WORSHAM’S “CRUSHING BLOW”
Mon, 2008-08-11 15:28
Del Worsham honestly believed a No. 4 qualifying effort at the NHRA
Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., signified his 
fortunes were
changing for the better. Then he lost in the first round on a holeshot
to his closest rival for a playoff spot.
Worsham characterized his first round hole shot loss to Bob Tasca III, as a "crushing blow."
"It's a crushing blow, because it's on me and we had it right there in our hands to make a strong move for the Countdown," Worsham said. "It's not over yet, and we still have two more races to go before the 10 Countdown spots are filled, but I'm the guy in the car and that was the best I had right then. I wasn't distracted, I did everything like I always do, and that was just the best I had. I'm a little frustrated at myself, but I'm just crushed for all these people in our pit who came to cheer us on.
"The way this all set up, with us having to race Tasca in the first round, made the drama just about as thick as it can get. It was so tense in the pit hardly anyone was talking, but we felt really good about the car and really good about the tune-up. It ran just about flawlessly, and our 4.25 was right there with just about all the best runs in the round. We just didn't get there first. Like I said, I don't have an easy answer because I did the best I could, and it wasn't enough. It hurts in a lot of ways, but we're not folding up and quitting. We're going straight to Reading to win that race." First round loss mounts the pressure for Worsham
Del Worsham honestly believed a No. 4 qualifying effort at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., signified hisfortunes were changing for the better. Then he lost in the first round on a holeshot to his closest rival for a playoff spot.
Worsham characterized his first round hole shot loss to Bob Tasca III, as a "crushing blow."
"It's a crushing blow, because it's on me and we had it right there in our hands to make a strong move for the Countdown," Worsham said. "It's not over yet, and we still have two more races to go before the 10 Countdown spots are filled, but I'm the guy in the car and that was the best I had right then. I wasn't distracted, I did everything like I always do, and that was just the best I had. I'm a little frustrated at myself, but I'm just crushed for all these people in our pit who came to cheer us on.
"The way this all set up, with us having to race Tasca in the first round, made the drama just about as thick as it can get. It was so tense in the pit hardly anyone was talking, but we felt really good about the car and really good about the tune-up. It ran just about flawlessly, and our 4.25 was right there with just about all the best runs in the round. We just didn't get there first. Like I said, I don't have an easy answer because I did the best I could, and it wasn't enough. It hurts in a lot of ways, but we're not folding up and quitting. We're going straight to Reading to win that race."
For the record, Del Worsham has won far more races on a hole shot than he has lost. Over the years, he has drilled the very best on numerous occasions, leaving the likes of John Force, Gary Scelzi, and others to ponder just how they had been spanked at the tree and had their day ruined. For Worsham, on this day and at this race, it was just not meant to be.
BACK IN THE THICK OF THINGS - All is not lost for Worsham as he is right back in the thick of the Skoal Showdown competition, a special race-within-a-race event to be held at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over the Labor Day Weekend. He has been as many as 200 points out of the top eight during the season, but has been whittling away at the deficit with his recent string of strong qualifying efforts (U.S. Smokeless points are earned strictly on qualifying positions). Jerry Toliver came into Brainerd holding down the 8th and final spot for the Showdown, and Worsham came into Minnesota 55 points back, though he also had Jack Beckman ahead of him in 9th.
In Brainerd, Worsham's No. 4 spot earned him 145 Showdown points, which allowed him to tie Beckman for the 9th spot and pick up 15 points on Toliver. Figuring he was still, therefore, 40 points out of the 8th spot, Worsham was stunned to realize that Gary Scelzi had come into this race only five points ahead of Toliver, and he had now slipped to the 8th position. Scelzi qualified 15th here, meaning Worsham is now only five scant points out of the U.S. Smokeless Showdown group, with only one race left before the eight-car field is set for the $100,000 special event at Indianapolis.
"I couldn't believe it when I heard that," Worsham said. "As a matter of fact, I thought the news was false, but that's what the numbers are and it's pretty amazing. Basically, if we go to Reading and out-qualify Scelzi and Beckman, we're in. That seems impossible, after all we've gone through, but we've qualified in the top half at five of the last six races, and we really made up a lot of distance in a hurry. I'll take it, because we need some good news around here."
fortunes were
changing for the better. Then he lost in the first round on a holeshot
to his closest rival for a playoff spot. Worsham characterized his first round hole shot loss to Bob Tasca III, as a "crushing blow."
