ROBERT HIGHT CHARGES TO TOP OF VEGAS FUNNY CAR QUALIFYING FRIDAY

Written by Tracy Renck    Sat, 2021-04-17 12:55

 

Like for many drag racers, the last 13 months have been crazy for two-time NHRA nitro Funny Car world champion Robert Hight.

Hight won the world title in 2019 and then in 2020 he only competed in the season’s first two races before John Force Racing parked its operation because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hight finally returned to action in 2021 at the season-opening AMALIE Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville (Fla.) Raceway March 12-14. He responded with a runner-up finish.

Now, Hight is focused in on getting the 52nd Wally of his career as he competes in the Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Hight took a step in the right direction to reach that goal Friday.

In the lone qualifying session of the day, he clocked a 3.922-second lap at 327.59 mph in his Automobile Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro SS Funny Car to grab the provisional No. 1 qualifying spot.

“If you mess up this first run, now you have to tippy-toe the first run on Saturday and you are just way behind,” Hight said. “Getting off to a great start like this is a good feeling. Jimmy (Prock, Hight’s crew chief) told me what he was shooting for a low 90 and he did it. I think this car is responding well to what Jimmy and Chris (Cunningham, fellow crew chief) do and we need two good more runs (Saturday) and try and get more qualifying points. Even though it is only the second race of the season, we are already counting points.”

Qualifying continues Saturday with runs at 1:45 and 4:15 p.m. (PDT). Eliminations take place Sunday at noon.

Hight, who has had 68 No. 1 qualifying positions in his career, is definitely glad to be competing, rather than sitting at home.

“It was like we were off for a year and then we went to a race (the Gatornationals) and got a runner-up and we had to take another month off,” Hight said. “It is good to be back and knowing from here on out we will have more of a normal schedule and can get in the groove to race. A month after a runner-up where I got beat on a pedal fest and it wasn’t much fun. That will not happen again. I have gone over that 1,000 times in my head because I had a month to think about it and it is good to know we are going to start racing more.”

Hight has won the spring event at The Strip three times in 2007, 2011 and 2012 but not since the race went to a four-wide format in 2018. He has also won the fall event in Las Vegas in 2009 and 2015. While Hight hasn’t had four-wide success in the West, he has had two victories at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals held in the spring at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte.

“I tell you what NHRA and Las Vegas Motor Speedway have done an amazing job with this racetrack,” Hight said. “This is probably the best track we have been on in a couple of years. I think you can win (the race) in any lane. Until the final round, all you have to be is second. 

 

 

 
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