They were preparing for the Torco Racing Fuels Nationals – marking the return of NHRA racing to Virginia Motorsports Park for the first time since 2000 – when inclement weather caused a one-week postponement to Oct. 13-15.

Yates and family not only are a few hours drive from their Occoquan, Va., home, but the additional days have been a boon to veteran engine builder/tuner Bill “Grumpy” Jenkins.

“All the rain we had around here was a blessing in disguise for us,” said Yates, “because last week Bill didn’t have all the new parts he needed to complete rebuilding our race motor. But the parts arrived and Bill and his guys at Jenkins Competition in Malvern (Pa.) are working hard to get it to us before Friday’s qualifying begins.

“We had our backup motor ready for last week, but we know our race engine is better. We’re looking forward to the race because we are close to home and we’ll have friends and fans coming to watch us race.”

Yates, a two-time series champion (1996-97), is in his 17th full season of Pro Stock competition. He has 25 victories in 58 final rounds and is closing in on another milestone, 400 career round wins. He has 395 going into this event and has three races overall remaining on the 2006 POWERade Series schedule to reach or surpass that mark.

He won at Columbus, Ohio, in May and was runner-up at Houston in April and is seventh in top 10 with 1003 points.