terms of chasing a championship.

Stott says the troubled U.S. economy didn’t make the decision. He’s adamant that customer service or lack thereof of the sanctioning body did. He’s under the impression his comments won’t be taken seriously.

He cautions they should be because those gripes aren’t his alone.

“Nobody will miss me because there will be another monkey to take my place like there always is,” Stott said. “That’s what the IHRA counts on, that’s what all the sanctioning body's count on. I’m not the only dummy out here. There are 50 or 60 other Pro Mod drivers that feel just like I do.

“I’ve actually been told that before by a former IHRA President when I have made some complaints. I was told if I didn’t like the way things went, I could leave to go somewhere else. Well now I have somewhere else I can go. I have a list of problems we’ve compiled in the pits if they want to talk about it, but unless they are willing to get serious then they shouldn’t waste my time or theirs.”

Stott says the gripes range from professional teams having to pay entry fees to lack of foresight of management conducting race events to the sportsman style ladder used in professional competition.

“The entry fee is my biggest problem, I’ve been begging, every racer has been begging for them to reconsider,” Stott added. “It’s not the money anymore - it’s just the smack in the face -- pulling up to the gate and paying an entry fee when you run a professional class. It just doesn’t seem like the sanctioning body is going anywhere and I have to make my decisions based on the current situation.

“I’ve been here through all the changes and every time we’ve been told it’s getting better and all that, and it’s still the same old thing in the end. They won’t listen to me when I talk to them man-to-man, but they’ll listen now. They wonder why we only have barely have Pro Modified cars like we used to and it don’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out. These racers are still racing, just not here anymore.”

Stott said he’s cheering for the new IHRA ownership with Feld Motorsports to improve the morale in the pits, but this time he’s going to witness the transformation from another angle – the outside.

“If they make a big enough impact, I may be back,” Stott admitted. “Otherwise I’m getting my eighth-mile combination ready for ADRL.”

THROWING A BONE – Ed Hoover has been racing Pro Modified for as long as there has been such a class. He was even one of the early players in the race to the six second zone in the 1980s and twenty years later, he’s recorded his first five second run.

Ironically, the historic run for the Pro Mod icon came during Saturday’s qualifying when Hoover drove Paul Trussell’s entry to a 5.981 elapsed time to land in the No 3 spot at of all places, Rockingham Dragway.

Yes, the same facility that has brought the hometown son more heartache than a man should have to endure and almost inspired him to quit, finally threw him a bone.

“This track has put me through hell and I believe it owes me an ironman for all the hell it’s put me through,” Hoover added.

Rockingham became Hoover’s home track when Darlington Dragway left the tour in the early part of the decade. Hoover lives less than 100 miles away in Columbia, S.C.

“I almost quit over this damn place,” Hoover said. “We left one race where we won the race and come here the next race and left with no motors. So you tell me.”

Rockingham threw Hoover a bone, but much of the skeleton was still left as Hoover shook the tires at the hit in the first round ending his season.

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SATURDAY NOTEBOOK - RECORDS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS ON THE LINE DURING SATURDAY QUALIFYING

ELIMINATED AND ON A MISSION – When Pete Berner scored his first point this weekend, it effectively eliminated Frank Gugliotta from championship contention in the Pro Stock division. Gugliotta repaid the favor by snaking away 25 points by not only winning the Last Man Standing award but also backing up a new record.

Berner had established the front end of a new world record with a 6.278-second lap when Gugliotta stepped up with a 6.270 which was backed up with an earlier 6.291 elapsed time.

Gugliotta considers himself a friend to both championship finalists Berner and second place Jeff Dobbins, but on this evening he had to do what he had to do.

“When I got down at the finish line I looked over at Jeff and told him that he owed me big time,” said Gugliotta in the post qualifying press conference. “Those points would have hurt Jeff bad. It was good to help him out but Pete’s a good friend of mine too. I’m not sitting on the fence because I wish the best to both of them.

“I came in this weekend with nothing to lose,” Gugliotta continued. “This is the first time since 2005 that I came in here with no chance for a championship. I have nothing to lose and no pressure coming along with that. I am on max kill every run.”

Gugliotta has been busy on his off weekends tuning the NHRA Pro Stock racer of Justin Humphreys. While a miniscule amount of technology is interchangeable, Gugliotta said the extra time on the track always adds to the knowledge banks.

He was confident something was left on the table with Saturday’s record run.

“There’s more to be had out there,” Gugliotta admitted. “If this track can hold more on Sunday, these cars will hold more than a 6.270. It wouldn’t shock me for someone to run a high-6.25.”

Going after such a run will require a large gamble.

“It will take a ballsy team to go after that especially if someone is going for this championship,” Gugliotta said. “But, me, I could go for it.”

