For Rodger Brogdon and the Charter Communications / Attitude Apparel team's first trip to famed
Maple Grove Raceway, the race weekend was a study in patience before finally being allowed just two
of the normally allotted four qualifying runs to set the field for Sunday eliminations.
With uncharacteristically high humidity and a constant threat of rain in the air all of the NHRA
Pro Stock teams were challenged with making the most of whatever runs they were going to get to
make the show. During Friday's lone qualifying session, Brogdon started the weekend off with a
6.718 run that put the Charter Communications / Attitude Apparel team well into the top half of the
field. During Saturday's first qualifying session, Brogdon fell off to a 6.744 that dropped the
team to tenth on the qualifying sheet. As the team was rolling out of the pits for the final
qualifying session looking to climb back into the top half of the field in the cooler evening air,
the rain that had been threatening all day finally arrived, and with a forecast that promised
continued rain for the rest of the evening, NHRA set the fields with only two qualifying sessions
for Sunday's eliminations.
With the field set, the team would face Johnny Gray in the opening round for the third time this
season. The matchup once again went to Gray as the drivers left with identical reaction times, and
both drivers ran their best laps of the weekend. Unfortunately Gray's 6.684 was just enough to nip
Brogdon's 6.715 by a half a car length at the finish line, ending the teams shot at the Toyo Tires
Nationals trophy.
"Our runs are on pace with the rest of the field now," said Brogdon, "and we've got the car
responding the way it is supposed to when we make changes. We are consistently qualifying higher in
the field and making solid runs every lap down the track, but so far the close races just haven't
gone our way. In the last seven races we've come up short in the closest race in the opening round
four times, and while it is certainly frustrating, it's also a part of racing. Everyone out here
has experienced it and sooner or later those close races start falling your way. With the way we've
been running, we know that the season is far from over and with our first trip to Indy on the
horizon we can't wait for Labor Day to get here."
Next event for Rodger Brogdon and the Charter Communications / Attitude Apparel will be the 55th
annual Mac Tools U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, Indiana, September 4th-7th.
