Superlative effort makes FRAM/Prestone quickest ever in Top Fuel, but Massey wants to focus on winning titles

June 12

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (June 12, 2012) – Becoming the “quickest ever” to go along with already being the “fastest ever” wasn’t enough to make Spencer Massey and the FRAM/Prestone Top Fuel Dragster team smile as they left Englishtown, N.J., two weeks ago.

Completing a qualifying run in 3.728 seconds at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park made Massey and crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler the quickest trio ever in the Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

The team became the fastest ever (332.18 mph) in April at zMAX Dragway at Concord, N.C.

But the FRAM/Prestone team, the current Top Fuel points leader with a series-best three titles, had every reason to expect to race for a fourth title at Englishtown, where they were the reigning champions. However, they were sidelined in the semifinals when Steve Torrence left first and held on to beat Massey by one-thousandth of a second and mere inches.

Massey, usually the first to react to the starting-line Christmas tree, was reeling from the outcome.

“That’s a tough one to get over,” Massey said. “I just feel bad because I let down my Prestone/FRAM team. These guys always give it 100 percent and I let them down.”

The team, however, didn’t feel that way. They know Massey’s reaction times have bailed them out numerous times.

What was reinforced at Englishtown is the unlimited potential of the FRAM/Prestone team.

“This is one great car that Phil and Todd have put together, and it will win a lot more than it loses,” Massey said of the team what has only lost six of its 26 races during elimination rounds.

THIS WEEK
June 15-17, NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals; Bristol (Tenn.) Dragway

FULL THROTTLE NITRO SCHEDULE
Friday: Qualifying, 5:30 p.m., 8 p.m.
Saturday: Qualifying, 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m.
Sunday: Eliminations, Noon

ON ESPN2
Qualifying: 7:30 p.m. (ET) Saturday, (delayed)
Eliminations: 7 p.m. (ET) Sunday (delayed)

NHRA FULL THROTTLE TOP FUEL STANDINGS
(DSR drivers in CAPS)
Driver (Wins) Points
1. SPENCER MASSEY (3) 753
2. TONY SCHUMACHER 719
3. ANTRON BROWN (1) 671
4. Morgan Lucas (2) 657
5. Steve Torrence (2) 644
6. Doug Kalitta 508
7. Brandon Bernstein 493
8. Shawn Langdon 479
9. David Grubnic (1) 437
10. Bob Vandergriff 416