NHRA LUCAS OIL
  DRAG RACING SERIES
  2007 Schedule
  2007 Results
  Action Photo Gallery
  Lucas Oil Products

  2007 NATIONAL
  POINT STANDINGS
  TA/Dragster top 50
  TA/Funny Car top 50
  Competition top 50
  Super Stock top 50
  Stock top 50
  Super Comp top 50
  Super Gas top 50

  2006 DIVISIONAL
  POINT STANDINGS

  JEG'S ALL-STARS

 Division 1     Division 2
 Division 3     Division 4
 Division 5     Division 6
 Division 7

  PERFECTLY STRANGE AWARD

  INSIDE THE NHRA
  Official Sponsors
  Contingency Sponsors

 RACING INFORMATION
  2007 Rule Revisions
  Class Indexes
  National Records
  Classification Guides
  Engine Blueprints

  TRACK DIRECTORY
  Member Tracks

  HELP
  Contact NHRA
  Division Directors

Pat Austin drove his Pontiac Firebird to the Federal Mogul Funny Car winner's circle today at the 16th annual O'Reilly Nationals at Texas Motorplex. It was Austin's 74th career national-event victory and the latest accomplishment for the veteran driver who is fourth on the NHRA's list for all-time wins.

Austin qualified in the No. 3 spot for final eliminations and defeated Jimmy Jones in round one, Tate Branch in round two, and Von Smith in round three. In the championship matchup against Jay Payne, Austin's Pontiac was first to the finish line with an elapsed time of 5.661 seconds at 253.16 mph. Payne's Camaro followed in 5.724 seconds at 252.52 mph. The margin of victory was .013 seconds.

"We had our backs against the wall," said Austin. "This class today was very tight and the performance was nearly equal between a lot of cars. After we won first round I realized it was going to end up being a driver's race. In the finals, Jay (Payne) cut a good light, but we were able step up with our Pontiac Firebird so that it worked out for us."

Austin's victory today marked the second time this season that he's won a national event and the third time this year that he's raced in a final round. He won earlier this season in February at the CSK Nationals in Phoenix, Ariz.

"I never saw Jay's fender but I could hear his motor," Austin said. "That usually means that he's pretty close, but to be honest I wasn't looking. I drove the car as hard as I could, revved the motor as high as I could in every gear and never saw him. We were very fortunate to get the win. Jay had the quickest car all weekend with the exception of that final round. We were able to peak at the right time.

"This weekend we progressively improved. We knew that if we made it to the finals and were close, we could throw that dart and possibly outrun him. We saved our best for last. We'll race at Las Vegas next weekend in then the World Final at Pomona."