SCAG Racing Team Gears Up for Texas NHRA FallNationals
The excitement is palpable as the three-car SCAG Racing team prepares to compete on Sunday at the Texas NHRA FallNationals, held at the iconic Texas Motorplex. With impressive performances during qualifying, the SCAG Power Equipment Ford Mustang driven by Daniel Wilkerson, the BlueBird / Versatran machine of Dave Richards, and Justin Ashley’s SCAG Toyota Top Fuel dragster are all set to make their mark on race day.
Career Bests and High Hopes
The weekend has already been a significant one for the SCAG Racing team, particularly for Dave Richards and the BlueBird / Versatran team. Their standout moment came on Friday night when they clocked a remarkable 3.991-second pass at 314.05 mph, marking the first three-second run of the season for the team. This achievement is especially noteworthy as they are competing in their first full season of the Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series.
Richards continued to build on this momentum with a career-best elapsed time of 3.920 seconds at 315.99 mph during Saturday’s qualifying session. This performance not only showcased the team’s hard work but also marked Richards’ best run since the 2016 Finals in Pomona, California, where he recorded a time of 3.975 seconds. Starting from the No. 12 position, Richards is set to face off against three-time world champion Ron Capps in the first round.
Reflecting on his journey, Richards expressed his determination and gratitude. “I’m David and everyone else in Goliath,” he remarked, referencing the decal on their 12,000 horsepower Funny Car. “We’re just trying to keep up with everyone. It just feels so good and so rewarding to see the results show up on the scoreboard like that. Everyone has been so patient with us… To be part of SCAG Racing is just so awesome. I knew we could do it and we’re going to keep improving. Our time is coming.”
Wilkerson’s Stellar Performance
Daniel Wilkerson and the SCAG Mustang team also had a stellar qualifying session, landing in the No. 6 position with a blistering 3.871-second pass at 327.68 mph on Friday night. This run marked a personal best for Wilkerson, surpassing his previous record of 3.885 seconds set earlier this season at the Four-Wide Nationals in Charlotte. The team maintained their momentum with a solid 3.949-second pass at 299.40 mph on Saturday, earning them two qualifying bonus points for being the second quickest of the session. Wilkerson is set to face Alexis DeJoria in the first round of eliminations.
“It was pretty special to run a career best after a couple of tough races for this SCAG Mustang team,” Wilkerson shared. “We have been putting a ton of work in back at the shop, and it feels awesome to see it pay off under the cover of darkness at the Stampede Speed here at the Texas Motorplex. To follow it up with a couple bonus points on Saturday was icing on the cake.”
Ashley’s Strategic Approach
In the Top Fuel category, Justin Ashley and the SCAG Toyota team made a strategic decision to participate in only one qualifying run on Friday afternoon, where they clocked an impressive 3.778 seconds at 326.02 mph. This decision was made to allow Ashley to observe Yom Kippur, the holiest of Jewish holidays. Their performance in the first session secured them the No. 12 spot, setting up a challenging first-round matchup against points leader Antron Brown. Ashley entered the weekend sitting second in points, just 34 points behind Brown.
“Yeah, that SCAG Toyota had a really good run in that first session,” Ashley noted. “I mean that was the idea; we accomplished what we wanted to there, which is go A to B. We gave ourselves a good chance to make the show, I felt good about that. The session that we were most worried about was Friday night, but as far as we were concerned, the script was already written, we’re just living it out. I’m glad we’ll be back Sunday morning to race, but we were going to live with the consequences of putting family and faith first, whatever they may have been. Either way, I’m proud of this team.”
Looking Ahead to Race Day
As the Texas NHRA FallNationals approaches its elimination rounds, the SCAG Racing team is poised for an exciting day of competition. With their impressive qualifying performances and the determination of each driver, fans can expect thrilling matchups and high-speed action at the Texas Motorplex. The eliminations will kick off at noon, with television coverage available on FOX Sports 1 (FS1), featuring a qualifying show at 2:00 p.m. ET and an eliminations show at 4:00 p.m. ET.
The stage is set for an exhilarating race day, and the SCAG Racing team is ready to showcase their skills and determination on the track.
