Rodger Brogdon and the Charter Communications team rolled into Pacific raceways in Kent Washington
this weekend for the second race of NHRA's mid season western swing. The team is in the midst of
their first venture on the western swing and after being to run one of the few 6-second runs in
Denver's rarified air they were anxious to return to a sea level facility and see what they could
do next.
Qualifying opened on Friday with a sixth best 6.699, 207.50mph run and with better conditions
rolling in for the Friday night session, the team was anxious for an even stronger qualifying run.
Unfortunately Brogdon was timed out on the line (a first in Rodger's lengthy driving career) as
Rodger was trying to adjust his foot position on a newly updated clutch pedal. The weekends third
qualifying session on Saturday's saw the team once again come up short in their race track
negotiation, as the car took an immediate right turn off the starting line, forcing Brogdon to
abort the run. Finally in Saturdays last and final session, the team was once again able to get the
Charter Communications car down track with a 6.662, 208.75 mph run, a run that eventually landed
them eleventh in the sixteen car field.
Dealing with a pair of qualifying runs that left them a step behind the rest of the field, the
team re-grouped for round one of eliminations, a session that would be run with the best
atmospheric conditions of the weekend. Brogdon responded with a terrific 6.615, 208.88 lap from the
Charter Communications Pontiac, but fellow GM driver Ron Krisher was just a tick better and took
the win with a 6.602, 209.39 mph.
"I'm pretty sure we've proven that we can run with the rest of the Pro Stock field, but as the old
expression goes, I guess we're still paying our dues," the likable driver from Texas stated. "Tommy
(Utt) and the rest of the guys continue to finesse the car and find the little things to help our
climb in the Pro Stock ranks. But I do have to tell you that just missing on the runs like we had
in Norwalk, Denver and now today here at Seattle does get frustrating. I know that we're going to
turn the corner soon and I'm anxious to get right back after it next week in Sonoma. Being able to
get right back in the car in just a few short days will give us the opportunity to continue our
forward progress. With Seattle and Sonoma both being sea level tracks we should be able to pick up
where we left off today and not have to deal with the numerous changes that had to be made after
Denver."
Look for Rodger Brogdon and the Charter Communications team to continue their pursuit of the NHRA
Pro Stock battle next week at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA at NHRA's next stop on the 2009 Full
Throttle tour with the 22nd running of the Fram Autolite Nationals.
