NORWALK, OHIO – Robert Patrick didn’t win the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals, but for the Purvis Ford-sponsored driver the event was deemed a success.
Patrick, competing in his first NHRA J&A Pro Modified Series event since last April in Houston, Texas, qualified No. 10 with a 5.929 in warm conditions with a toasty warm 120 degree racing surface. Despite the weather conditions working against the Fredericksburg, Va.-based driver, he was the third quickest of the Q-2 session.
In the third session, Patrick failed to improve and changed engines prior to eliminations.
“It looked like we got we got #8 piston in that engine so we changed to our primary one,” Patrick admitted. “Good thing I didn’t have the hot tune up in this thing with this dry air or it wouldn’t have been pretty.”
The first round was pretty for Patrick as he went out and scored a much-needed victory in the first round by running an impressive 5.948, 241.15 to beat Mike Knowles.
“This was good for us,” said Patrick. “My guys have busted their butts all weekend as they always do. Everything just fell into place and we came away with the round win.”
The great weekend would come to an end, as Patrick, despite making a strong 5.960, 242.71 pass, didn’t have enough to beat eventual winner Mike Janis.
“We made a good run of it,” said Patrick. “The track was complex and we gave it the best combination we felt would win. And while it stuck, it just wasn’t enough to get around Mike.”
In the end, Patrick was grateful to be a part of the field this weekend. The NHRA J&A Pro Modified series is an invitational field based on the NHRA’s grade point quota. Patrick had enough to get into the weekend’s show.
“Thanks to Josh Peterson, Graham Light at NHRA and John Waldie with the Real Pro Mod association for giving me the chance to compete at this race and at a track that has played such an important part in my racing career,” Patrick said.
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