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EXCITING DAY FOR TASCA IN VEGAS; CURRENTLY SECOND HEADING INTO SATURDAY

Saturday April 12, 2008

 

LAS VEGAS (April 11, 2008) - Awesome and exciting were what Bob Tasca III kept repeating after earning the provisional No. 2 position on the first day of qualifying for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas.

"That's awesome," said Tasca after his second run down the quarter-mile track. "We're really excited about that run there. I said to myself that I was going right back to Rhode Island because I wasn't going to take my foot off this thing. It was so smooth. For my team [and] Chris Cunningham in his first weekend as crew chief, man [that] guy is awesome."

The driver of the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Shelby Mustang was third after his first trip down the track with a 5.00 ET run. After making small changes for the second run and seeking the top spot, Tasca ended the day in second as the result of a 4.864 ET run.

"You wouldn't think it, but the difference between a 5.0 and a 4.86 is huge out there," said Tasca. "As a driver, you know that thing is hauling when you're on a run like that. It's really exciting for our whole program with Motorcraft and Quick Lane and with Custom Accessories, who is on the car for the first time this weekend."

With Vegas being the fifth race on the 24-race NHRA schedule, a start in Sunday's race would be Tasca's fourth race day start this season.

"To have a day like this really makes those tough days coming up the ladder worthwhile," said the rookie driver. "For our car to run the way that it did today in Vegas, which is Carroll Shelby's hometown, and with a lot of Ford people here is really just a treat.

"Certainly we had a crew chief change coming into this race, but I had all the confidence in the world in Chris [Cunningham] and the guys on the team. They gave me a racecar that just ran flawlessly today. On that last run it felt fantastic. It was smooth, it was straight, and the motor's happy. It had great speed and we almost had the No. 1 spot for the day. What's even more important, is that we made two runs down the racetrack and improved throughout the day."

TASCA ON THE TRACK:
"It's a wide groove here in Vegas, and you've got a lot of wind out there. It's a nice wide groove, but certainly as a driver you want to keep it right down the middle because that's where you ultimately get your best time. It ran pretty much as straight as an arrow and it's just fantastic."

TASCA ON CONDITIONS:
"We went down a hot track and we went down a cool track and certainly for tomorrow and into Sunday, our first run will be more valuable to us than our second because of the temperature. The conditions are going to be hotter and it's really going to be a tough day for the crew chiefs out here. But to have two runs to build off of for the weekend, it gives us a lot of confidence going into Sunday.

NEWS/STATS AT A GLANCE:

- Friday qualifying runs:
· Run No. 1: 5.008 ET, 304.60 mph
· Run No. 2: 4.864 ET, 316.82 mph

- Tasca has made three starts this season, making it to the second round in Pomona, and first rounds in Gainesville and Houston. He missed the field in Phoenix by one qualifying position.

- Tasca is running a full season and competing for 2008 Rookie-of-the-Year honors

ABOUT THE DRIVER:

Bob Tasca III is a 32-year-old rookie in the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing nitro Funny Car class. Tasca competed the past three seasons in the Alcohol Funny Car class, earning two professional wins at Englishtown and Virginia. Tasca is a third-generation Ford dealer from Rhode Island.

TV COVERAGE: ESPN2 & ESPN2 HD (all times are Eastern)

April 12: Qualifying Highlights 8 p.m.
April 13: NHRA Race Day 11 a.m.
April 13: Eliminations 8 p.m.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Alexis Kinch
Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center
Public Relations
PCGCampbell
Office: 313-203-7103
Cell: 313-737-8684
akinch@pcgcampbell.com

SPONSOR INFORMATION:

About Quick Lane
Quick Lane® provides automotive quick services for all makes and models. Quick Lane’s® nationwide network of over 450 facilities provides the convenience of an aftermarket company (no appointment necessary, service while you wait, evening and weekend hours, competitive prices) with the confidence of a major automotive manufacturer (quality parts, factory-trained technicians). Quick Lane® is a registered trademark of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.quicklane.com.

About Motorcraft
Motorcraft offers a complete line of original equipment-approved parts that are designed, engineered, and recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood and powertrain repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available locally and are backed nationwide by Ford Motor Company’s Service Parts Limited Warranty. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With more than 280,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo, and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. www.ford.com

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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.

 

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