You’re coming off your first final-round appearance at the DENSO NHRA Sonoma Nationals. What confidence does that give you and the crew with two races remaining in the regular season prior to the Countdown to the Championship?
“I’m not sure it really gains a lot of confidence for us, but it was a morale boost that the team obviously needed. Seattle didn’t go anywhere near how we were hoping it would and we really just made small gains as Sonoma. But, it was a big morale boost being able to make the final round and our guys have done a really good job keeping their heads up through the adversity that we’re fighting right now with the race car. It was a good reward for those guys to get to the Finals, so it was good for all of us from that standpoint.”
While the NHRA had two weeks off, you competed in another regional event in the Top Alcohol Dragster at the Night Under Fire. How does that help you stay fresh behind the wheel?
“I’ve always been the race car driver that if I had a night off or a weekend off, I always found something to race and that’s just the passion I have for motorsports and as a race car driver. Being a drag racer now is no different, so having the opportunity to go race with Pops (Rich McPhillips) and Richie McPhillips and run the regional at Norwalk is absolutely what I try to do all the time. I always want to be in a race car as much as possible. Having two weekends off before we go to Brainerd, I feel like it does help me stay sharp and help me stay focused by being able to fill that in with a drag race.”
You’re representing Mahindra tractors for their first race as primary sponsor in the NHRA. How special will it be sporting their colors, given your relationship with them in the NASCAR Cup Series?
“We’ve got a great relationship with Mahindra tractors and it’s nice to bring them to the drag racing side with us this weekend. They have been excellent to work with and we don’t call it sponsorships, but rather partnerships because I feel like we’re really good partners together and we’re a good fit for each other. They’re coming over to another form of motorsports and being in Brainerd, I feel like the demographic is a great fit for them. I’m proud to have them on the car. I never had the chance to really run a Mahindra car with the NASCAR side, so I’m proud that I finally get to drive a race car with Mahindra colors on it and hopefully will have a better weekend than what we’ve been having here recently. Hopefully we can build off the momentum and try to do some great things with them, but I know they’re going to be very active at Brainerd and we’re all looking forward to having them part of our program at TSR.”
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