CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals
Chicago
(Sept. 25-28)
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Bob Bode Pro Motorsports Funny Car |
Reports: Sunday |
Chicago, Sunday: While the last few NHRA national events have been plagued and delayed, shortened, or rescheduled because of rain, the CarQuest Auto Parts Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago saw the early arrival of fall. It also brought a cold rain which washed out Friday's schedule and affected Saturday and Sunday by dropping temperatures.
For the ProMotorsports.com/AR-BEE Funny Car, it was the first time all year they would compete in cold temperatures and on a cold track. Adding to the race team's challenges was the decision to change the fuel system on the car. At Indy, the previous fuel system had malfunctioned several times necessitating the change.
Facing only two runs to work out the new setup and to qualify, crew chief, Richard Hogan, spoke cautiously. "We'll be lucky to qualify in this Funny Car field where the 16 cars that run full time schedules have the advantages," he said. "Plus, the conditions here are not normal. By normal, I mean 70-degree temps, not 55."
The first attempt to qualify did prove to be problematic. The second attempt not only qualified the ProMotorsports.com/AR-BEE race car, but also set a career best for Bob Bode, car owner and driver. The 4.82 E.T. settled Bode into the 11th position on the competition ladder for Sunday.
"I was a little nervous and kind of frightened with no history before that run," said Bode. "I felt like we had more hanging on that moment than we've had for a long time. I felt like I had an extra 1,000 pounds on my shoulders, but it all went away when I went through the lights."
Although Bode didn't know at that moment that the run had been his career best, "I did know it was good," he said, "and all our struggling was worthwhile."
Bode gave credit to Hogan expressing more assurance in his crew chief than Hogan himself had related. "I love Richard's approach," Bode said. "His direction is what I and the team want. Hogan has given us confidence. Every time we go out to race, he makes us think we can win."
The clouds that overshadowed the racing event would set the tone for the team on Sunday. However, knowing that Hogan needed to set a blistering pace to overcome the change of points leader back to Tony Pedregon (Whit Bazemore lost before Pedregon's race), the ProMotorsports.com/AR-BEE race car was set to run on tilt. The car went out strongly, but the tires began to lose traction at 100 feet and shortly after the tires unloaded, the race was lost.
Explaining the loss, Hogan blamed himself, "I went the wrong direction. I should have backed it up but didn't. Hopefully in the future, I'll get smarter and give up on the 'low E.T., no E.T.' idea."
Bode appreciated Hogan's evaluation, but qualified it, "Richard doesn't need to get smarter, he just needs more data and information. I was surprised that we smoked the tires because we're better than that and I'm sure the future will show that."
At the next race in Dallas, Hogan stated the plan, "It will take us a couple more runs to get it figured out. In Dallas, we'll be competing on a normal track, so watch us there." Bode further commented on what he likes about Hogan's leadership, "We know whatever Richard puts into the car on one run, will function to make his next calls better."
Bode also added, "we had a great, fun weekend. All the guys were happy and smiling here. It was just so much fun. But the whole crew missed the ProMotorsports representatives being here with us."
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