NEFF'S COUNTDOWN BERTH ALL BUT ASSURES R.O.T.Y.
Tue, 2008-08-19 09:05
Sunday's might have very well guaranteed Mike Neff Rookie of the Year accolades.
Mike Neff made a big move last weekend by clinching the final spot in the Countdown to One and racing into the semi-finals before he dropped a close race to professional drag racing instructor Frank Hawley. R.O.T.Y. candidates Bob Tasca III and Rickie Jones fell early in competition.
“It felt good to go some rounds. We couldn’t get the set-up right going down track. We spun the tires the first two rounds and on the last run we thought we were going to fix that but we put a cylinder out,” said Neff. “That is what cost us that race. I really thought we were going to get him and go to another final.”
Sunday's might have very well guaranteed Mike Neff Rookie of the Year accolades.
Mike Neff made a big move last weekend by clinching the final spot in the Countdown to One and racing into the semi-finals before he dropped a close race to professional drag racing instructor Frank Hawley. R.O.T.Y. candidates Bob Tasca III and Rickie Jones fell early in competition.
“It felt good to go some rounds. We couldn’t get the set-up right going down track. We spun the tires the first two rounds and on the last run we thought we were going to fix that but we put a cylinder out,” said Neff. “That is what cost us that race. I really thought we were going to get him and go to another final.”
As the only rookie to make the Countdown Neff knows he’ll have his work cut-out for himself. He can still move up from the 10th position with a solid performance at the US Nationals but the former off-road racer is happy to have a chance at his first Funny Car championship as a driver.
“Getting in the Countdown was definitely one of our goals at the beginning of the year. We really wanted to get in there this weekend solid so we didn’t have to worry about that going into Indy,” said Neff. “Indy is just such a high pressure race. It feels good to get that monkey off our back.”
Mike Neff made a big move last weekend by clinching the final spot in the Countdown to One and racing into the semi-finals before he dropped a close race to professional drag racing instructor Frank Hawley. R.O.T.Y. candidates Bob Tasca III and Rickie Jones fell early in competition.
“It felt good to go some rounds. We couldn’t get the set-up right going down track. We spun the tires the first two rounds and on the last run we thought we were going to fix that but we put a cylinder out,” said Neff. “That is what cost us that race. I really thought we were going to get him and go to another final.”
Sunday's might have very well guaranteed Mike Neff Rookie of the Year accolades.
Mike Neff made a big move last weekend by clinching the final spot in the Countdown to One and racing into the semi-finals before he dropped a close race to professional drag racing instructor Frank Hawley. R.O.T.Y. candidates Bob Tasca III and Rickie Jones fell early in competition.
“It felt good to go some rounds. We couldn’t get the set-up right going down track. We spun the tires the first two rounds and on the last run we thought we were going to fix that but we put a cylinder out,” said Neff. “That is what cost us that race. I really thought we were going to get him and go to another final.”
As the only rookie to make the Countdown Neff knows he’ll have his work cut-out for himself. He can still move up from the 10th position with a solid performance at the US Nationals but the former off-road racer is happy to have a chance at his first Funny Car championship as a driver.
“Getting in the Countdown was definitely one of our goals at the beginning of the year. We really wanted to get in there this weekend solid so we didn’t have to worry about that going into Indy,” said Neff. “Indy is just such a high pressure race. It feels good to get that monkey off our back.”
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