When you’re an IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock racer your racing options are limited.

A driver can only race the current ten-race schedule and that’s it, outside of countless test sessions.

That’s what IHRA world champion Robert Patrick used to think.

The Purvis Ford-sponsored driver from Fredericksburg, Va., has found an alternative for the off weekends. He can now race the Pro 5.0 division on the Fun Ford Weekend tour.

Recently Patrick won the Fun Ford Weekend event at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, Va., less than 100 miles from home.

IHRA Pro Stock world champion finding other avenues to fill racing habit …

When you’re an IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock racer your racing options are limited.

A driver can only race the current ten-race schedule and that’s it, outside of countless test sessions.

That’s what IHRA world champion Robert Patrick used to think.

The Purvis Ford-sponsored driver from Fredericksburg, Va., has found an alternative for the off weekends. He can now race the Pro 5.0 division on the Fun Ford Weekend tour.

Recently Patrick won the Fun Ford Weekend event at Virginia Motorsports Park in Dinwiddie, Va., less than 100 miles from home.

The win was beneficial to his family’s huge Ford dealership north of the track.

Patrick defeated Dale Brinsfield’s nitrous-injected, 600-plus cubic inch-powered 2008 Ford Mustang in the final round. One round earlier, he defeated the series champion.

“You can’t beat an eight-car show for $10,000 to win,” Patrick said. “I got to come down (to Dinwiddie) and test a lot of things we want to use in Pro Stock and get some racing in too.

 

We’ve just decided that it’s not economically feasible for us to race this event. That’s it. There’s no political agenda. No statement needing to be made. It’s just a business decision and at this point I’m not in a financial position to take one for the team this time. – Robert Patrick on skipping the IHRA event in Edmonton.

Patrick had spent much of the week prior testing at his other local track Maryland International Raceway in Budds Creek, Md. He scored positive results there also.

“We stayed over and tested on the Tuesday and Wednesday after the event. We had some problems with the gas we ran at MIR and got lost on the tuneup. We changed brands and ended up running a 6.35 at 221 and that was in conditions just like we had on Friday in Maryland when Jeff Dobbins went the same time.

“We tested a new motor that we’d built over the winter and qualified No. 2 at the Fun Ford event.”

Patrick is one of the many racers also exploring the option of racing in the American Drag Racing League’s Extreme Pro Stock division. The ADRL will conduct three non-championship events in 2008 before reportedly creating a full 2009 championship tour.

Originally planning to race next weekend at the ADRL event in Radford, Va., as a Pro Nitrous entry, running in legal Pro Stock trim in lieu of racing the IHRA Rocky Mountain Nationals in Edmonton, Alb. Patrick planned to run in legal Pro Stock trim minus the added weight.

Patrick has since opted to skip both of those events, opting to run in the first of the Extreme Pro Stock events in Budds Creek, Md. The champion wants to put his best foot forward at track owner Royce Miller’s facility.

“I’m supporting Royce Miller because he’s always supported the drag racers and especially the Pro Stock guys. He’s always done what he can for the Pro Stocks and I’m obligated to support him. I think what Kenny Nowling is doing great and the opportunity to have more than one place to race is a great option to have.”
 
The decision to skip the IHRA’s furthermost western event has made Patrick a lightning rod for controversy, though he contends the decision is purely business and not one made out of protest.

“We’re not giving up on IHRA Pro Stock by any means even though we aren’t running Edmonton,” explained Patrick. “We’re hoping everything comes off without a hitch for the Pro Stock Showdown. We’re leading the points for that. I do still we have a chance at the championship if we run the rest of the events in 2008. We feel like we have a good chance at winning the shootout.”

Patrick issued an official statement recently regarding his decision.

“With the economy the way it is and the prices of diesel fuel as high as they are, totaling our expenses, there is no way we could come out but upside down for this event,” Patrick said. “We’ve just decided that it’s not economically feasible for us to race this event. That’s it. There’s no political agenda. No statement needing to be made. It’s just a business decision and at this point I’m not in a financial position to take one for the team this time.

“Since I started racing IHRA Pro Stock in 1991, I have always supported the IHRA and I’ve been a fan of the sanctioning body. Nothing has changed.”

Patrick plans to compete at the IHRA Canadian Nationals, July 18 – 20, in Grand Bend, Ont., and the ADRL event in Budds Creek, Md., the following weekend.