GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel team already in top form 

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 20) – New GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster crew chief Aaron Brooks went into this week's testing session at Palm Beach International Raceway with some trepidation, but left with a great deal of enthusiasm.

"The last three years, I've started each season with a new team," Brooks said. "It can take a long time to get everybody on the same page. These guys on the GEICO team have been together a while, and it showed. Everyone was flawless.

"When myself or (co-crew chief) Rod Centorbi went over to double check on things, they were already handled. And (driver) Morgan Lucas was driving extremely well. His average reaction time was something like .046 seconds."

Brooks said that efficiency is the difference between making 10-12 runs during a test and the 15 the GEICO rail made by the time it was time to pack up the car and head home.

"I didn't realize just how well we were doing," Brooks said. "The second or third day we ran a 3.80 and Morgan came back to the pit with a big smile and said, 'Man I've never gone that quick before.'

"We hit it pretty hard over the winter getting all the cars in our inventory ready for the season. They were pretty fired up after the kind of runs we made. It's great to see all the work you put in during the winter pay off right away."

Brooks said that the primary mission was accomplished: The team is returning with a quick, consistent package that still has some room for positive adjustment.

"We were trying a few different things," Brooks said. "We ran between a best of 3.79 seconds to a 3.82. That's a nice window."

The test was also an opportunity to develop synergy with the team's sister car, the MavTV/Lucas Oil dragster to be driven by Brandon Bernstein.

"I think this is first time that these cars are constructed 100 percent identical," Brooks said. "We were in and out of each other's trailers the whole time we were there. We compared notes and offered each other advice. By the time we left, the cars were running identically.

"I'm confident that once the season comes if one car or the other needs a little boost, we can say, 'Try this,' and it will work every time."

Brooks said the crew will make a few minor adjustments to the car before heading out to the NHRA Full Throttle Series season opening event, the O'Reilly Auto Parts Winternationals, Feb. 9-12, at Pomona, Calif.