Championship Drag Racing

Torco Racing Fuels Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Chicago, Ill.
(June 5-8)

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Driver Profile

Del Worsham DHL Toyota

Chicago, Friday: The bad news was, after Del Worsham smoked the tires during Friday's first lap at Route 66 Raceway, that he had just completed his fifth consecutive run in which he did not cross the finish line under full power. The good news was, after Friday's late session, Worsham had broken that string, hitting the parachutes just after lifting in the lights. The bad news was, the 4.900 that popped up on the board was only the 17th-quickest lap of the day in Funny Car, leaving Worsham well below the Friday night 12th place cut-line. The bad news entries, therefore, win by  a 2-1 score. Two more daytime sessions are set for Saturday, and Worsham will be one of nine drivers trying to break into the final four spots in the field.

"I'm pretty frustrated right now, as are all the people in this pit area," Worsham said.  "I'm glad it went A-to-B, but I guarantee you we didn't go up there to run 4.90. We didn't go up there to run 4.80. We went up there to run in the 4.70s, but apparently that's all the car wanted to run on that lap. Wire to wire, under power the whole way, but it just didn't have the snap from 330 feet to the end of the track. It was okay to that point, but it fell off from there.

"Now, if it's hot tomorrow we're going to have to fight the other also-rans, because you won't be out there trying to run 4.75 in the heat. Right now, the 12th-place number is a 4.85, and you might be able to do that if it's hot, but that would be a heck of a lap. We're frustrated right now, but we know we have to get over it and get this thing to run like it should. We just need to run like we can, like we ought to, and we'll be okay."

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