GILBERTSON LOOKING TO REBOUND AT ATLANTA
Courtesy Berserko Bob
Atlanta, prerace: After a disappointing race last weekend at Bristol where he didn't qualify you'd expect Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson to be down in the dumps but he's just the opposite. Gilbertson is really upbeat about returning to the Atlanta Dragway for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals.where he's had success in the past.
"It was a miserable weekend for this team at Bristol, everything that could go wrong did," Gilbertson said. "We get four chances to qualify, the first run we smoked the tires, ran a 4.93 in second lap with a flat front tire that was one of the wildest rides I've ever taken, I had to click it early, it would have been a low 4.80 I'm sure. Third run a parachute popped out early and to add insult to injury the clocks malfunctioned and we didn't get any of the early numbers to use for our last shot at qualifying. We went to the line for our final chance to get into the show with what we thought would work but it just wasn't enough."
So why is Gilbertson excited to go to Atlanta?
"Three big reasons," Gilbertson added. "First of all by the grace of God we're still in the NHRA POWERade top ten points. That gives me and the team an incentive to dig deep and do what it takes to improve. These guys work really hard and have their heart and soul into winning and they're going to do their job and I have all of the confidence in the world in them. Second it's a home-track race for us and my whole family, a lot of friends and supporters and employees will be there to cheer me on. Best of all is that my wife Sally will be coming to the races for the first time this year and will get to see in person the big 30th wedding anniversary decal I have on the race car. Third and most of all is that I've had a lot of success at Atlanta, went to the semi finals in 2004 and if I remember correctly I beat John Force there a few years ago."
TELEVISION SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 6, 2006 Qualifying 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM ET (ESPN2)
Sunday, May 7, 2006 Eliminations 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET (ESPN2)
Atlanta, prerace: After a disappointing race last weekend at Bristol where he didn't qualify you'd expect Funny Car racer Bob Gilbertson to be down in the dumps but he's just the opposite. Gilbertson is really upbeat about returning to the Atlanta Dragway for the Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Southern Nationals.where he's had success in the past.
"It was a miserable weekend for this team at Bristol, everything that could go wrong did," Gilbertson said. "We get four chances to qualify, the first run we smoked the tires, ran a 4.93 in second lap with a flat front tire that was one of the wildest rides I've ever taken, I had to click it early, it would have been a low 4.80 I'm sure. Third run a parachute popped out early and to add insult to injury the clocks malfunctioned and we didn't get any of the early numbers to use for our last shot at qualifying. We went to the line for our final chance to get into the show with what we thought would work but it just wasn't enough."
So why is Gilbertson excited to go to Atlanta?
"Three big reasons," Gilbertson added. "First of all by the grace of God we're still in the NHRA POWERade top ten points. That gives me and the team an incentive to dig deep and do what it takes to improve. These guys work really hard and have their heart and soul into winning and they're going to do their job and I have all of the confidence in the world in them. Second it's a home-track race for us and my whole family, a lot of friends and supporters and employees will be there to cheer me on. Best of all is that my wife Sally will be coming to the races for the first time this year and will get to see in person the big 30th wedding anniversary decal I have on the race car. Third and most of all is that I've had a lot of success at Atlanta, went to the semi finals in 2004 and if I remember correctly I beat John Force there a few years ago."
TELEVISION SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 6, 2006 Qualifying 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM ET (ESPN2)
Sunday, May 7, 2006 Eliminations 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM ET (ESPN2)
posted by David @ 5:38 PM
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