Sorry it’s been a little while since my last blog, but I’ve got a lot to catch you up on.

First off, I want to make sure that everyone knows that voting for the JDRF design that will be on my Shelby Mustang during the U.S. Nationals in Indy goes through July 31 at www.jdrf.org/ford. We’ve been able to raise more than $43,000 since June 23 for type 1 diabetes research. I think that this program that my sponsor, Ford Customer Service Division, is doing is just really a great thing. JDRF for those of you that might not know is the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. They are an organization that puts all of the money it raises towards research for juvenile type 1 diabetes. We’ve had more than 700 donations from people across the country on 307 designs from 42 JDRF chapters. We’re well on our way to $50,000!

Well, the past three weeks have been really busy for our race team. We’re getting ready for the third of the three races that make up the Western Swing. For me, it’s the first time that I’ve done the three in a row racing, and it’s been fun and beneficial to me to get in the race car every weekend, so I can learn as much as possible in as many runs as possible down the track.

Denver was the first of the three, and it was also the first race that NHRA had the top fuel cars race to only 1,000 feet. It was also the first race with the new Goodyear tire and the first where the new chassis was mandated. Fortunately for us, we had already been running the new chassis, and had already made some runs on the new tire, so we weren’t expecting any surprises. We struggled through the first day of qualifying, but were able to earn a spot after Saturday’s two runs. We were up against Ron Capps in the first round on Sunday. I started off the run pretty well and Ron had some problems, but later in the run, I had some trouble and Ron had already recovered, and he got the round win.

Next up was Seattle, which we raced at just a couple of days ago. It was my first time to the track. Qualifying went all right for us. We ended up using Friday’s runs to test some things out to help improve our zero to 60 feet. It’s something that we’ve struggled with all year, and Chris really wanted to get our number down. Then on Saturday, we went out and made the show.

On Saturday, we also got to do something really cool with ESPN. Since I had my motorhome and my family with me, ESPN did a sort of “cribs”-style show that is supposed to show fans and viewers how drivers live on the road. It was really neat to be able to include my wife and three boys in the piece too. We had a lot of fun.

On race day, we were up against Mike Neff. It was the first time that I raced Mike this season. We’re both rookies, and both proud drivers of Ford Mustang racecars. Our car made a great run, but with Mike having a better light, he got the win on a holeshot. I really felt bad for my team, because they gave me a great racecar for the day. But, that’s racing. You win or you lose and then you move on.

And that puts us here in Sonoma. My family and I made the road trip in our bus from Seattle, and we rolled here into the track today (Wednesday). For our trip down, we ended up driving down highway 101 through Oregon, and it was incredible. The first night we stopped at Cannon Beach. The boys and I walked the beach the following morning. The water was 50 degrees, way too cold to go in, but the sights where amazing to see. The next day we stopped at a Sea Lions cave. That was cool. We went down a 208-foot elevator to the bottom of this under water cave to see the sea lions. It was a small elevator. I felt more confined on that elevator ride than I do in the racecar. The following morning we stopped at a petting zoo where the kids where able to feed a baby Leopard just 8 weeks old. It looked to me like that Leopard was sizing up my 2 year old. What an animal. It was a fun ride down but now its time to race. 

My crew was also able to take a day off this week, and they spent all day Tuesday at Lake Shasta in Northern California. The guys had a boat and a jet ski and literally spent all day at the lake. Those guys work so hard during the season, that I was really glad that they were able to have some fun out on the road.

Sonoma for us is a race that we’ve got to perform at. The last two races we’ve gone out in the first round, and if we want to get back up into the top 10, we’ve got to go some rounds on Sunday. Also this week, my in-laws are out for their first race this season, so my wife and I really glad to have them here as our guests.

Well that just about catches you up to what Tasca Racing has been up to since my last blog. Remember, go online and cast your vote for my car design, and we’ll see you at the track!