Pr - Marty Thacker - Joliet National Wrap-up

Submitted by: Shanna Snyder-Bell

Contact Person: Marty Thacker
Contact email address: mlthacker@mapllc.com

Thacker Maintains Top 5 Position in POWERade Points Standings

The Rapid Transit Race Team was in Joliet, Illinois this past weekend participating in the Jeg’s All-Stars event and the Ameriquest Mortgage Nationals. The TORCO Racing Fuels sponsored Top Alcohol Dragster driven by Marty Thacker ran some very impressive numbers but was ousted by the eventual winner of each event and sent home earlier than the team would have liked.

Saturday, in the Jeg’s All-Star event Thacker was able to get past his first round opponent running a 5.36 at 266 MPH in his blown alcohol dragster. In the semi-finals of the event, Thacker ran a 5.40 at 246 MPH but was unable to hold off his A-fuel opponent.

"We were running mid 5.30's, but the eventual race winning A-Fuel car beat us in the semi-finals. Even though we didn't win, the people at Jeg's treated us really well all weekend. We really enjoyed participating in this event. Hopefully we will be able to represent Division 3 next year when it is held during the spring Joliet national event. They do a great job supporting NHRA Championship Drag Racing,” Thacker commented.

In the main event, Thacker was once again able to get past his first round opponent. He was first off the line and outran his opponent; tripping the beams with a 5.44 at 263 MPH. The second round Thacker was once again first off the line and ran a 5.44 at 263 MPH but was unable to hold off the eventual race winner at the stripe.

"The Top Alcohol Dragster field at Joliet this weekend was incredible. We thought it would be a fast field, it always is at Route 66, but when we saw the A-fuel cars clicking off teens we knew we had our work cut out for us,” said Thacker. “We ran well and qualified with a 5.36, but the top half of the ladder was all A-Fuel and we ended up in the #10 slot. We were able to outrun one of the nitro burning dragsters first round, but were nipped at the finish line by another one in the second round."

"We are getting close to the end of another racing season. This one has been great for the Rapid Transit Race Team. Between Evan, Brian, Latrell and the whole gang at TORCO Racing Fuels, and Pete, Keith and the rest of our friends at the Atlantic Scaffolding Company, we have had so much support this year. Add to that all the good times we have shared with our friends in the racing community and I never dreamed life could really be so fulfilling. We are going to head on to the next couple of races and count our blessings as they come to us. Isn't racing great?"

The next event for the Team will be in Dallas, Texas at the O’Reilly Fall Nationals. Qualifying for the Top Alcohol Dragster class will begin on Friday at 11:30 AM. A second qualifying shot will be at 2:30 PM and the final shot will come on Saturday at 10 AM. Final eliminations will begin on Saturday afternoon at 1:30 PM.

Please visit the official team website www.rapidtransitracing.com

You can access the full line of innovative products offered by our major sponsor TORCO Racing Fuels including racing gasoline, additives, and TORCO Gear at www.torcoracefuels.com.

Visit the websites of our current associate and product sponsors at the following websites:

Atlantic Scaffolding Company – www.atscaf.com

Valvoline - www.valvoline.com/pages/racing

Hoosier Racing Tire – www.hoosiertire.com