Richmond revives Lucas Oil team

(10-7-08) Richmond, VA -- It’s just three races remaining on the NHRA calendar with this weekend’s running of the third annual Virginia Nationals and for someone like Lucas Oil Fuel Treatment Top Fuel driver, J.R. Todd, he sees it as an opportunity to win more races, just that simple. Being a bit a late bloomer in 2008, Todd, who isn’t in championship contention, still has all the drive to continue with strong performances as he did last month when he won in Dallas knocking out title-contenders, Hillary Will, Brandon Bernstein and Countdown leader , Tony Schumacher in the finals snapping his seven-race winning streak and 31-round string of victories.

“The car is starting to come around, although it’s a little too late,” said a determined Todd. “But, hey, it’s better late than never. In the last few races, the car has been running extremely well on race day. That’s where we’ve been struggling all year long. The weather this time of year in Richmond is pretty good, so if the track can handle it, you can run some really good numbers. Hopefully, we can come out of the box on Friday and lay down a good run in our efforts to make a great start for Sunday.”

The renaissance of the Lucas Oil team is phenomenal, but is still in the deductive building process with the evitable growth forthcoming.

“I think it’s a combination of things,” said Todd, who has raced seven title-contenders in his last eight rounds of the Countdown to 1 series. “With Jimmy Walsh coming on board working with Stew (John Stewart, Todd’s crew chief) and Joe (Barlem, assistant crew chief) that has really turned things around. The car is definitely seeing the light at the end of the tunnel since he’s joined the team. They are running ideas across each other. That and just a matter of not being in the Countdown I feel offers us a chance in trying new things with that going for broke and nothing to lose attitude now and it’s paying off for us. Every time we line up against someone on race day, it’s a Countdown player. We’re looking at being a spoiler and at the same time gaining some information for ourselves heading into 2009.”