Gugliotta admitted that he’s having the time of his life and others in the class are as well. Case in point, when Dobbins walked to the starting line in an Underdog outfit, Gugliotta got more than a chuckle out of the gesture. He’s said that a laugh is always welcomed in these uncertain times of the IHRA.

He’s not sure how Pro Stock will fit into the new IHRA in 2009.

“I’m very concerned and I’ve heard a lot of rumors,” Gugliotta said. “I’ve heard all of the rumors of downsizing to eight car fields, but let me ask you if we had an eight-car field do you think we’d have 28 cars here this weekend? Would you really want an eight-car field and throw away 20 cars?

“I’m very concerned.”

FIVES GALORE - Jim Halsey became the first official five second nitrous doorslammer in the history of the IHRA when he laid down a 5.972 elapsed time at 237.00 miles per hour to lead the first qualifying session.

This marked the sixth consecutive five second run for Halsey, the five prior coming at an outlaw event in Englishtown, N.J.

“We made some changes (to the overall combination) prior to the IHRA race in Epping because we knew it was going the wrong way,” Halsey admitted when asked about finding the right combination to crack the five second barrier. “It was getting bad. We could never find the right combination. We tested before Englishtown and got it to run very well and I was very happy because it wouldn’t even run at our place. The weather was great there and the track was amazing. The weather was the biggest factor.”

The bulk of changes for Halsey came in the car’s rear-end ratio as well as some subtle changes in the tune-up. Amidst speculation the team utilized a five-speed transmission at the outlaw event, Halsey confirmed the team utilized a four-speed.

They may test a five-speed in the off-season.

“I don’t know if it would help,” Halsey admitted. “I don’t know if us having a big motor if it would help any. A lot of guys run three speeds in these.

“We made some big gains in the Nitrous system,” Halsey said. “The ratio we were working in the rear just wasn’t working the motor quite enough. We’ve got that down pat and working hard as well.”

Halsey came back in the final session and laid down a 5.988-second run, but Tommy D’Aprile’s 5.971 edged him for the low qualifying position.

TWO FOR THE TURBOS – For the first time in IHRA Pro Modified history, a pair of turbocharged entry will race in final eliminations. Mike Moran qualified only 15th with a 6.46 elapsed time at a whopping 240.98 miles per hour. The speed stands as a preliminary world record pending the required one-percent back-up.

Annette Summer qualified on the bubble with a 6.691 elapsed time.

FANTASY MEETS REALITY - Jeff Dobbins has heard himself referred to as an underdog all season and with one race left in the season, he became one literally.

Dobbins’ wife Cindy decided to sew her husband an outfit bearing a striking resemblance to the cartoon character.

“Well we were just sitting around, talking at home and I said we need to do something so we can have a little fun,” Dobbins said. “I said ‘I feel like a superhero’ and Sandy said that she could make it happen.“

Will he drive in it?

“Probably not, don’t think there’s an SFI approved version,” Dobbins added.

O’NEILL HOSPITALIZED - Jeffrey O’Neill came to Rockingham for the opportunity to drive Doc Sipple’s Top Fuel dragster. Instead he spent Friday evening in a local hospital.

A source close to the situation told CompetitionPlus.com that O’Neill suffered an allergic reaction to medication he was taken. He was confined to the ICU unit.

O’Neill’s condition had improved greatly on Saturday.

THAT WAS LIKE A FUNNY CAR - Scott Cannon spent much of his weekend explaining to his Pro Modified comrades how running 5.73 seconds in a doorslammer felt. Two weeks ago Cannon drove Thomas Patterson’s 1970 Dodge Daytona to the quickest elapsed time and fastest speed in excess of 250 miles per hour.

So what does as 5.73 feel like?

“Well it kind of surprised us, although we expected it to run that quick,” Cannon said. “[team owner] Richard Patterson bought us all the stuff and asked to go run it. We put it all together, we tested it, we went ADRL with it. We said okay and then went to the Shakedown and the air and everything else the stars just lined up perfect. It went down through there.”

Cannon, who has licensed in a nitro Funny Car, said the feeling of driving the Patterson’s doorslammer was similar in feel but totally different than piloting his IHRA-legal Pro Modified.

“It pulls all the way and never stops pulling,” said Cannon, who admitted he believed the car had more in it than the 5.73. “The 5.73 was only our second run. I’d like to think we’d get better at it and learn more about the car but I was new at it. My dad was new to tuning it. Everything was new to us. We’re going to the ADRL in Dallas, it’s just eighth mile but it’ll be our third race with this car. So hopefully we’ll get better at it.”

Cannon left some on the table in Englishtown.