"It's a crushing blow, because it's on me and we had it right there in our hands to make a strong move for the Countdown," Worsham said. "It's not over yet, and we still have two more races to go before the 10 Countdown spots are filled, but I'm the guy in the car and that was the best I had right then. I wasn't distracted, I did everything like I always do, and that was just the best I had. I'm a little frustrated at myself, but I'm just crushed for all these people in our pit who came to cheer us on.
"The way this all set up, with us having to race Tasca in the first round, made the drama just about as thick as it can get. It was so tense in the pit hardly anyone was talking, but we felt really good about the car and really good about the tune-up. It ran just about flawlessly, and our 4.25 was right there with just about all the best runs in the round. We just didn't get there first. Like I said, I don't have an easy answer because I did the best I could, and it wasn't enough. It hurts in a lot of ways, but we're not folding up and quitting. We're going straight to Reading to win that race." First round loss mounts the pressure for Worsham
Del Worsham honestly believed a No. 4 qualifying effort at the NHRA Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., signified his
fortunes were changing for the better. Then he lost in the first round on a holeshot to his closest rival for a playoff spot. Worsham characterized his first round hole shot loss to Bob Tasca III, as a "crushing blow."
"It's a crushing blow, because it's on me and we had it right there in our hands to make a strong move for the Countdown," Worsham said. "It's not over yet, and we still have two more races to go before the 10 Countdown spots are filled, but I'm the guy in the car and that was the best I had right then. I wasn't distracted, I did everything like I always do, and that was just the best I had. I'm a little frustrated at myself, but I'm just crushed for all these people in our pit who came to cheer us on.
"The way this all set up, with us having to race Tasca in the first round, made the drama just about as thick as it can get. It was so tense in the pit hardly anyone was talking, but we felt really good about the car and really good about the tune-up. It ran just about flawlessly, and our 4.25 was right there with just about all the best runs in the round. We just didn't get there first. Like I said, I don't have an easy answer because I did the best I could, and it wasn't enough. It hurts in a lot of ways, but we're not folding up and quitting. We're going straight to Reading to win that race."
For the record, Del Worsham has won far more races on a hole shot than he has lost. Over the years, he has drilled the very best on numerous occasions, leaving the likes of John Force, Gary Scelzi, and others to ponder just how they had been spanked at the tree and had their day ruined. For Worsham, on this day and at this race, it was just not meant to be.
BACK IN THE THICK OF THINGS - All is not lost for Worsham as he is right back in the thick of the Skoal Showdown competition, a special race-within-a-race event to be held at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis over the Labor Day Weekend. He has been as many as 200 points out of the top eight during the season, but has been whittling away at the deficit with his recent string of strong qualifying efforts (U.S. Smokeless points are earned strictly on qualifying positions). Jerry Toliver came into Brainerd holding down the 8th and final spot for the Showdown, and Worsham came into Minnesota 55 points back, though he also had Jack Beckman ahead of him in 9th.
In Brainerd, Worsham's No. 4 spot earned him 145 Showdown points, which allowed him to tie Beckman for the 9th spot and pick up 15 points on Toliver. Figuring he was still, therefore, 40 points out of the 8th spot, Worsham was stunned to realize that Gary Scelzi had come into this race only five points ahead of Toliver, and he had now slipped to the 8th position. Scelzi qualified 15th here, meaning Worsham is now only five scant points out of the U.S. Smokeless Showdown group, with only one race left before the eight-car field is set for the $100,000 special event at Indianapolis.
"I couldn't believe it when I heard that," Worsham said. "As a matter of fact, I thought the news was false, but that's what the numbers are and it's pretty amazing. Basically, if we go to Reading and out-qualify Scelzi and Beckman, we're in. That seems impossible, after all we've gone through, but we've qualified in the top half at five of the last six races, and we really made up a lot of distance in a hurry. I'll take it, because we need some good news around here."
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