In TAD, 19-year-old Morgan Lucas will have a chance to gain some ground on Tony Bartone of Manhasset, N.Y. Lucas and Bartone are tied for first place in the point standings. Lucas was runner-up to Bartone at the season opening national event in Pomona, Calif. The Riverside, Calif., resident then made semifinal-round appearances at national events in Las Vegas and Houston and a week ago in Kent, Wash. Last year Lucas earned his first national event win here.

Alan Bradshaw

Although Bartone is not expected to be at the race this weekend, there are several drivers who would like to keep Lucas from bettering his position in the points including Alan Bradshaw of Odessa, Texas. Bradshaw ventured north to the race in Washington and catapulted himself from fifth to second place in the points with a win. It’s possible that with another good weekend he could move into first place. Las Vegas racer Duane Shields, who finished second in the national points a year ago sits in fifth place. Both Bradshaw and Shields could give the young Lucas a run for his money.

In TAFC action, Fife, Wash., resident Bucky Austin is No. 1 in points over Jay Payne of Claremont, Calif., and Frank Manzo of Morganville, N.J. Manzo is an eight-time national champion, and is going for his seventh straight crown but the East Coast competitor is not expected to race at Infineon Raceway.

Austin won the national event in Las Vegas earlier this year and on the division level he has swept the class, winning five races. He was runner-up last week and if he can win here it can only help his cause.

There will be drivers looking to stop Austin and Payne, however. Paso Robles, Calif., resident Doug Gordon, who took the TAFC win in Pomona, and last year’s second place points finisher, Steve Gasparrelli of West Covina, Calif., are among them. Gasparrelli made it to the winner’s circle for the first time this year in Washington.

Just one race after winning his 50th NHRA national event, Comp Eliminator driver David Rampy won his 51st national event in Denver and his 52nd last week. Last week’s win made it three-in-a-row for the Piedmont, Ala., racer who won back-to-back events earlier this season. He has seven wins on the season to date and is looking for another at Infineon Raceway.

Rampy has earned national event victories in Super Street, Super Gas, Super Comp and Comp Eliminator. His 52 national event wins ranks him third among all NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competitors. Only Manzo (54) and Pat Austin (75) have more.

NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series racers in TAD, TAFC, Comp Eliminator, Super Stock, Stock, Super Comp, and Super Gas will head north to Brainerd International Raceway in Brainerd, Minn., for the next national event, Aug. 14-17.

Courtesy of NHRA Field Marketing