“Well we thought 70’s were bad, but I don’t see why 60’s would be too far away,” Cannon added.

Unfortunately for Cannon he failed to make the cut in what is expected to be his last IHRA race until major sponsorship is procured.

AUDITIONING? - Former Sport Compact racer turned NHRA Pro Stock driver Matt Hartford finally got his crack at racing an IHRA Pro Stock car. Hartford filled in for the departed Rob Mansfield who left the Dingman Motorsports Wilson Manifolds entry.

Hartford was one of three drivers proposing to bring turbocharged sport compacts back in 2006. The outcry of complaints led the IHRA to kill the idea before it came to fruition.

He finally got a chance to feel what the mountain motor racers feel during the course of a run.

“Man this thing pulled all the way down to the other end,” said Hartford, who qualified 13th with a personal best 6.332 elapsed time. “It’s amazing. The first time I hit the clutch on this thing it was like I didn’t even feel like I was turning anything.”

Hartford likened his experience of running a mountain motor car to his former Sport Compact entry.

“It felt like my turbo car from a few years ago because it had power and torque the whole way,” admitted Hartford. “You’re in low gear for such a long time in this car instead of a NHRA car. It’s a lot of fun.”

Hartford isn’t sure if this weekend’s experience in Rockingham is a one-race venture or working on preparations for 2009.

“I don’t know, I haven’t figured it out yet either,” Hartford said. “I don’t even know about our plans for next year. We’re just out here this weekend to run this car and try to win some rounds and get a win - get something going before next year.”

A UNIQUE SPONSORSHIP - As the 2008 IHRA drag racing season draws to a close, Bobby Lagana, Jr., Scarsdale, N.Y. Top Fuel driver, is looking to close out his season on a positive note. Lagana has a unique sponsorship deal in place as the independent political group “Race Fans for Change” has secured a deal with Lagana to be the primary sponsor on his car for the season finale.

“An old friend of ours is using his knowledge and experience to promote a country-wide effort to spread information regarding the state of our economy and ideas for the working class to address these issues,” Lagana said. “This group, Race Fans for Change, is working to bring awareness to race fans everywhere and encouraging them to get out and vote. Racing fans are the backbone of our country and definitely the backbone of our sport. I love the fans at Rockingham and I can’t wait for them to see what our new sponsor is all about.”

“This is not about either party or presidential candidate,” he continued. “It is about getting race fans to pay attention to the issues they care about the most and getting them to the voting booth to take a stand about those issues. We have a representative democracy, so the race fans should be represented and take an active hand in the political process. This is what ‘Race Fans for Change’ is all about.”

“Race Fans for Change” has a distinct mission. Spokesman Jeff Jacobs explained what the organization is all about.

America’s middle class is the engine that drives our economy,” he said. “When the middle class gets the chance to succeed, everyone wins and America grows stronger as a whole. Too many of our current policies favor a top-down approach. Recent events show that’s the wrong road for America. We believe that with a fair and level playing field, the American middle class can roar back as strong as ever.

“Race Fans for Change will make this case to middle class Americans in places where other advocates rarely tread. You’ll find us at major racing events in Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and elsewhere as we help our fellow fans learn about the issues. We’ll use high-quality materials and everyday language to arm folks with the information they need to defend their way of life. The financial crisis has made daily life tough for America’s working men and women. If we want that to change, we need to restart our economic growth. We need to refuel the middle class.”

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FRIDAY NOTEBOOK: RAIN AND BAD NEWS DAMPEN ENTHUSIASM ON FIRST DAY

YES, IT’S ROCKINGHAM – A race weekend at Rockingham just wouldn’t seem right if rain didn’t enter the equation.

The skies were overcast for much of the morning, a constant reminder inclement weather was imminent.

Five pairs into the Pro Stock’s first session and the skies opened up bringing about an end to the day’s proceedings. Race officials deemed the day a wash by 4:45 PM.

Racing will resume at 8 am Saturday morning.

THE INEVITABLE CONVEYED – If you’re looking for the thunder and lightning of Nitro Funny Car, then you’ll most likely need to look elsewhere than the IHRA.

Aaron Polburn conveyed this grim reminder to the Funny Car teams in a meeting on Friday. He didn’t say the class was done but unless a major sponsor is procured, it’s as good as done.

Point leader Terry Haddock isn’t sold on the reality of the eliminator’s demise. The point leader believes this meeting was a wake-up to the industry what lies ahead if major sponsorship isn’t obtained.

“I don’t think it’s all doom and gloom,” Haddock said Friday after the meeting. “I think they are fishing for a sponsor, kind of like we all are. We just have to wait until the first race to see what happens. I think you will also see major changes on the other side, NHRA, as well. We have a current NHRA legal car right now, so we’ll go run over there or we’ll run Top Fuel over here, it doesn’t matter.”

