NORWALK, OH — After another frustrating weekend in Pro Stock, this time in Norwalk at the NHRA national event, Rodger Brogdon believes a small break may be the best thing for him.

Brogdon’s string of misfortune continued on Sunday in his DMG MORI Camaro, as the Pro Stock veteran lost in the first round to Elite Motorsports teammate Alex Laughlin.

It marked Brogdon’s fourth straight first-round loss, which means a little rest, relaxation and time away from the track is next on his agenda.

“I’m going to skip the Western Swing, come back in Brainerd and hopefully that will change our luck,” Brogdon said. “We’re snakebit right now. I shook the past two races, and it’s just been frustrating.”

Brogdon, who dropped to 10th in points after the race, hopes the time away and a chance to reset in August at Brainerd will help cure some of the car’s ills.

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JOLIET, IL — Rodger Brogdon’s Pro Stock Camaro will have a new look next weekend in Chicago.  The veteran driver announced a new sponsorship deal with DMG MORI, one of the largest machine tool builders in the world, for the rest of the 2019 NHRA season. That means a striking new wrap for Brogdon’s Camaro, which will debut at the upcoming Route 66 NHRA Nationals at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Ill.

DMG MORI’s headquarters in the United States are also located in Chicago, making it the perfect time to reveal the new partnership and wrap.

“It’s a great company and I’ve been lucky enough to establish a relationship with them,” Brogdon said. “I’ve been talking to them for about a year or so. We were able to put something together and it’s pretty exciting. To do it at the Chicago race, it’s going to be great.”

After stepping away from full-time racing in 2015, Brogdon returned to Pro Stock this year with Elite Motorsports, and the three-time event winner is off to a solid start in 2019.

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DINWIDDIE, VA — Before returning to full-time Pro Stock racing in 2019, Rodger Brogdon noted the new 18-race schedule was a big reason why he decided to come back.

But even the veteran admits it has been a bit strange being off for nearly six weeks. The extended break comes to an end this weekend at the Virginia NHRA Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park, and that’s the good news for Brogdon, who is excited to jump back into the mix with his RBR Machine Chevrolet Camaro.

“It feels like we’ve been off for a year,” Brogdon said. “I’m ready to go. We’ll go in and see what happens, but I think we’ll be good. I’m looking forward to racing in Virginia. The fans are fantastic there.”

Brogdon wasn’t a part of NHRA’s return to the track a year ago after nearly a decade absence, but he has fond memories of the highly-regarded facility, racing in both Pro Stock and competition eliminator on the same weekend at a previous race there.

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HOUSTON — Rodger Brogdon was hopeful the situation he was getting into for the 2019 NHRA season would be a good one. Joining the Elite Motorsports Pro Stock team, Brogdon saw an opportunity to jump back into the sport, drive a fast car with a proven team and still tend to his successful businesses.

Through four races, the experience has been almost everything the veteran could have envisioned. His RBR Machine Chevrolet Camaro has been impressive, Brogdon has been steadily improving behind the wheel and the team sits seventh in points through the first four races of Pro Stock’s new 18-race schedule.

With the last race taking place in early April, Brogdon has had time to reflect on the opening stretch of the season. There were no complaints about the car, and while his performance remains a work in progress, the three-time Pro Stock winner predicts more good times ahead.

“I give the car an A and I give the driver a C-plus,” Brogdon said. “If you had asked me before the last race (in Las Vegas), I would have said a D, so I’m getting better and I’m confident I’ll keep getting better.”

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LAS VEGAS – Rodger Brogdon doesn’t have to look far for proof to see he’s had a fast car to open the 2019 NHRA Pro Stock season. But heading toward a six-week layoff for the class following this weekend’s Denso Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Brogdon knows now is the time to take advantage.

Brogdon has already posted two No. 1 qualifiers in his RBR Machine Chevrolet Camaro, advancing a round further at each of the first three races. But Brogdon also knows he has a car capable of winning and that’s something he wants to deliver to the Elite Motorsports team, especially with the next race not coming until mid-May during the new 18-race Pro Stock schedule.

“It’s the first time any of us has done this, going into a race knowing we’re going to have six weeks off before the next one,” Brogdon said. “You want to do well because if you don’t it’s a long damn time before you can redeem yourself. We have to try to make the most of things this weekend.”

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GAINESVILLE, FL – Rodger Brogdon didn’t get his first win of 2019, but the Pro Stock veteran did make someone’s weekend extremely special at the 50th annual NHRA Gatornationals, and that more than made up for it.

