Massey looks for Las Vegas success

March 29

The last time Spencer Massey raced at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (2009), he aced veteran Larry Dixon for one of his two career NHRA Top Fuel victories, so he and the Prestone/FRAM Top Fuel dragster team are looking forward to this weekend’s 12^th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas.

The 28-year-old Fort Worth native made it into the quarterfinals of the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series opening event in Pomona, and the semifinals earlier this month in Gainesville, but finds himself 50 points out of the top-fuel lead in seventh place going into Las Vegas.

“Our car is making as much power as anyone, and, for the most part, we are having success putting that power to the ground, but we need to seal the deal on Sunday,” said Massey.

In Pomona during the initial 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series race, he had his first two 320-mile-per-hour-plus runs, including qualifying fourth based on a 3.782-second lap at 324.83 mph, his fastest career 1,000-foot pass. His best Gainesville times were in the 319 mph range.

“My co-crew chiefs Phil Shuler and Todd Okuhara and my Prestone/FRAM team have this car on the verge of a Top Fuel win, and now it’s my job to bring the victory home,”

During his 2009 rookie-of-the-year season, besides his Las Vegas win, Massey won the Top Fuel event at Chicago with a final-round victory over Antron Brown, and scored three runner-up finishes (Atlanta, Reading and Pomona).  He finished the season in sixth place in the points.

“The Las Vegas track is always in perfect shape, and the temperatures should be cool this time of year, so the elements should work in our favor,” said Massey.