CHARLOTTE (Sept. 10) - Rodger Brogdon and his Owens Corning Pro Stock team continue building for the future with the Pep Boys NHRA Carolina Nationals this weekend at zMax Dragway.
Brogdon unveiled a new Owens Corning Chevrolet Camaro for the U.S. Nationals two weeks ago, but the new-car blues struck the team, as Brogdon struggled to turn increased horsepower into top-half passes. However, after testing at two different tracks before Charlotte, Brogdon knows the future is bright.
"It's going to be a fantastic car when we get done with it," Brogdon said. "I really do like it. It's the straightest car I've ever had in Pro Stock. The last couple I've had, they just seemed to not go straight. This one does, and every time I turned it loose it's like it's on a string. That tells me it's a good car."
Brogdon returned to NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series competition in Indianapolis after skipping six of the previous seven races to refocus on the team's in-house engine program. Brogdon also took delivery of a new Jerry Haas Race Cars Camaro before Indy, and racing a new car is a Herculean task.
"It's pretty tough," Brogdon said. "We had two full passes on that car before we took it to Indy. Looking back, that probably wasn't the smartest thing we could do. Usually, you'd like to get at least 40 or 50 runs on a car before you take it out.
"If we were in the Countdown, that's something we wouldn't have done. We would've stuck with the old car, but we're getting a jump on next year."
After Indy, Brogdon tested a track near his hometown of Tomball, Texas, and is also testing in Rockingham, N.C.
"We went testing at a little eighth-mile track near Houston last Thursday night," Brogdon said. "We ran until midnight, 1 o'clock in the morning. We're also going to run in Rockingham, trying to get 10 or 12 runs under our belt.
"We should make a lot better showing than the last race."
Pro Stock qualifying sessions are scheduled for 12:45 and 3 p.m., Friday, and 1 and 3 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at 1 p.m., Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all qualifying and elimination action.
