Reading: Bob Tasca III final report

TASCA AND MOTORCRAFT/QUICK LANE TEAM CLINCH SIXTH SPOT IN NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING COUNTDOWN TO 1.

DEARBORN, Mich., August 23, 2009 -- In March 2009, Bob Tasca III captured his first win with sponsors Motorcraft and Quick Lane. A short five months later, Tasca secured a spot in the 2009 Countdown to 1.

Two years and 42 races after Tasca secured sponsorship with Motorcraft/Quick Lane, he will compete for his first NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship after clinching the sixth spot this weekend in Reading after defeating Ron Capps in the first round.

"Congratulations to Bob and the entire Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team on securing a spot in the Countdown to 1," said Brett Wheatley, Director of Marketing, and Ford Customer Service Division. "Bob and the team have worked extremely hard this year and deserve this spot in the championship run. Bob's performance both on and off the track has made all of us at Ford proud. We're looking forward to seeing that Mustang win rounds and, hopefully, the championship over the next few months."

Tasca and the team were determined to make the Countdown this season. In the first 17 races this season, Tasca earned 19 round wins, his first No. 1 Qualifier and first career Funny Car win.

"Our goal at the start of this program was to win a championship. That's why we do what we do," said Tasca. "We dedicated time and resources to compete for the championship and we've done what needs to be done to win. Last year, I missed the Countdown by one slot, certainly it was a heartbreaking way to end our first season. To lock in the Countdown in the sixth position speaks volumes to the hard work and dedication that everybody on the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team has put into the program this year."

The Countdown to 1 begins at the Second Annual NHRA Carolina Nationals in Concord, NC, the weekend of September 17-20.

"You have to put yourself in the position to win. No one can guarantee a championship. No one can guarantee a win. You have to put yourself in the position to win and by locking into the top 10 we've done that for Ford, Motorcraft and Quick Lane. We've put our team, our sponsors and fans in the position to win and that's what we intend to do."

-credit: tasca/motorcraft