Sometimes two steps back can equal three forward.

This motto is what small-tire superstar turned NHRA Pro Modified Lyle Barnett is counting on. The NHRA Pro Modified series returns to action after a seven-week break in the schedule.

Barnett has shown a propensity to be a streaky racer. Last season, Barnett closed the season with wins in two of the last three events. Unfortunately, Barnett lost in the first round in the previous two races, headed into this weekend's Menards NHRA Nationals in Topeka, Kan..

The past seven weekends have enabled Barnett to regroup and, along with his Elite HP Camaro, re-energized.

"We had to shake off whatever was ailing us," Barnett said. "We've had a little string of bad luck. In Norwalk, we didn't make the run we should have in the first round (against points leader Kris Thorne), and he got us. We should have won the four-wide race in Charlotte, and I didn't get the job done on the starting line like I usually do. We've had almost two months off to shake some of that off, and we've just kept our nose down and continued to grind."

Barnett hopes to thrust his team into the championship picture. Still, he understands it will be a heavy undertaking as Kris Thorne holds a 107-point championship lead on second-place Rickie Smith after winning three of the first four races this season. He is presently ranked fourth.

Barnett knows if he gets hot, it could make for an interesting finish.

"Kris has had an outstanding season, and he's driven really well, but we're going to do everything we can to try and catch him," Barnett said. "At the end of last year, we had a string of races close together, and we were able to get on a roll. If we can do that again, we can be pretty hard to stop, especially if I do my job on the starting line. I definitely think there's an opportunity for us to make some strides. But it all starts Friday in Topeka during the first round of qualifying. You have to make a good run in Q1, so we'll go up there and take a good swing at it."