Robert Patrick figured he wasn’t going to get his NHRA Ford Pro Stock program where it needed to be by sitting at home. The former IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock champion from Fredericksburg, Va. plans his much-anticipated return to competition during this weekend’s NHRA Supernationals in Englishtown, NJ.

Patrick announced late last season a plan to return as early as the NHRA Gatornationals back in March. The game plan was altered when development of his new 500-inch engine program spearheaded by Bob Ingles hit a few bumps along the way.

“The engine program has thrown us a curve,” admitted Patrick, who has tested multiple times headed into this weekend’s event. “There have been some development problems with the engine. We didn’t feel we were ready and didn’t want to go to the races and end up hurting engines. We decided we weren’t going to race until our engines were 100-percent mechanically sound.”

Robert Patrick figured he wasn’t going to get his NHRA Ford Pro Stock program where it needed to be by sitting at home. The former IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock champion from Fredericksburg, Va. plans his much-anticipated return to competition during this weekend’s NHRA Supernationals in Englishtown, NJ.

Patrick announced late last season a plan to return as early as the NHRA Gatornationals back in March. The game plan was altered when development of his new 500-inch engine program spearheaded by Bob Ingles hit a few bumps along the way.

“The engine program has thrown us a curve,” admitted Patrick, who has tested multiple times headed into this weekend’s event. “There have been some development problems with the engine. We didn’t feel we were ready and didn’t want to go to the races and end up hurting engines. We decided we weren’t going to race until our engines were 100-percent mechanically sound.”

Patrick hasn’t raced NHRA Pro Stock since the 2003 season and in his return will pilot a new Ford Mustang built by Jerry Bickel. He understands there will be an adjustment period to catch up and while he knows his chances are limited for a shot at the event victory, his potential to qualify isn't a long shot.

“Bob Ingles has been working hard on our engines and I realize we are a long shot to win the race. We just don’t have the data to fall back on. I do feel he has provided me with engines good enough, if we make a good run in the good session – we can get in. We just don’t have the data that all of these racers have who have competed in these races on these tracks in the time we’ve been away. We are just going up there with the objective of making a good run in the good session and sneaking into the field.”

When Patrick last raced the 500-inch engines, the combination was drastically different. This season brings a new approach since Ford is involved with the Pro Stock division for the first time in over a decade.

“Everything is totally different than the last time I raced over in the NHRA,” Patrick said. “We are turning the engines about 1,000 rpms higher. The gearing and everything is totally different than what I was used to running. We figured we might as well jump into it because we weren’t going to figure it out sitting at the house.”

If all goes well, Patrick plans to race through Norwalk.

“Then we’ll evaluate where we are at that point,” said Patrick.

For now, he’s excited to be at Raceway Park in Englishtown, NJ, a track where he grew up dreaming of racing.

“I’ve been going there since I was ten years old with my dad and had good success when we raced there,” Patrick said. “We’ve qualified up there a few times and really enjoy and appreciate the atmosphere up there.  I’m looking forward to it.”