Championship Drag Racing

O`Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals
Topeka, KS
(May 25-28)

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Driver Profile

J.R. Todd Lucas Oil Octane Booster dragster

Topeka, Sunday: With the Skull Shine Top Fuel dragster successfully getting down the Topeka course on four out of five runs, it appears that veteran crew chief Jimmy Walsh has a consistent tune up in hot weather conditions. In fact, on nearly every run in qualifying the Skull car had one of the top five quickest runs and ended up number six in the O’Reilly Summernationals field. This is good news as the NHRA POWERade circuit moves into the hot summer months.

With the team’s new found consistency the chances of getting even with last week’s opponent Dave Grubnic looked pretty good as Skull driver JR Todd Qualified with a 4.64  to Grubnic’s 4.71. But the outcome remained the same as Todd lost another close one as “Grubby” laid down a hole shot with a 0.86 reaction time to Todd’s 0.95. Todd’s 4.69 ET was slightly quicker then Grubnic’s 4.70 but not enough to make up the difference at the starting line.  Still stinging from the first round loss Todd summed up the weekend this way. “All in all it was a good weekend as the guys are working hard and it’s starting to show. Jimmy Walsh has a good handle on the tune up and if I can get my act together at the starting line we’ll start winning some rounds.”

Now Todd’s attention has turned towards Chicago in two weeks. “I’m looking forward to the racing at Route 66 Raceway now that we are running more consistent.” Todd said. Indeed this is a team that’s close to a victory and they are getting closer to that goal each week.

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