Championship Drag Racing

Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals
Richmond, VA
(October 13-15)

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Driver Profile

Rod Fuller Yas Marina Circuit dragster

Richmond, Saturday: For eight consecutive races “Hot Rod” Fuller has qualified his Valvoline/David Powers Homes Top Fuel dragster in the elite top-five of the 16-car elimination field. The upbeat driver from Las Vegas continued that streak Saturday at Virginia Motorsports Park, earning the No. three position at the inaugural Torco Racing Fuels NHRA Nationals with a 4.543-second pass at 317.79-mph.

“Ever since the Seattle race this summer, the car has been on rails,” Fuller said. "This David Powers team is awesome and it’s a real pleasure to come to work every weekend knowing that these guys are gonna give me a car that is capable of winning the race.

 “Coming this far north this late in the season can be touch and go, as we found out last weekend with the rain out. But a morning frost on the pumpkin, like we had today, can work in our favor once the sun comes out and puts a little heat on the track. As we all saw, everyone is flying down this track this weekend. It's a lot of fun.
“These cars react like a jogger does during cool weather, it puts a little extra spring in your step and we’re looking for even better conditions Sunday when it really counts, in eliminations.”

Fuller will face Doug Herbert in the first round of eliminations. Herbert qualified 14th with a 4.642-second run at 305.70-mph.

Fuller enters the event sixth in POWERade points and solidly in the field of the big-dollar Budweiser Shootout. The Bud Shootout champion will be decided at the ACDelco Las Vegas Nationals in two weeks with the winner earning $100,000.

"That race is very important on a number of levels," Fuller said. "Because they only invite the top eight qualifiers from the previous 12 months, just making the field is a tribute to the level of competition our team has been performing at for an extended period of time. It's also important for our sponsors to get the extra exposure and if we're fortunate enough to win, then you walk out of there knowing you beat the best of the best.

"The $100,000 winner's check wouldn't hurt either. With Las Vegas being my hometown, it's big for me personally as well. It's exciting to be a part of all the festivities, especially since this is my first year of eligibility.

"But first things first. We've come to this track two weekends in a row and the guys have worked their tails off. I'd love to get our third win of the year and head into the Vegas race with some big momentum."

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