Pr - Marty Thacker - Reynolds Wrap-up

Submitted by: Shanna Snyder-Bell

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

Thacker Concludes 2005
Solidifies Top 10 Finish with a Runner-up in Reynolds

Marty Thacker and the Rapid Transit Race Team closed out the 2005 season with a runner-up finish at Silver Dollar Raceway. Thacker, the newly crowned Division 3 champion, qualified #3 for the event and made it to the final round before mechanical problems ended his day.

The weekend started on Saturday afternoon when the TORCO Racing Fuels Top Alcohol Dragster motored down the track with an elapsed time of 5.48 at 259 MPH for the #3 qualifying spot. First round, Thacker was first off the line and tripped the lights with a 5.58 at 259 MPH for the win. In the semi-finals, Thacker ran a 5.57 at 259 MPH to earn his 4th straight Lucas Oil Divisional Series final round appearance. Unfortunately, after the burnout in the final round an oil hose began to leak and the Rapid Transit Race Team was instructed to shut off the motor.

"What a shame the 2005 season is ending. The Rapid Transit crew will head home for some well-deserved rest, but I think all of us would like to keep plugging away at this car. This race marked our 5th final round appearance of the year. We had been fighting traction problems all weekend, but I thought we had a good shot at winning our 3rd Wally of the season,” remarked Thacker.

“We have not found the new crimped end pressure hoses, mandated by NHRA this year, to be very reliable. After the burnout before final round, one of the oil pressure hoses developed an "egg", which started seeping oil out on the track. When the starter and my crew saw the oil puddle where the left slick would be going, they thought it wise to shut me off. Initially, I can’t say I was happy about the decision, but after reviewing the situation I realize they did what they had to do,” Thacker explained.

"Evan Knoll and his TORCO Racing Fuels family have been so good to us this year, we really want to make them proud. Because they are racers themselves, they understand what an up and down sport this can be. We are going to give it our best effort each and every event and hopefully we will come out ahead in the end. I really can’t begin to thank them enough for all the extra work they have put in to re-invest in drag racing. They deserve the best and that is what we are striving to be.”

"When you add it all up we feel very fortunate to have experienced so much success this season. We were able to win the Division 3 Championship, the Spitzer Low Qualifier Series Championship, the 2005 Division 3 Jeg’s All-Stars slot and clinch the 2006 Division 3 Jeg’s All-Stars slot. The desire to do even better next year is part of the reason we all continue to come back year after year. You can bet we are going to spend the next 3 months working on ways to make 2006 even more successful."

As the season comes to a close, the Rapid Transit Race Team is sitting in 4th place in the POWERade National points standings. Although this could change with a couple races left on the west coast, Thacker will earn a Top 10 finish this season.

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