Following the resignation of former team driver Paul Lee, the J&B
Motorsports IHRA Torco Pro Nitro Funny Car team reached an eleventh hour
agreement with Michigan local Rob Bruce to drive during this past weekend's IHRA
Torco Race Fuels Nationals at Knoll Gas Motorsports Park just outside of Grand
Rapids, Mich. Despite limited experience, Team Owners Jeff and Bonnie McGaffic
were impressed at how quickly the driver they dubbed 'Ricky Bobby' adapted to
their 8,000 HP Nitro Funny Car this past weekend.
As of the Thursday prior to the event, the team was
without a driver. Fellow Nitro Funny Car and Top Fuel racer Mitch King referred
Bruce, from nearby Flint, Mich., to the McGaffic's.
"We tried to call several drivers to come in and
drive for us this weekend," explained McGaffic. "None of the drivers we knew
that would fit the car were available to drive the whole weekend. Mitch told us
about this guy Rob Bruce who lived a few hours from the track and was a
competent driver with an IHRA license and would fit the car. We called him on
Friday and he dropped what he was doing and showed up at the track a few hours
later. Needless to say, we were impressed with his zeal and commitment from the
get-go."
"We missed the Friday session getting him fitted
for the car," McGaffic continued. "While getting things ready to go for
Saturday, he kept talking about wanting to go fast, so we nicknamed him "Ricky
Bobby." He was a great guy and worked well with our team. We had a lot of fun
with him."