Bob Tasca – Driver, Owner, Hockey Dad and American Idol Fan

Hello Race Fans!

Here we are! We’re looking at the second race of the season. I’m thrilled to be back racing in the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shelby Mustang. We’re going to have a great year.

Firebird International Raceway is a special place to me because that is where I earned my NHRA Funny Car competition license just three weeks before the start of the 2008 season. Once I had that license in my hand, we were ready to go. Last year at this time, I was anticipating the Phoenix race as a place where we would be able to capitalize on test data and first-hand experience. All that went awry when we were unable to qualify our Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Shelby Mustang Funny Car during the 2008 qualifying competition.

Fast-forward one year and we’re looking at Phoenix again. Crew Chief Chris Cunningham and the entire Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are ready to conquer Phoenix again with a whole new fire. Now that we have a full season under our belts; a technical alliance with Tim Wilkerson, 24 test runs during the offseason, a third of which were logged at Firebird; and a strong season-opening showing at Pomona, we couldn’t be more prepared. Phoenix is a race that has been circled on the calendar for several months. This year it’s a whole different deal. We have a lot of data on Phoenix, so out of the gate we’re a lot more confident.

Even though we have increased experience, Chris, the crew and I understand the unique characteristics of the Firebird race track. Phoenix is known for tire shake. It’s one of those tracks that’s really funny because some of the quickest runs in history have been put down in Phoenix, but it’s also a track during testing, where I think it took 85 percent of the field three days before they could make a full pass.

Since my last blog, I have been on the phone almost everyday coordinating the final details on our new Tasca Racing shop in Charlotte. We are moving in the first week of March. So as soon as the guys are done in Phoenix, they’re going to the shop. I’m so excited about that. We’re getting our blower dyno right after Phoenix.

Racing is in the Tasca family. My grandfather raced the Cobra Jet 40 years ago in NHRA competition and the new Cobra Jets returned to Pomona this year. I’m proud to say our new Cobra Jet came in a couple of weeks ago and we’re in the process of getting it race ready. We’re actually going to test in Charlotte on March 5th at the zMAX Dragway in Charlotte. My Uncle Carl is going to make his debut in the Tasca Cobra Jet at zMAX.

How would you like to see the Cobra Jet? It will be on display in Gainesville so anyone who will be at the Gainesville race will get to see the Tasca Cobra Jet, the new version of it, 21st Century Cobra Jet. We’ve been working with Ford Racing, because Brian Wolfe has been very instrumental in helping us get that car race ready.

I wouldn’t be in racing if I didn’t have the support of my family, my wife Therase and boys Bob, Austin and Cameron. In between Pomona and Phoenix, my six-year-old son, Bob, has been in three hockey games. Bob just loves hockey. I think he skates better than he walks now, but it’s fun to see at such a young age how competitive all the kids are, but particularly my son. I think it’s great to get kids involved with sports as young as you can. It teaches them teamwork, competition, winning and losing: all things that are involved in Funny Car racing, which I love so much, are also a large part of hockey. I’ve had fun watching my son play out there.

Lucky for me, Valentine’s Day fell on a weekend when I was home, so I was able to work on a great gift for Therase. After Phoenix, we are going to Los Angeles, to see an American Idol Show. My wife is a fanatic, believe it or not, I watch it with her, but of the two of us - she’s the really big fan. I think it is a great contest, so that will be fun. I’m really looking forward to going. We’ll definitely have a great time; I think she’ll love it.

I’m so thrilled that the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Season is underway. We’re taking the momentum from Pomona and hope to carry it through the year, right back to Pomona in November.

I’ll keep you posted on the latest news with our Motorcraft/Quick Lane team. Have a fantastic time in Phoenix and we’ll see you trackside.


-Bob