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NHRA: Pennzoil Drivers Hungry for Texas Win

17 October 1998

DALLAS - Whether it's motivated by a vain attempt to impress family and friends or an overwhelming desire to get even, the drivers of Team Pennzoil all share a common goal as the National Hot Rod Association circuit returns to Texas - win.

The 13th annual Revell Nationals at the Texas Motorplex mark the beginning of the second Texas two-step of the 22-event NHRA season. This time around, the world's quickest drivers hope to use the back-to-back races in Dallas and Houston as a chance to put the finishing touches on their season-long points chase while also setting the table for another successful campaign in 1999.

Here's a quick look at the driving forces behind each of the Pennzoil-sponsored drivers.

Eddie Hill, the pilot of the Pennzoil Top Fuel Dragster, rides into his home state on an impressive streak of 37 straight races in which he's performed well enough to qualify for the elimination rounds. Hill, from nearby Wichita Falls, is a former winner (1988) and a three-time runner-up ('92, '90 and '87) at the Texas Motorplex and admits to being partial to the smooth, all-concrete quarter-mile strip.

"I've got nothing but fond memories of the Motorplex," Hill said. "Life for us has been very sweet there. We ran the first four-second pass in the history of the NHRA at the Motorplex and we also clinched our championship in 1993 in Ennis. No matter what, we always seem to run well in Texas. I don't know if it's due to the two great facilities we have in Dallas and Houston, or if it's the easy-going feeling you have when you're amongst family and friends. We just flat-out love the Lone Star State.

"We sure hope our luck of the past carries over to this trip. We've adopted a very aggressive attitude for the remainder of the season because we want to end an otherwise disappointing season on an up-note. I couldn't think of a better place to turn this thing around and get ready for next year. The Motorplex is the state-of-the-art facility on our circuit that other tracks pattern themselves after. This track brought drag racing from a grass-roots sport to the mega-corporation that it is now."

Bruce Allen, the driver of the Outlaw Fuel Additives Pro Stock Pontiac, is another resident that's happy to be spending a week at home. The Arlington, Texas denizen also enters the race on a mission - to get his car back in the top 10 of the Winston Pro Stock points standings, a feat he's accomplished 10 times in his 13-year career.

"To get our car back in the top 10 before the end of the year would be a great boost for us heading into the off-season," Allen said. "We've had an erratic year and I really feel as though we haven't shown the racing community what this car is capable of doing. Dallas would be a great place to win. The track is awesome and smooth and can be really, really fast if the weather is just right. The crowds are always huge and the media coverage of the event is unparalleled.

"It's always encouraging to have your friends and all the guys from the shop out at the track with you. They know how hard you've been working because they've been right there beside you all season. They've been through the same ups and downs. I just need to find about 100 extra tickets and I'll be all right."

Allen is currently in 12th place in the Winston Pro Stock points standings, 56 points out of the 10th position. A driver earns between 1-8 points for qualifying and 20 points for each round of eliminations he appears in.

Mike Thomas, the driver of the Pennzoil Pontiac Firebird, impatiently awaits his chance to redeem himself on the one track that derailed an otherwise perfect season. After a weekend of replacing bad clutch components, Thomas failed to qualify for the NHRA's first stop at the Motorplex in late April. The missed race turned out to be the only blemish on a career year for Thomas which has included his first event title, 13 elimination round wins and a permanent place near the top of the leader board.

"I am really looking forward to getting after it in Dallas," Thomas said. "It just kills me that we missed that race earlier this year because Dallas is the best track out there and we couldn't take advantage of it. We'll be ready this time around.

"Since the Memphis race, we tested the chassis and shocks on the car and found a problem that we have since fixed. I'm so excited about getting back behind the wheel. Our car builder, Jerry Bickel, has told me that without a doubt, we'll be faster now that this problem has been corrected. Look out Dallas, it's redemption time."