BOB TASCA III AIMS FOR MORE SUCCESS IN 2021

by Tracy Renck    Wed, 2021-01-06 21:07

 

 

In the roller-coaster, uncertain 2020 NHRA season, veteran nitro Funny Car driver/owner Bob Tasca III has a solid campaign, finishing fifth in the points standings.

“We have my whole team coming back,” Tasca said. “I have kept everyone together, which obviously in these times is not easy. I have great sponsors and great support from Ford and all my key sponsors are returning for (2021). I’m very blessed and our whole team is blessed to have the funding that we have.” 

However, the fifth-place finish didn’t leave Tasca III satisfied – at all.

“We finished fifth and as far as I’m concerned if you don’t finish No. 1, you didn’t get the job done. We had a real good, consistent car, not as quick as we needed. So, I know (co-crew chiefs) Jon (Schaffer) and Mike (Neff) are working on some things to improve our performance on the track. We don’t need a lot. I lost a bunch of races by a couple thousandths), not hundredths. If I had two thousandths in my pocket, I think I win five or six races that I lost last year. Then, who knows what happens in the next round.

“We are right where we need to be. I’m excited about 2021 and just get 200 behind us. I think we probably have a couple tough months ahead (because of the COVID-19 pandemic) and then we should be on the other side of this thing and life getting back to normal. I know that I’m certainly looking forward to it and I know a lot of other people are to.”

Tasca posted a 12-10 elimination round record last season and made it to four semifinal rounds.

The 2021 in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series begins with the Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville March 12-14.

“We are planning some testing, we haven’t finalized that yet, but we are going to definitely get some testing in before Gainesville, and go from there,” Tasca said. 

Tasca believes another year with his same team will pay dividends.

“I love working with Mike (Neff),” Tasca said. “This is the first time I have worked with a tuner/driver and Mike has helped me a lot. He really has. It’s nice to talk to somebody who has been there and knows what it is like. This is the first time I have had the opportunity to do that and I think it is extremely beneficial. Mike and I have an awesome relationship. He doesn’t sugar coat it. I don’t sugar coat it. He knows where I’m at and I know where he’s at. I think we work really well together, that’s on the driver side. 

“On the crew chief side, he and Shaffer have a fantastic relationship. They have worked together for a lot of years. They have won championships together. Chemistry is equally as important as anything else on a team. You can really smart people who have sh** chemistry and it is just not going to work. You have seen it many times with well-funded teams and a lot of talent and it blows up.”

Neff joined Tasca’s team in October of 2019.

With the start of 2021 season looming, Tasca is ready for his team to take the next step.

“We just get out there and we have to do it,” he said. “You have to get a little bit of luck go your way and I think we are going to make a lot of luck for ourselves this year to be honest with you. I know Mike is loaded for bear. He wants to come out swinging as does Jon. We have some new cars we are building. We have some new motors. We have some clutch programs we are working on. The body on the car will be the same, but we have a new chassis design that we are working on. We have a lot of things going on. My guys aren’t sitting at home reading the newspaper.” 

 

 

 
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