Todd Shows No Concerns about Sunday's Major Race
MOHNTON, Pa. -- When you talk with Lucas Oil Fuel Treatment driver, J.R. Todd, about the POWERade Countdown to the championship, he just shrugs his shoulders and gives you a stoic look of no concern.
Todd is 108 points out of the POWERade Top 10 going into the Toyo Tires Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway and after placing his competitive Lucas Oil dragster in the No. 4 spot into the Top Fuel field; he just routinely goes about his way and acts like it's just another day.
"As I said before, I'm not going to worry about it," said a straight-forward Todd. "We want to go out there and win rounds and then hopefully win the race. We'll just let the points fall where they may if we do our job."
He will race Clay Millican in his first round tomorrow after entering the race in the No. 4 slot with a superb time of 3.888 seconds, 306.26 mph from Saturday morning's qualifying. The last time he met Millican in NHRA National event competition was the first round in Dallas last year and the pair of drivers hold a 1-1 win/loss record. It also marks the third time Todd has qualified in that position in his three-year career. Although, this is the first race for Millican in quite some time, he knows you can't take any of the teams lightly, including his opponent.
"Yeah, they haven't been out here for a little while, but that doesn't change a thing," said Todd. "They can step up and surprise you. We've been running good the last three runs and just getting better each run. We're looking for big things out of car tomorrow."
The best part of acquiring the services of Jimmy Walsh on teammate's Morgan Lucas' car is the way that he and Todd's crew chief, John Stewart have meshed so well together.
"You see Morgan's car do something in front of us and Jimmy comes back and communicates with Stewart about what happened and likewise for them. That way, the two share information and that keeps us heading in the right direction."
ESPN2 will air NHRA Race Day presented by Lucas Oil Products starting at 11 a.m. EDT on Sunday, followed by the final rounds of the Toyo Tires Nationals beginning at 10 p.m.
