NHRA News: Palmer's O'Reilly Auto Parts team joins Western Rock group (3/25/2004)

Palmer's O'Reilly Auto Parts team joins Western Rock group

By Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
3/25/2004

"It all adds up pretty well for both sides."
– Scott Palmer

At first glance, Top Fuel racer Scott Palmer's on-track incident at the season-opening K&N Filters Winternationals looked like a bad thing. Palmer had his left rear tire come apart near the end of his final qualifying pass, during which he set his career-best elapsed time, and the debris took out half his rear wing. The damage was severe enough that his O'Reilly Auto Parts dragster wasn't repaired in time for eliminations.

For a team on a tight budget, the $20,000 set-back combined with an extra week on the road due to the rain delay could have been debilitating. But as it turns out, Palmer's inauspicious start might turn into the best thing that's happened in his young career as he's now combined forces with Larry and Rick Michael's Western Rock group. Together, the two part-time teams have the ability to run as one full-time operation.

"I've studied this deal from every conceivable angle and I can't find a reason not to do it," Palmer said. "It just makes sense. They do eight or so races a year, mostly out west, and we do 12 to 15 races in the other parts of the country. Their thinking is that we're both battling for the same spot on the ladder and they're probably right.

Although he's only raced in 16 events as a Pro
Palmer has plenty of experience in an Alcohol
Funny Car, as evidenced by his driving ability.

"We're being realistic. We know that even putting our stuff together we're not going to match up with the huge teams at this point, but why not earn as many points as we can and have a top 15 car or a top 12 car? We both agree that would make us a little more attractive to potential sponsors."

Flying the colors of O'Reilly Auto Parts, which holds title sponsorship rights of national events in Houston, Bristol, Topeka, Memphis, and Dallas – the largest line-up for a single company in the sport today – and ACDelco, which sponsors the second Las Vegas event, Palmer knows first-hand how important it is to maximize the return he provides to his backers.

"My ultimate goal is to serve O'Reilly Auto Parts and ACDelco better," Palmer said. "Rick and Larry wanted to race Phoenix but I didn't want to make a decision based on passion. I wanted to go home and think about what was best for the people that have stood by me since the beginning. I needed their input.

"The guys at O'Reilly, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, you simply could not find a better sponsor to work for. They said right away that if I felt good about it then they were with me. They said they supported my decision no matter what it was. I also needed to hear [Ozark International Raceway owners] Phil and Karen Scott's thoughts. They helped me get started. Without them I wouldn't be out here, period.

"I also didn't want this to seem like I was forced into this by the wreck in Pomona. Yeah, we tore the car up and tweaked the back half [of the chassis], but all in all it was only a $20,000 accident. That's about what a bad engine explosion costs. We were going to be fine and we wouldn't have missed any of the races we were going to race. Bottom line, that incident didn't weigh in this decision at all."

After several days of counsel and contemplation, a deal was struck that will see the two teams marry and combine assets. For his part, Palmer will bring along crew chief Rick Cassell, who will now work together with Western Rock tuner Scott Graham, and one other crewman.

Palmer recorded a career-best elapsed time of
4.633 despite losing his tire around 1,000 feet.
Racers Edge Photography

This agreement has actually been in the works for some time but the week-long rain delay of the Winternationals and Palmer's decision to hang around Pomona, where the Michael's shop is located, was the impetus to get serious about joining together.

"Basically, when the NHRA called the race, they were like, 'Come on over to the shop,' " Palmer said. "It's just three miles down the road. I went over there and saw what they had and the first thought I had was, 'Hey, these guys are really serious about racing.' You wouldn't buy all of the equipment and parts they have just to goof around.

"Those 10 days we spent together helped us get to know each other that much better, which really helped. I've heard both sides of the argument of joining together with another team but the positives far out-weigh the few negatives. I just can't see any problems."

Palmer already had penciled in Las Vegas 1, Houston, Bristol, Topeka, St. Louis, Indy, Memphis, Dallas, Las Vegas 2, Pomona, and one of the two Chicago races. He's also closing in on deals that will add Englishtown and Reading to the mix. With some creative juggling, the nine-race schedule the Western Rock team ran in 2003, with drivers Melanie Troxel and K.C. Spurlock, could fill out the majority of the remaining races.

"Like I said, it all adds up pretty well for both sides," Palmer said. "I've got the connections in the corporate world but I've known from the start I don't have the total package to give them because we don't race fulltime. You have to prove you're going to stick out here and keep the ball rolling.

"Plus, I've been spending so much of my time with the car that I probably don't give potential deals enough attention. That won't be a problem any more. With two talented crew chiefs and enough experienced crew guys to keep the car going, I can spend more time getting us deals. And the best part is I don't have to drive the rig any more."

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