LAS VEGAS (March 29) - Qualifying didn't go how Pro Stock driver Rodger Brogdon initially wanted, but a late-day turnaround has him looking forward to eliminations on Sunday for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The ProtectTheHarvest.com Camaro made its fastest qualifying run Saturday during the final round of qualifying, a 6.699 at 206.95 mph. That pass was good enough to place Brogdon in the 15th position, pitting him against Chris McGaha in the first round of eliminations Sunday.
"I'll be ready for eliminations," Brogdon said. "We have a fast car and I just haven't had a good chance to show it. I feel like I can go at least two- or three-thousandths quicker than I have all weekend. If I'm right, and I feel like I am, it will be a good first-round race.
"All I know is that I may be sitting in the 15th position, but McGaha shouldn't think he has the win in the bag just yet. He is up against a faster car Sunday than he probably realizes."
Brogdon isn't worried about his chances for making it past the first round of eliminations even though qualifying was a little shaky. The ProtectTheHarvest.com driver chalks up the inconsistent start of the weekend to driver error, an easy blunder for him to overcome.
"Unfortunately I made a couple of mistakes in qualifying that hindered my runs," Brogdon said. "Thankfully I was able to make a solid pass in Q4, which gives the team something to build off of for tomorrow. I know what we are capable of, and I know we can run faster than a 6.699-second pass."
Brogdon will take to the track when final eliminations for the SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals start at noon PST on Sunday. ESPN2 will air eliminations at 8 p.m. EDT.
