Robert Patrick remembers Memphis Motorsports Park as a track that has teeth, complete with
atmospheric conditions capable of delivering a nasty bite. Depending on the time of the year, the
weather in Memphis can also provide an exhilarating experience.
The last time the Purvis Ford-sponsored Patrick, from Fredericksburg, Va., competed on the famed
Memphis quarter-mile was in September of 2001 in the Autozone NHRA Nationals.
Patrick was the only Ford driver to make the sixteen-car field. Unfortunately, he lost in the first
round to eventual winner George Marnell.
A lot has changed for Patrick and Pro Stock racing in eight years.
"Boy has it ever," Patrick agrees. "The technology in Pro Stock has advanced incredibly in the last
two years, much less since we last ran here in Memphis. This is a good track where you can lay down
some numbers but it all depends on what weather conditions we are given to work with."
Patrick will compete in this weekend's Quartermax ADRL Memphis Drags in the Extreme Pro Stock
division. His high-winding 500-inch Pro Stock motor has been replaced with the throaty rumble of an
800-plus cubic inch mountain motor.
Gone, at least for this weekend, is the traditional quarter-mile drag strip and replaced with the
ADRL's preferred eighth-mile. The last time Patrick raced Memphis there were only two choices for
Pro Stock racing, NHRA or IHRA.
This year there's a third opportunity on the scene as Patrick heads into the third stop on the
ADRL's ten race National Guard Championship Drag Racing Series.
Changes abound but for Patrick some things never change.
"You still have to take the competition one round at a time," Patrick said. "You still have to run
the strongest and best you can every lap down the track. If you don't, these guys in this Extreme
Pro Stock class will send you packing in a hurry."
That's 4.1 seconds to be exact. The competitiveness of this division, participating for the first
time as a full-time eliminator on the ADRL tour, has crowned four winners in as many races dating
back to its exhibition days.
Patrick was the winner of the first ADRL exhibition event last season in Budds Creek, Md. He enters
this event hot off of a semi-final finish on the IHRA tour.
Patrick qualified on the bubble of the sixteen car field and systematically worked his way through
the field knocking off No. 1 qualifier John Montecalvo and J.R. Carr before losing a tough match to
Pete Berner.
"We came into that race with an engine carrying a totally different combination then we are
accustomed to running . a high-revving, low torque . and we made three qualifying runs and couldn't
really get a handle on it," Patrick said. "On the fourth run we went back to a proven combination
and blew the tires off.
"We went out on race day and couldn't get enough clutch in it until the semi finals. Then we had a
starter problem and the car kept shutting off."
Patrick said the Rockingham race proved to his team that horsepower is not a problem.
"We used Rockingham largely as a test session for this weekend's event," Patrick explained. "We've
done some testing since then and we are really confident of our chances. I'm looking forward to
running at Memphis again."
