Mike Ashley entered Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, four years ago with a point to prove. He’s experiencing a bit of déja vu headed into this weekend’s NHRA O’Reilly Springnationals.

Ashley, a two-time NHRA Pro Modified champion, wants the world to know he’s still got the team to beat despite a two-year absence from the class. His No. 1 qualifying effort during the recently completed NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., went a long way to prove his point.

“I knew I had the team and car to do what we did in Gainesville,” said Ashley, who won this weekend’s event in 2004. “I think it’s been just a matter of getting the driver back in the routine of doing what he’s supposed to. We left a little on the table with the run that led qualifying but this experience was exciting and invigorating.”
Mike Ashley entered Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, four years ago with a point to prove. He’s experiencing a bit of déja vu headed into this weekend’s NHRA O’Reilly Springnationals.

Ashley, a two-time NHRA Pro Modified champion, wants the world to know he’s still got the team to beat despite a two-year absence from the class. His No. 1 qualifying effort during the recently completed NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla., went a long way to prove his point.

“I knew I had the team and car to do what we did in Gainesville,” said Ashley, who won this weekend’s event in 2004. “I think it’s been just a matter of getting the driver back in the routine of doing what he’s supposed to. We left a little on the table with the run that led qualifying but this experience was exciting and invigorating.”

Ashley’s fond memories of the Houston facility coincide with his 2004 victory, ironically the 40th anniversary of the Mustang – a race he won while driving a 1967 Shelby GT500E endorsed by the legendary Carroll Shelby. He won the event from the top qualifying position.

“We had just finished an extremely frustrating 2003 season,” Ashley explained. “We knew we had a good team, one to beat and we felt like we needed to send the message by running well in Gainesville. The more we ran the car, the stronger it got. We had more momentum than we knew what to do with, so we just kept throwing it back in the car.”

The momentum was so strong that Ashley went on to win six national events in the next two seasons before stepping aside to focus primarily on his budding Funny Car career.

Ashley’s two-year hiatus from the class was triggered by his desire to focus on driving a 300-mile per hour Funny Car. He captured three NHRA POWERade national event titles including the prestigious U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis. He also added an IHRA Knoll Gas Funny Car title in Martin, Michigan.

“I’m just excited about being back here with my buddies in Pro Modified,” Ashley admitted.

Ashley still has a vested interest in the Funny Car, though. He’s a co-owner on the Melanie Troxel and Frank Hawley teams.

“I really excited to watch our Funny Car run from an owner’s standpoint,” Ashley said. “This has been a great year and I can’t help but think it’s going to get even better.”