John Force Racing news 2009-05-07

NEFF ENJOYS THE BIG CART IN BRISTOL

BRISTOL (May 7, 2009) --- On Wednesday May 6th 2008 Auto Club Road to the Future Rookie of the Year Mike Neff met with the Bristol area media to talk up the 9th annual NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway. The Ford Drive One Mustang driver also met with employees of Food City, one of Bristol Motor Speedway's major sponsors. During the meet and greet Neff was afford the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the famed Food City Big Cart. Neff familiarized himself with the controls of the 600+hp, 2500 lb racing cart and while he was not able to fire it up he was impress none the less.

"I saw the Food City Big Cart years ago. That is one thing I always remember about the Bristol race, that big ole Food City shopping cart. It was cool to see it up close. I met the guy that drives it and we exchanged autographed hero cards. He let me climb up in it. You're about 10 feet off the ground. I asked him if this thing seemed like it wanted to tip over. The thing goes 50 mph. It is not like it is just putting along. It was weird feeling to be up on top of this thing. It is actually quite a piece of machinery. They said they would let me drive it at Bristol if I wanted to. "

In Neff's career he has raced moto-cross (high school), off-road trucks, Nitro Funny Cars, and a giant dump truck for a media event at zMax Dragway in Charlotte last season. When asked about the prospect of racing a giant shopping cart or anything else the confident Neff responded.

"If it has a steering wheel and a throttle pedal anything can be raced, right?"

-credit: jfr