FORWARD PROGRESS CONTINUES FOR MIKE ASHLEY IN SEATTLE

KENT, WASHINGTON --NHRA POWERade Funny Car driver Mike Ashley ends every email with the _expression “expect to win”. He may have dropped a close match in the first round of the Schuck’s NHRA Nationals at Seattle to Tony Bartone, but he exited his Knoll Gas – Torco Race Fuels- sponsored Dodge Stratus uttering the phrase under his breath.
Ashley admits a first round loss might not rank high on the list of a driver’s wishes but in his case the weekend represents another step in the right direction. The New York Mortgage Banker is in only his second outing behind the wheel of Evan Knoll’s Funny Car managed by Don Schumacher Racing.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Ashley said. “We qualified well and we have a competitive car. It’s just a matter of finding what this car likes in different atmospheric and track conditions. We simply do not have enough data yet.

“Today’s battle was the classic case of two New Yorkers. He came loaded and we were on the conservative side. To lose by a few thousandths of a second is disappointing but I am in this for the long haul and I think the decisions we have made thus far are the right ones.”

Ashley had the quickest time of the drivers who fell short in the first round. His 5.003, 310.41 fell short of stopping Barton’s quicker 4.996. He entered Sunday’s with a personal best qualifying effort of fourth.

“You can’t just jump to the top of the mountain without climbing it. Right now we are climbing to the top and I can see the peak. We’ll be there before you know it and it’s just a matter of time. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, I won’t give up.”