Matt Hagan, who is in his first season running nitro Funny Car, said the IHRA series provided him with the opportunity to learn the ropes of driving in a more relaxed atmosphere.

“It really saddens me, I hope they can work something out soon to get them back going again,” Hagan said. “It’s a great part of the sport, it gives a great venue for these guys to get out here and do what we love to do. To see that taken away from us, it’s tough. I understand there has to be sponsorship to support it and with the economy the way it is today, it’s even worse.

“I understand that it’s not that they’re doing anything intentionally, it’s just the money isn’t there. Hopefully these guys can get in here and work something out and if they can’t maybe everybody just needs to take their Funny Car stuff and put it in a dragster.”

The odds clearly remain in Haddock’s favor to score the championship and if that accolade comes to pass, he could go down in history as the last to win a Funny Car championship in IHRA.

“It does disappoint me because if we do become fortunate enough to win the championship it would be a shame not to get to carry the No. 1 for a year when you work so hard to get it,” Haddock surmised. “But we’re racers and we’ll keep racing. It is what it is.”

Hagan will likely end up racing on the NHRA side and prior to the meeting had already prepared for the likelihood by securing plans to run elsewhere.

“We have a lot of things in the works,” Hagan said. “These are things that we’re trying to patch up and get going. We’re going to do what we have to do to try and win the championship. Once we do that, then we can move onto other things.”

The other things are?

“Right now I can’t say,” Hagan said. “We just have a lot of things in the works.”

THE GOOD, BAD AND REAL UGLY - What a difference 365 days can make to a racer.

For IHRA Pro Stock racer Robert Patrick, he’s as anxious to conclude the 2008 season as he was to finish last year’s. The reasoning is vastly different.

Last season Patrick was second in the championship points and on the cusp of scoring his first career IHRA Pro Stock world championship. He was anxious to draw a conclusion to the hard-fought battle.

His title season has been one of frustration and continuous aggravation from the little things. Patrick has realized more than ever the small things can add up a the big thing.

The big thing has been frustration and that’s not what a championship defense is supposed to be.

“We’re not pointing fingers because it is what it is,” Patrick said. “We can fix one thing and something else happens. You try to stay on top of your game but sometimes it just overwhelms you. We never quit and we won’t either, but that doesn’t mean we can look for a break here and there.”

Patrick laid down the quickest naturally aspirated doorslammer pass in drag racing earlier this season when he drove his Purvis Ford-sponsored Mustang with a 6.266 elapsed time during a major test session in Valdosta, Ga. He went to the No. 1 qualifying position at the season-opening IHRA Texas Nationals in San Antonio, Texas.

He’s currently ranked ninth in the top ten points and just eight points removed from eighth place.

“Winning this weekend would be huge for us,” Patrick admitted. “I think we have as good of a chance as anyone out there. We’re going to go out there and give it our and whatever happens will happen.”

NOTHING FOR GRANTED - Never again will Thomas Patterson take the basic necessities of life for granted. The veteran Pro Modified racer was one of the tens of thousands of Houston residents affected by the ferocity of Hurricane Ike when it blasted ashore on September 13 near Galveston, Texas.

The Pattersons, Thomas and his father Richard were without electricity for a total of 15 days, two weeks of which was spent clearing debris and trees, the result of winds in excess of 100 mph.

“I’m ready to change a clutch instead of picking up trees,” Patterson said. “It was a mess. There was stuff everywhere and we worked from sunup to sundown just picking up stuff that had blown down on our property and the other things blown from elsewhere.”

Their Houston home survived the storm but their Galveston property wasn’t as fortunate.

“When you’re in a situation like we have been, you really started to take notice of the things you always took for granted like a light switch and a warm shower,” Patterson admitted. “It was tough and while I realize there were those worse off than we were, it was still out of the normal. You just learn to live with it in a hurry. I can tell you I was glad when everything got t urned back on.”

No air conditioning on the hot days. No lights at night outside of that provided by the temporary generator. Getting fuel, there was a scarcity of that as well.

On the other end of the spectrum, there was no internet connection either. Had it been available, Patterson would have chronicled the action recently in Englishtown, N.J., when defending IHRA Pro Modified world champion Scott Cannon Jr. drove the family’s 1970 Dodge Daytona to the quickest and fastest doorslammer pass in drag racing history at 5.73-seconds at over 252 miles per hour.

That's okay; he received more than a share of phone calls.

The Vanishing Point Race Cars-built machine was in outlaw trim, but the run was plenty impressive nonetheless.

“That’s neat,” Patterson said. “We always felt like we had a strong car and they proved it.”

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