Four weeks ago, Robert Hight was staring down a near impossible task. Now, he's staring down from atop the Funny Car point standings.

“It's unbelievable,” said Hight, of his second consecutive win, and leap from tenth to first in the point standings in just two races. “It hasn't hit me yet. Going to the three final rounds in a row is tough.

Four weeks ago, Robert Hight was staring down a near impossible task. Now, he's staring down from atop the Funny Car point standings.

“It's unbelievable,” said Hight, of his second consecutive win, and leap from tenth to first in the point standings in just two races. “It hasn't hit me yet. Going to the three final rounds in a row is tough.

“This is probably the best race car I have ever had. To be this dominant, this consistent, this steady. Jimmy Prock has definitely got a handle of this. We still have to give it to Guido and Ron Douglas. Without them we wouldn't be where we are at today. They helped us. Thank God Jimmy listened to them and worked with them.”

Hight is savoring his time in the spotlight and he is reflective thanks to a chance encounter with Leif Helander from Sweden, Hight’s first round opponent today.
“Something kind of hit me this morning actually last night. My first round match up was with Leif Helander from Sweden. He came by after I came by the press room and he introduced himself. He told me his story. He reminded me of that movie, The World’s Fastest Indian. We have had controversy here lately. We have had drivers arguing. Talking with a guy like that puts it in perspective what we are doing out here,” said Hight.

“This guy is 65 years old and he has dreamed all his life to come over here to the NHRA, what we take for granted. He is living the dream. We forget why we are here and why we do this and how fortunate we are to be a part of NHRA drag racing. It was really refreshing to see that guy and watch him in the pre race. He didn’t know where to stand or where to go. He is just a great guy and I’d like to get to know this guy a little better. He is going to Memphis and I wish him all the best.”
After Hight defeated Helander he dispatched a Who’s Who of championship contenders starting with Tim Wilkerson, Ashley Force Hood and then Jack Beckman in the final.
“You have to give it to Jack Beckman. He gave me a race in the final. That was probably the best run of the day in Funny Car in the right lane. Hat's off to those guys, they're going to be tough the rest of the way.”  

Beckman is now third in the point standings, 32 back of second place Ashley Force and 45 behind Hight.

With four races remaining on the schedule Hight is equally excited to know there is no break until after Richmond.

“It is so exciting as a driver to be able to go right out next week and maybe keep this streak going, because when you are on a hot streak you don't want go home and celebrate – you want to get back in that race car and keep it going. We have two more weeks. The first two weeks of the outcome couldn't have been any better for us – won them both. We went from worst to first. It's very exciting for me. It was something I thought was never going to happen. You dream big, but this is huge.”

Advertisement