Championship Drag Racing

Checker Schuck's Kragen NHRA Nationals
Chandler, AZ
(February 25-27)

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Driver Profile

Morgan Lucas GEICO/Lucas Oil dragster

Phoenix, prerace: Morgan Lucas is returning to the "scene of the time" at Firebird Raceway this weekend, going back to the track where he drove to a superb 4.50 elapsed time in preseason testing. This early accomplishment has his Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster team feeling that they have to be considered as one of the contenders for the 21st annual Checker Schuck’s Kragen Nationals title.

In his last race at the season-opening NHRA Winternationals, Lucas bettered that time to a career best in qualifying of 4.474 seconds giving them a consistent platform to show the full potential of his Wayne Dupuy-led team.

"I actually have no doubt in my mind going into this race that we can run another career best E.T.," said Lucas, who has yet to visit the winner’s circle, but has two final-round appearances in only nine professional NHRA starts. "I think we can win. I have full confidence saying that. We have a car that can go out and set low E.T. at any given time. If we can make it run in the back-half like everyone else’s, the competition is going to have a bad day."

The Lucas Oil Racing Top Fuel team is a stout group of racing people that have tasted victory before and know how to get back to the winner's circle. Dupuy understands what it takes to reach that higher plateau and Lucas couldn’t be prouder of his Lucas Oil team.

"This team has jelled and work so well between rounds," he said "For instance, we hurt a motor during the first round in Pomona and had it changed out and warmed up before anybody else did, showing just how good our team really is. I have no doubt when I stage. I have full confidence in my ride that we can go up and repeat everything we did from the round before.

"I think our race team is one of the 'the' teams. We’re capable of stepping up and putting a bite on anybody at any time. We’re going to wear’em out. We’re going to run 4.40s or low 4.50s all day long at 325 mph. As soon as we run 330, I know the competition is not going to like to see that. I’m not talking cocky, but our car put up numbers similar to [world record holder Tony] Schumacher’s to the eighth-mile or better at Pomona. We know what it will take to make it happen and all we need is to put it all together for a string of seven or eight straight runs in qualifying and eliminations, four in particular. Once we get that done, it will be a good day for us. If we can do that five to six times this year and keep going rounds everywhere we race, I think we might have a double-decker trophy at the end of year."

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