A stunning non-qualifying outing at Indianapolis struck a blow to the SKULL
Shine team’s championship challenge, but it didn’t knock out the 2006 NHRA
rookie of the year.
It’s all about resiliency . . . the ability to bounce back when it comes to
J.R. Todd’s Top Fuel title hopes.
“We are in a difficult position,” admitted Todd. “We are far enough behind
the leaders that we have our work cut out for us this week at Memphis (site
of the O’Reilly Mid-South Nationals, Friday through Sunday, the second of four
Countdown to Four races in the title hunt). It was good to get last week
off because we were able to prepare for this race.
“We can’t afford any more slip-ups, that is for sure.”
Although he dropped just one position in the revamped standings, Todd finds
himself 52 points (2092-2040) out of the No. 4 berth currently held by his
close friend Brandon Bernstein.
“We definitely have to maintain the pace of the guys in front of us and even
go farther than some of them if we want to sneak into that top four, which
probably means getting around my buddy Brandon,” Todd continued. “Hopefully
we can go to some late rounds in Memphis and maybe even come out of there
with a win.
“There’s no better way to bounce back than with a victory coming off a DNQ.
It proves that we aren’t in that big a hole if we can come back with a win.
It would boost the team morale and get us off on the right foot for this
three-race swing we have coming up.”
The new championship format separated the top eight from the rest of the
contenders going into Indianapolis and four more will be eliminated after stops
here, Dallas (Sept. 23) and Richmond, Va. (Oct. 7), leaving the final quartet
to decide who takes home the $500,000 first-place check in races at Las
Vegas (Oct. 28) and Pomona, Calif. (Nov. 4).
“I’m excited and ready to get back to the track,” Todd said. “Our backs
are against the wall. Hopefully we are up to the challenge and can go some
rounds Sunday. It’s a necessity.”
# # #
Television Schedule:
Saturday, Sept. 15, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD qualifying highlights, 10
p.m.-midnight, ET
Sunday, Sept. 16, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD eliminations, 7-10 p.m., ET
A Brief Look at J.R. Todd:
Born: 12/16/81
Hometown: Lawrenceburg, Ind.
Residence: Avon, Ind.
SKULL Shine/Knoll Gas-Torco Racing Fuels
Top Fuel Dragster
Owner: Dexter Tuttle
2007 NHRA Powerade Series Highlights:
Went to three finals with three different crew chiefs, winning twice;
Enters second race of Countdown to Four playoffs in sixth place with 2040
points after disappointing DNQ at Indianapolis. He is 52 points (three rounds)
out of fourth place.
Career wins/final rounds: 5/2
2007 wins: Pomona, Calif., with first crew chief Jim Walsh,
and Houston, with second crew chief Johnny West
Runner-up: Topeka, Kan., with current crew chief Kevin Poynter
Ran career best of 4.473 seconds at Pomona, 2/11/07
First Career No. 1: Seattle, July 2007, (4.546 seconds)
2006 NHRA Powerade Series Highlights:
Won NHRA Road to Future/Rookie of Year Award
Wins at Denver, Sonoma, Calif., and Reading, Pa. Runner-up at Las Vegas2
Began drag racing in NHRA Jr. Dragster program when he was 10.
Drove Top Fuel dragster for Bruce Litton of Indianapolis in six IHRA races
in 2000, then worked on Litton’s crew for two years and Bob Gilbertson’s
Funny Car crew for three year before signing with Dexter Tuttle for the 2006
season. |
