Ashley Turns in Monumental Quarter-Final Finish
MILLINGTON, Tenn. -- Even a rain-delayed finish couldn't dampen the enthusiasm of NHRA POWERade Funny Car driver Mike Ashley. Ashley, who drives the Knoll Gas - Torco Race Fuels Funny Car, turned in another impressive performance en route to a quarter-final finish at the O'Reilly NHRA Mid-South Nationals in Memphis, Tenn.
Today produced a win-win situation for the two-time Pro Modified champion turned Funny Car driver.
"I'm thrilled with the way this weekend turned out and I'm excited going into Indy," Ashley said. "When you look at this race, we took out the world champion in the first round and we had to run Robert Hight in the second round. Everyone knows his crewchief Jimmy Prock swings for the fences. We did too and ran quicker in the process. I guess it narrowed down to the way we staged our cars."
Ashley staged shallow against quarter-final opponent Robert Hight. Staging shallow creates a scenario where a driver can possibly leave first and gain a slower reaction time because it increases the distance to break the starting line beam. The downside is a slower recorded reaction time but the positive aspect is it decreases the chances of a foul start.
"It was close at the finish line," Ashley added. "Drag racing is a game of thousandths and the difference in losing this way is you don't walk away with your head hanging. We have our heads held high because we knew consistently we are among the quickest out there. I think that says a lot."
Ashley admitted in the early going with the new team all he needed was seat time. The team has raced six consecutive weekends since the July debut in Denver.
"Brian Corradi is a brilliant crewchief," Ashley said. "In the words of Bob Frey, he's one of the up and coming young crew chiefs. Bob Frey said this is a team that will win this year and I agree with him."
Ashley entered eliminations as the ninth quickest with a 4.935, 299.00.
Ashley's best run came during the final qualifying session and ironically his first round opponent Gary Scelzi tied his elapsed time but gained lane choice via a quicker mile per hour.
Scelzi may have won the battle on Saturday evening, but Ashley was not to be denied on Sunday. Ashley navigated the blistering Memphis racing surface better and that made the difference as he posted the second quickest lap of the opening round with a 5.147.
A drenching rainstorm pushed the completion of the event until Monday morning. With the change came drastically different racing conditions.
Ashley ran a 4.833, 314.97, the second-quickest lap of the quarter-final round, but came up short against Hight. Hight won with a slower 4.835, 309.20.
