Seattle: Rod Fuller preview

Fuller fishing for big results in Seattle

SEATTLE (July 19) -- Valvoline Top Fuel racer "Hot Rod" Fuller has proven to be one of the elite drivers on tour this year. He's part of an elite group of four racers with multiple victories in the Top Fuel class having won two times this season in Phoenix and Englishtown, N.J. He also has a runner-up result from Bristol, Tenn.

While most would be thrilled to have such a scorecard, Fuller enters this weekend's 19th annual Schuck's NHRA Nationals at Pacific Raceways with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder.

In the two races since he took the Wally trophy in New Jersey, Fuller has failed to get past the first round on Sunday despite the fact he entered race day as a favorite in both St. Louis and Denver. It's a trend he hopes to extinguish this weekend.

"I guess the thing that bothers me the most is that we have a championship- caliber racecar and we just haven't shown it these last two races," Fuller said. "It's one thing to have a team where you feel happy just to make the show and have some fun on Sunday. But with our team owner, David Powers, and our crew chief, Lee Beard, we expect better than average results every race.

"The positive is that every single person on this team has remained totally upbeat. We all know that racing has ups and downs and we know we could go out and reel off a string of final-round appearances. I just hope that starts this weekend in Seattle."

Joining David Powers Motorsports this weekend as an associate sponsor will be Woodlan, Wash.-based fishing supplier G. Loomis. Catering to the avid outdoorsman, G. Loomis manufactures state-of-the-art fishing tackle and accessories for the fresh, saltwater, and fly fisherman. Team tuner Beard befriended the Loomis family years ago on one of his many expeditions to the rivers and streams of the Northwest United States; a friendship that continues to this day.

"Over the years, I've stretched plenty of fish lips with the Loomis family," Beard said. "Now they're going to come into our world and see how we get our trophies. I'm sure they're going to be blown away and I have a pretty good idea that our sport is a little bit louder than what they're used to. Maybe they'll bring us some luck and we'll have a better result on the racetrack."

ESPN2 will provide five hours of racing coverage including a two-hour qualifying show from 8-10 p.m. (ET) Saturday, and a three-hour eliminations show from 8-11 p.m. (ET) Sunday.

-dpm