With the NHRA Countdown to the Championship quickly approaching, SCAG Racing heads to Brainerd International Raceway this weekend for the NHRA Brainerd Nationals, the penultimate race of the regular season.
The Minnesota stop marks an important opportunity for the SCAG Racing team to continue building momentum ahead of the NHRA U.S. Nationals and the six-race Countdown. With four nitro cars competing across Top Fuel and Funny Car, the team will look to turn recent progress into strong results at one of the season’s final races before the championship playoffs begin.
Justin Ashley, driver of the SCAG Power Equipment Top Fuel dragster, is focused on maximizing the weekend while continuing to gather valuable information for the championship stretch.
“It’s crunch time now,” said Ashley. “At this point in the season, everyone is positioning themselves for a strong run during the Countdown. The objectives are twofold. First and foremost, to win Brainerd, and secondly, to gather more data for the home stretch.”
“We’re going into this weekend with some momentum,” Ashley continued. “The results haven’t necessarily been what we would’ve expected, but the process showed us some valuable information. We can lean on that throughout the race. SCAG dealers around the country are ‘Simply the Best’ at what they do, so we have an obligation to be ‘Simply the Best’ at what we do. Looking forward to making them proud.”
Daniel Wilkerson enters Brainerd with confidence after a strong stretch of races in his SCAG Racing Ford Mustang.
“Over the last four races, we have been building some serious momentum with our Jackal Mustang,” said Wilkerson. “I would like to think we are peaking at the right time with the Countdown right around the corner and Indy coming up soon. I think that we stand a really good chance of being a serious thorn in everyone’s side. SCAG has put a lot of trust in this team, and our dealers and distributors are a huge part of what makes this program special.”
Dave Richards will also be looking to capitalize on the team’s recent progress as he returns to Brainerd behind the wheel of his SCAG Racing Funny Car.
“Brainerd is always a fun race, but at this point in the season there’s a lot more riding on every run,” said Richards. “We’ve been working hard to make the car more consistent. We did some testing in Indy after Seattle, so I’m excited to race here. The goal is to qualify well and put ourselves in a position to go rounds. We know what we’re capable of, and I think this weekend is a good opportunity to show it. We have a lot of great people at SCAG and Metalcraft behind this program, along with our dealers and distributors, and we want to put on a performance they can be proud of.”
Will Smith, who is competing in his first full-time NHRA Top Fuel season, will look to build on the experience gained throughout his rookie campaign.
“We’ve learned a lot this season, and every race gives us another opportunity to put that experience to work,” said Smith. “Brainerd is another chance to keep moving forward and finish the regular season on a high note. We want to have a strong qualifying effort, make a good run in the first round on race day, and keep building the confidence of this entire team heading into Indy and the Countdown. We know how much support we have from SCAG, Metalcraft and all of the dealers and distributors who represent these brands, and I am so thankful.”
The NHRA Brainerd Nationals will also continue SCAG Racing’s “Simply the Brave” initiative, which celebrates America’s military members and veterans. The team’s patriotic liveries have been featured throughout the summer, allowing fans and members of the military to connect with the drivers and teams at the track.
Qualifying for the NHRA Brainerd Nationals begins Friday at 4 p.m. and continues at 6:30 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday at 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations will begin Sunday at 11 a.m.
Fans can catch all the action from the NHRA Brainerd Nationals throughout the weekend on FS1. Qualifying will air Friday from 7-8:30 p.m. ET and Saturday from 10:30 p.m.-12 a.m. ET, followed by Sunday’s eliminations from 6:30-9:30 p.m. ET.
The post SCAG Racing Looks to Carry Momentum Into Brainerd as Countdown Nears first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
