Spencer Massey Baytown summary

Massey scores runner-up in Houston while debuting new sponsor Lucas Oil

BAYTOWN, Texas - Defending NHRA Division 4 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion Spencer Massey made his third straight final round appearance in a runner-up showing during this past weekend's O'Reilly Spring Nationals at Houston Raceway Park. Massey's strong performance in his A/Fuel Dragster came on the heels of announcing new oil sponsor, Lucas Oil.

Massey, 24, of Ft. Worth, Texas, qualified third for the field with a strong 5.262 second pass at 271.57 mph. In round one, Massey took out David Brounkowski wit ha 5.331 at 263.87 mph, then took out Brandon Pierce with a 5.295 at 268.71 mph in the quarterfinals. Massey's semifinal opponent was Top Fuel slash A/Fuel driver Morgan Lucas, whom he defeated with a 5.339 at 265.74 mph, setting up the final with defending World Champ Bill Reichert, who had just run the quickest pass in the history of the class in the semifinals with a 5.103.

Massey, who's worst light all day was a .033 in the first round, cut a stellar .008 reaction time (.000 is perfect), but could not hold off the hard-charging Reichert's 5.153 at 284.75 mph (fastest pass in the history of the class) with his own solid 5.330 at 264.13 mph.

"We keep on coming up just short of our first win," said Massey. "We're certainly not hanging our heads; that's our third straight national event final round. Reichert and those guys were really flying. We were a little disappointed it didn't run better in the final. We really thought it would step up to a mid .20 and we just hoped that Reichert would fall off to a low .20 and try to get him on the tree. He didn't fall off that much and we didn't pick up, but we didn't beat ourselves like we have in the past. We'll just keep on trying until we get that first win."

"We're also very pleased to make a good showing for our new oil sponsor, Lucas Oil," Massey continued. "It's the best oil we've run to date.

It's an honor to be associated with such a great family and great products. We look forward to representing Lucas Oil in the winner's circle soon."

The next stop for Spencer Massey will be at his home track, the Texas Motorplex, just south of Dallas for the third stop on the Division 4 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. Massey, the defending Division 4 Champion, enters the event just 22 points behind Morgan Lucas. Massey currently sits fourth nationally.

-credit: smr