Jonnie Lindberg entered the NHRA Carolina Nationals with a black eye, in more ways than one.

Firstly, over his right eye, where he struck himself with a torque wrench while working in the workshop last Sunday. Lindberg had to have five stitches and is wearing a large pair of sunglasses this weekend to help cover up his injury.

Secondly, in the championship, where he fell short of making the Countdown despite making it to the final twice in his rookie NHRA Funny Car season. While Lindberg got off to a solid start in his rookie campaign, he has yet to return to the final since.

“[Our season] started really good, and then we sucked basically,” Lindberg put it bluntly. “But we had some bad luck and stuff, but I’m pretty happy anyway.

“The guy we race runs better than us first round a lot. Sometimes the tune-up wasn’t right, you know. But it’s my first year, I’ve been to two finals, of course you want to win, you know. But hopefully we can get a win. The season isn’t over yet. We ran really good in Indy so we learned a lot there. But zMax Dragway is tricky, it’s pretty hot here and the traction is down a bit.”

Lindberg qualified No.. 12, and smoked the tires in a losing effort against Alexis DeJoria on Sunday. 

Looking back, Lindberg believes the key factor in whether he’s made the finals or not has been luck.

“I smoked the tires first round against J.R. in Gainesville and he smoked them worse than me and I peddled and I won, you know. In Vegas too, but it hasn’t been easy. It’s not easy to go to the final, so we had a good working car.

“But then a lot of first round smoke the tires, and we just missed the tune-up. But we do our best, but I’m happy. The crew is working really hard. I wish we could get a win for them, because they work so hard all the time.

“Like Jim Head is a good teacher. He tunes the car, and he’s been driving a Funny Car for a long time. So, I learn a lot and I like to drive, but to tune a car as much as to drive a car. So I learn a lot about how to tune a fuel car.

“First thing Jim said when I started working here is, ‘I ruined your life. You’ll never want to go back to Alcohol again. You’ve tasted Nitro now.’ And he’s right. Nitro, it’s the only thing I want to do right now.”