Epping, New Hampshire (June 14, 2015) - Veteran Top Fuel racer Morgan Lucas gave top qualifier and eight-time world champion Tony Schumacher a big scare in Round 1 Sunday morning at New England Dragway, but despite leading the all-time class leader nearly all the way down the track, he ultimately lost his upset bid just before the finish line.
Following a lengthy delay caused by an oildown in the previous pairing, Lucas and Schumacher got off to nearly identical starts before Schumacher's motor dropped a cylinder. That allowed Lucas' Sig Sauer/Lucas Gun Oil dragster to pull ahead until he encountered some engine issues himself, and when his powerplant let go in a big fireball downtrack, Schumacher was able to inch by and take the win with a 4.027 at 250.69 mph to Lucas' 4.070 at 238.81 mph. Ironically, Schumacher's engine exploded as well.
"We both dropped cylinders," Lucas said. "His car lost one right at the hit and so we were able to pull away a bit, but then ours lost a hole as well. That just puts the whole thing out of wack and you know it's hurting the motor. I could tell I was ahead of him, I couldn't see any part of his car, so I just kept the hammer down.
"I think we broke a lifter and that denoted the engine. He blew up about the same time, and for a moment there we were both coasting to the finish line. I think we would have won but my parachutes deployed, and that slowed us just enough that he was able to win. That's drag racing. It's wildly disappointing but it happens."
This is the second national event in a row that Lucas, who races part-time while he learns the family business, Lucas Oil Products, carried Sig Sauer as the title sponsor on his 10,000-horsepower dragster. Sig Sauer is based in nearby Newington, N.H., and its tactical-training center is adjacent to the racetrack.
"We wanted to put on a good showing for them more than anything," Lucas said. "I wanted to give all the Sig Sauer employees who are with us today something to be proud of but we couldn't get any breaks.
"It's still been a fantastic week here and they've been so gracious to all of us. The team visited the facilities and shot a bunch of different weapons. They are the largest manufacturer of firearms in the USA, and we're honored they use Lucas Gun Oil and our new line of gun-cleaning products."
Lucas and crew will now regroup, install a new front end on their dragster, and prepare for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals, Aug. 21-23, in Brainerd, Minn.
