Robert Hight seeking first victory of season at Bristol
with Auto Club Chevrolet Funny Car
BRISTOL, Tenn. (June 14) – Robert Hight has competed in the semifinals of four of the last six NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events, won eight first-round matchups and set the fastest speed in six of 10 race weekends this season.
In fact, he set the fastest speed in last weekend’s NHRA Summernationals in Englishtown, N.J., en route to the semifinals.
He also became only the fourth driver in NHRA history to earn 50 Funny Car No. 1s when he took his Auto Club of Southern California Chevrolet Camaro to the top qualifying spot earlier this month in Epping, N.H.
While those statistics and achievements are nice, the 2009 Funny Car champion would trade any and all of those for a single Wally. He believes his next winner’s trophy could come in Sunday’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals – the 11th stop on the 2017 campaign and third race in a stretch of four consecutive weekends – at Bristol Dragway.
A victory would lock him into the Traxxas Shootout held Labor Day Weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, and would be the first since last year’s NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla. and 38th of his career.
“Four round wins every weekend is what our goal is,” Hight said. “It’s all we’re thinking. You can do that from the No. 16 qualifier or you can do it from No. 1.
“The No. 1 qualifier, running quick, is nice – we do like getting those bonus points because when you get to the Countdown, every point counts. Going down the track four rounds in qualifying is important, and gives you confidence. But at the same time, getting those bonus points is key, because that could be a round-and-a-half.”
The Auto Club of Southern California Chevy has been fast all season, but has only one finals appearance – in April at Houston. Hight believes there is no reason he shouldn’t go one round that he did at Englishtown and two wins further Sunday.
“I don’t go into a race weekend thinking that I hope our combination works,” Hight said. “That’s not it at all. We have that combination. We just need to put four rounds on Sunday together. We’re not searching for anything other than consistency.”
Hight has one victory at Bristol Dragway, in 2011, on Father’s Day Weekend. He’d love to celebrate in winner’s circle with his daughter, Autumn, who is accompanying him on all four races in June.
“It’s a fun time for me to have her on the road with me; we have some fun together,” Hight said. “But it’d be cool to share the winner’s circle on Father’s Day with my daughter. I want to win all these races we’re going to. We need to turn this thing around.”
Two rounds of qualifying are slated for Friday (5:30 and 8 p.m. Eastern) and Saturday (1:30 and 4 p.m.), with final eliminations scheduled for noon Sunday.
Fox Sports 1 is scheduled to television one hour of qualifying highlights at Friday at 8 p.m. Eastern and Saturday at 11 p.m. FS1 will broadcast three hours of finals coverage at 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
4-Second Reads:
Robert Hight has competed in 11 races at Bristol Dragway and every race since 2010. His first race at the track came in 2005.
Hight has advanced to the finals at Bristol Dragway once – when he won in 2011.
Hight is 8-10 in 18 elimination rounds at Bristol Dragway.
Hight’s best qualifying effort at Bristol Dragway came in 2005, when he qualified No. 2. Bristol is the only track on the current schedule in which Hight has not yet qualified No. 1.
Hight is 4-7 in first-round matchups at Bristol Dragway. He is 8-2 in first rounds this season.
Hight is currently fifth in Funny Car points standings.
Hight has won once on Father’s Day – at Bristol in 2011.
In his career, Hight has 37 victories, 386 elimination-round wins, and 50 No. 1 qualifying spots.
Hight’s most recent NHRA victory – 2016 NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.
Hight’s most recent No. 1 qualifying effort – 2017 NHRA New England Nationals in Epping, N.H.
Hight’s best time/speed at Bristol – 3.897 seconds (2016 Q2); 321.27 mph (2016 Q2)
Hight’s best time/speed of career – 3.822 seconds (2017 Epping Q3); 338.68 mph (2017 Topeka E1)