Spencer Massey hopes for a strong result at NHRA SpringNationals

Spencer Massey is hoping he can do something on Sunday in a Top Fuel dragster that he's never done in his home state of Texas.

"I want to be in the Winner's Circle," Spencer said, who owns 14 NHRA Top Fuel Wally trophies but none from Texas.

The Friday night qualifying session at the NHRA SpringNationals was kind to Spencer and the Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher Top Fuel team. They ended the first day in the provisional No. 2 qualifying position with an elapsed time of 3.809-seconds at 320 mph.

But when Saturday came and the sun didn't, Spencer slipped to the No. 8 spot when six dragsters improved in the third qualifying session and his 10,000-horsepower machine tuned by Phil Shuler and Todd Okuhara hazed the tires.

"We just tried too hard in Q3," he said. "The track was looking better than Friday night and the conditions were good and we were going for a 3.77 and it just didn't hold that. We are definitely happy with our Friday night run and we had a good lap in the last session so we're confident for Sunday."

The 112-degree track temperature and steamy conditions were considerably warmer for the final qualifying session where Spencer produced a 3.849-second lap at 303 mph. The Sunday forecast in Baytown calls for sunny skies with partial cloud cover and a high of 84.

The Battery Extender dragster team will race three-time series champion Larry Dixon, who made his '14 NHRA season debut this weekend, in the first round of eliminations on Sunday at 11 a.m. (CT).

The Fort Worth native has been busy all weekend not only hosting friends and family but keeping an eye on friends racing in the NHRA Sportsman ranks.

"I'm definitely a little bit busier here than other races," Spencer said. "But it's awesome. I love racing in Texas but I'd love to win even more here. It's cool to see so many people I know out at the race track and even just the Texas fans supporting me.

"I heard that it was sold out today, that's really cool. Texas loves drag racing, that's for sure."

And they'd love to cheer for a fellow Texan in the Royal Purple Raceway winner's circle on Sunday afternoon.

Don Schumacher Racing