MORGAN HOLDING OUT HOPE FOR PLAYOFFS

Veteran Pro Stock driver Larry Morgan would like nothing more than to qualify for NHRA’s six-race Countdown to the Championship.

To do achieve this, Morgan must finish in the top 10 in the final regular season point standings, which concludes at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis Aug. 29-Sept. 3.

Morgan enters the Northwest Nationals this weekend in Seattle just on the outside of the top 10. Morgan and V. Gaines are tied for 11th with 517 points, one point behind 10th place Jeg Coughlin.

“To be honest with you, we are just going to approach this like we are approaching any other race,” Morgan said about Seattle. “We just want to do the best we can do and that’s all we can do. We would surely like to be in the Countdown, but whatever happens, happens. We are going to work hard to get in there (the Countdown).”

The race to get in the Pro Stock Countdown is definitely a tight battle. Shane Gray (560), Ronnie Humphrey (550), Ron Krisher (527) and Coughlin (518) occupy the seven through 10 spots right now, but that could change drastically after Seattle.

Humphrey did not enter Seattle, and there only 16 Pro Stock cars scheduled to compete at Pacific Raceways so everybody will qualify for eliminations.

“This is a good opportunity for us for sure,” Morgan said about moving up in standings. “We will do some things a little different on things that we wanted to always try. I think you will see guys in the top half of the field do the same thing as well. Hopefully it will help us not worrying about qualifying because there are 16 cars there.”

Pro Stock drivers Allen Johnson, Greg Anderson, Jason Line, Mike Edwards and Vincent Nobile have already clinched Countdown spots. Erica Enders can clinch at Seattle by advancing to the second round, depending on her qualifying position and bonus points, or by making it to the semifinals.

Morgan, who made his NHRA Pro Stock debut in 1987, isn’t thrilled about this weekend’s venue.

“I really do not care for Seattle (Pacific Raceways) that much,” Morgan said. “We have these rigs and cars that are way different than when racing first started and there is really not a lot of room in the pits. It is like going to a local track, and there is nothing wrong with that do not get me wrong. But, there is really just not a lot of room to do what you have to do. If the facility were better it would be a nice place to race.”

Morgan said after he races at Seattle, he is going to do some testing with his Lucas Oil Ford Mustang.

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