LAS VEGAS (March 29) - Lucas Oil/MAVTV Pro Stock driver Larry Morgan's weekend didn't start like he had anticipated, but he feels like he is in the right city for anything to happen during the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Lucas Oil/MAVTV Ford Mustang team went into Saturday's qualifying sessions needing a fast pass, and Morgan pulled out his best run in Q3, a 6.696 at 206.73 mph. That run secured him in the 14th starting spot, up against No. 3 Erica Enders-Steven in Sunday's eliminations.
"I am a little disappointed after qualifying this weekend because I feel like we could have run a 6.668 pass," Morgan said. "That kind of run would have definitely had me starting farther up the ladder since the pack is separated by a couple of hundredths of a second. I was ready to make that fast of a run in Q4, but I just spun the tires real hard, making the 60-foot about three-hundredths off. You can't make up that difference when you get up here in this altitude.
"Overall, though, I think we can run competitively in the mid-pack range. If I do my job and drive well, we can go a couple of rounds and that's all we can shoot for."
Morgan isn't worried about being paired up against Saturday's K&N Horsepower Challenge winner; he likes his odds no matter who is lining up against him.
"Anything can happen on elimination day," Morgan said. "I feel good about how everything is looking even though the time sheet may not reflect it. I would have liked to run better in qualifying, but it's not the end of the world. We will be just fine in the first round.
"Saturday night we will have to put our heads together and find out why this thing is acting the way it is. The Lucas Oil/MAVTV Mustang needs to be calmed down before Sunday because it is just a little too aggressive currently. Other than that, I'm ready to go."
Morgan will look for the upset tomorrow when final eliminations for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals start at noon PST Sunday. ESPN2 will air eliminations at 8 p.m. EDT.
