Cowin Hoping History Repeats Itself in Dallas

(WILMINGTON, N.C., Sept. 19, 2006)—At the 17th Annual O’Reilly Fall Nationals in Dallas, Andrew Cowin posted a blistering 4.550 pass at 323.74 mph to claim the top qualifying position. That was during the 2002 NHRA POWERade season, when Cowin was driving the New York Yankees car for Darrell Gwynn Racing.

This year Cowin hopes to recapture some of that magic at Texas Motorplex. He will be driving the same car this season as he did when he captured the pole in 2002, only he will be driving for Scott Griffin Motorsports. Griffin bought equipment from Gwynn when he decided to field a Top Fuel team last December, and the chassis Cowin drove to the top of the qualifying sheet in Dallas in ’02 was included.

“It is going to feel like old times,” Cowin said. “I have a lot of history in this car, and a lot of success. Dallas is such a great race and the track is absolutely unbelievable. It can handle pretty much any tune-up you throw at it, so I’m sure (Crew Chief) Lance (Larsen) is going to give me plenty of power this weekend.”

It has been quite a year for Cowin and Griffin in their first season driving under the Serta Mattresses banner. Not only did the team capture its first national event victory, winning the IHRA Suzuki Motor City Nationals in Milan, Mich., it also qualified for the quickest field in NHRA history at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

“We expected to do well this season,” Griffin said. “We knew what kind of driver we had with Andrew, and with Keith and Lance teaming up to tune the car the results pretty much speak for themselves. Whenever we go to a race now we aren’t going just to field a competitive car, we’re trying to win races. And we know we have the capability to do just that. We’re heading into Dallas with the same mindset we have taken to all the races. We want to be the #1 qualifier and win the race.”