Lucas cranks out career-best run, jumps into contention in Pomona

POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 12) -- Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas completed a 3.823-second pass at a career-best 316.90 mph Friday to move from out of the field to the No. 3 position at the 50th annual Kragen O'Reilly NHRA Winternationals. Lucas' impressive run in his GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster was the second quickest of the day.

"I can't tell you how good it feels to start the season with a car running as strong as this one," said Lucas, who at 26 years old is the youngest pro in the nitro ranks. "We didn't have a car like this until several races into the schedule last year. This is where we want to be, running up front with the top teams every weekend.

"I think we'll stay in the top half of the field with that run and hopefully Shawn (Langdon, teammate) keeps his car in the top half also. We want to totally ready for race day with both dragsters so we can challenge for the win."

Langdon currently is two spots behind Lucas in fifth place on the strength of his Thursday evening run of 3.847 at 309.98 mph in the Lucas Oil/Speedco dragster. A native of nearby Mira Loma, Calif., Langdon didn't make it down the track under power Friday.

"It warmed up a bit and we didn't make enough of an adjustment for it," Langdon said. "The good part of starting so strong yesterday is we were able to push it a little harder today to see what we could get away with out there. We think the conditions on race day are going to be a lot more like they were today than how they were yesterday when it was cooler so it's good to have these extra runs. We're in good shape."

Lucas Oil Pro Stock racer Larry Morgan continues to fine-tune his brand new Ford Mustang, improving more than three hundredths of a second to a 6.674 at 207.30 mph. Morgan will need to improve some more in Saturday's final two time trials if he plans on racing Sunday as he currently holds down the 17th position.

Saturday's two qualifying sessions are scheduled for noon and 3 p.m.