Promising $5,000 to a lucky Pro Stock fan during the historic weekend at Gainesville Raceway, Brogdon gave away the prize on Sunday to Amanda Gadagno, a Greenwood, S.C. native who attended the race with her husband, Jimmy. Regulars at Gainesville, but mostly in the nitro pits, the Gadagno family spent considerable time in the Pro Stock area this year, walking away with a massive prize and an incredible experience.

“They were so excited. That was probably the best part of the weekend,” Brogdon said. “It was a lot of fun. None of us would be anything without the fans. They’re a great family and they were really amazed at what we do. I think we’ve got Pro Stock fans for life now. We won over a lot of fans this weekend and they now know a whole lot more about Pro Stock.”

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GAINESVILLE, FL – Pro Stock veteran Rodger Brogdon and his business, RBR Machine, are making sure this weekend’s 50th annual NHRA Gatornationals at Gainesville Raceway will be even more special for one lucky fan.

Brogdon and RBR Machine will award $5,000 to a fan during driver introductions on Sunday, and he is making it easy to enter. Everyone who purchases the official NHRA 50th anniversary Gatornationals t-shirt and has it signed by at least eight Pro Stock drivers can post their picture on Facebook or Instagram, using the hashtag #ProStockForLife. Tag @brogdonracing on Facebook and @rodgerbrogonracing on Instagram up to two hours after the final qualifying session on Saturday, and Brogdon and his team will select the lucky winner and they will get $5,000 in 50 $100 bills, making it the perfect way for someone to celebrate the 50th running of the Gatornationals.

“We have to do something big for the 50th anniversary and this is going to be exciting,” Brogdon said. “NHRA drag racing fans are awesome fans and the Pro Stock pits are probably going to be packed. We wanted to do something special for the fans at this race, so you might want to get over and get your shirt Thursday or Friday. We’ll put all the names in a drawing and I’m bringing $5,000 in $100 bills, so it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

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CHANDLER, AZ – It was a strong step forward for Rodger Brogdon this weekend at the Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Nationals in Phoenix, but the Pro Stock veteran was also left wanting more after not performing like he wanted on the starting line.

Brogdon picked up his first round win of the year, but fell a round later to Matt Hartford despite an impressive 6.538 at 211.73 mph from Brogdon in his RBR Machine Chevrolet Camaro.

Hartford won the battle on the starting line and held off a hard-charging Brogdon by a mere six inches en route to a runner-up finish.

“We had a really fast car, I just have to learn how to get my foot off the pedal again,” said Brogdon, who is currently eighth in Pro Stock points. “I was late both rounds and I knew it. I was able to get around (Fernando Cuadra) in the first round and just ran out of track in the second round. We’ve got a really good car and I just have to start doing better on the starting line.”

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CHANDLER, AZ – Rodger Brogdon can’t quite put his finger on why he’s always had success at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, but he’s not about to argue with it. The Pro Stock veteran only hopes it continues at this weekend’s Magic Dry Organic Absorbent NHRA Arizona Nationals, where Brogdon will look for his second career Pro Stock win at the track.

“I’ve always been able to do good there and I don’t know why. It’s just one of those things when I get there I know I’m going to go fast,” said Brogdon, who also has a sportsman win in Competition Eliminator at the facility. “I’ve went fast just about every time I’ve been there and I feel good about the race. I do terrible in the casinos there, but good on the race track.”

Brogdon will gladly take that luck again this weekend as he looks to make a major jump in the standings at the second of 18 NHRA Pro Stock races in 2019.

The year started well enough for Brogdon, as he put together his second career No. 1 qualifier in his RBR Machine Chevrolet Camaro with his impressive run of 6.522 at 212.03 mph.

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POMONA, CA – The weekend couldn’t have started in better fashion for Pro Stock veteran Rodger Brogdon. Brogdon grabbed his second career No. 1 qualifier to kick off 2019 at the season-opening Lucas Oil NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway at Pomona.

But, unfortunately for Brogdon, the first round of eliminations couldn’t have gone any worse on Monday.

Brogdon left the starting line before the tree was activated, handing the victory to Val Smeland and wrapping up the very definition of a rollercoaster weekend.

“You go from being on top of the world to feeling like crap, but that’s racing,” Brogdon said. “It’s very disappointing, but things will be fine. Things like that are going to happen to you in racing, but I would rather it happen in the first race than happen later in the season.”

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