In continuing with the theme of letting the Skoal Racing crew members write a blog during the race weekend, TJ and PR Ted say it’s only fitting that I blog here in Denver. My name is Chris Abbott and I’m 25 years -old. Bandimere Speedway is my home track. I grew up here at the Mile-High City.

Not only is this my home track and I feel just a little extra pressure with many of my friends and family rooting us on this weekend. It’s also my girlfriend Katy’s 20th birthday today. I’m lucky enough to have her here at the race with me. So, happy birthday Katy!

I’ve grown up around the sport of drag racing. My grandfather is 1981 U.S. Nationals Top Fuel winner Johnny Abbott. For those of you that forgot, he defeated David Pace in the final round at Indy in 1981 driving his Jolly Rancher/Candyland dragster. His son and my uncle, Johnny Abbott Jr. and his wife Sondi Abbott, both are competing in Super Comp this weekend at the Mile-High Nationals. Hopefully, the Abbotts and Skoal Racing team can be racing long into the afternoon on Sunday here at Bandimere Speedway.

This is my second full season with Don Prudhomme Racing and the Skoal Racing team. Before coming to DPR, I worked for Keith Jackson, Junior Kaiser, Joe Amato Racing, and Randy Meyer’s Top Alcohol Dragster. I build short blocks and do bottom end at the track on TJ’s Funny Car. By the way, our new special edition silver-and-blue paint scheme looks awesome! I love the mechanical aspects of the sport and seeing the results on the race track. On the other hand, doing the bottom end is probably the dirtiest job on the team, so that’s a downfall. Mike Rowe from that Dirty Jobs show needs to be a bottom end guy for an episode.

I’m roommates with both PR Ted and Steve “Zelman” Zelem, the cylinder head guy on our team. We all moved into an apartment in Brownsburg, Ind., near our race shop in May once PR Ted made the move from California to Indy. I really enjoy working on TJ’s car. Our crew chief Mike Green is great to work for. It’s such a laid-back atmosphere. We’re very efficient and get the job done. It’s great to work for a team that has all the resources to be in contention to win races every week.

After coming off two semifinal finishes at Englishtown and St. Louis, we qualified second last night with a 4.90 under the lights at Bandimere Speedway. Now, it’s time for us to chalk up four round wins on Sunday afternoon. And for me, there would be no better place on the circuit for us to reach the winner’s circle than at the Denver race. Wish us luck!