Bruce Allen story (PRO/STOCK)

Report From Motorsport News International

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: NHRA Communications (818) 914-4761

ALLEN, REHER-MORRISON RETURNING TO STRONG FORM IN PRO STOCK

ENNIS, Texas -- Something told Bruce Allen and the Reher-Morrison team to stay the course, to hold their ground, despite struggling in NHRA Pro Stock competition the last two years.

That something was the patient confidence bred by a glorious past. Team owners David Reher and Buddy Morrison won four straight NHRA Winston titles from 1981-84 with the late Lee Shepherd behind the wheel, and Allen drove to five straight top-five finishes for R-M from 1985-89.

"Buddy and Dave have proven over the years that if you give them time and let them work it out, they're going to make power and we're going to run good," Allen said. "They still have the drive."

Indeed. Allen, from Arlington, Texas, has qualified for five of the last six NHRA national events this season and is again a contender in the Slick 50 Pontiac Firebird. He recorded a career-best run of 7.002 seconds, 195.99 mph at the Pioneer Electronics Keystone Nationals last month at Reading, Pa., further proof that Reher and Morrison have found plenty of power. Allen and R-M will continue their comeback at the 11th annual, $1,496,900 Chief Auto Parts Nationals, Oct. 10-13 at Texas Motorplex. The race is the 18th of 19 events this season in the $27-million NHRA Winston Drag Racing Series.

Since returning to full-time racing in 1995 after a one-year hiatus, Allen and R-M qualified for just three of their first 23 national events. Still, they never fell to the temptation to abandon their program and join an engine-leasing program, the ticket for quick Pro Stock success these days.

"We're trying to do it ourselves and get far enough to where you're actually ahead," Allen said. "You can't just do what everybody else is doing. You've got to make a change. We've got to do things that have a better chance of paying off. It takes a lot to do that."

-- Paul Kelly NHRA Communications

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