D'Aprile Takes Mel Bush Motorsports To Semi Finals at IHRA Knoll Gas Nitro Jam Spring Nationals
Rockingham, NC– Consistent low six-second elapsed times and a quarterfinal finish has the 2006 IHRA Pro Rookie of the Year, Tommy D'Aprile saying, "The Boy's are Back In Town!"
"I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who thought this car could never be competitive," said Mel Bush Motorsports Pro Mod driver Tommy D'Aprile. I bet they aren't saying that now." Seven consistent passes with a best of 6.050 at 234.37 is what gives this now veteran driver something to crow about. " Mel and Joanne Bush have put together a fantastic team and I'm happy to be a part of it. My guys and Mike Janis' crew have been working well together," said D'Aprile.
D'Aprile qualified the Mel Bush and Sons backed supercharged 62' Bel-Air in the number four position pairing him in round one with the number 12 qualifier Burton Auxier. D'Aprile posted a 6.077 elapsed time in the win over Auxier's nitrous assisted entry. D'Aprile's competition in round two would be none other than his former mentor Quain Stott. "Quain gave me my start and I'll forever be grateful but this team is here to win no matter who we face," said D'Aprile.
In a teacher versus student match up it was D'Aprile, the former student, showing his teacher a thing or two. D'Aprile was off the line first with nearly two hundredths of a second advantage. D'Aprile capitalized on his starting line advantage and built on it taking the win with a 6.113 to Stott's slower 6.174. The win over Stott sent the D'Aprile into the semifinals against Kenny Lang's Nitro Moose backed entry. Lang made it to the semis by defeating Jason Hamstra and Billy Gibbons.
Once again it was D'Aprile out first but it was not enough to hold of a determined Lange. Lange took the win over D'Aprile by just over 4 hundredths of a second.
"I'm really happy with our performance this weekend. We've proven ourselves as contenders and we give the fans something to cheer for other than a Camaro or Firebird. They really love this car," said D'Aprile.
In other Mel Bush Motorsports news Team Owner and Top Sportsman Driver Mel Bush qualified the team's nitrous assisted 62' Bel-Air 15th in the ultra competitive 32 car field but lost in round one to Terry Teets by less than four hundredths of a second.
Next up for Tommy D'Aprile and Mel Bush is the Motor City Nationals Motor City Nationals presented by GM performance Parts and Heritage Newspapers From May 23rd-25th.
