Ready for Sonoma, Morgan leaves dirty laundry in Denver

SONOMA, CA – Lucas Oil Pro Stock driver Larry Morgan left his dirty laundry in Denver — literally.

The veteran driver headed back to his shop in Newark, Ohio, with cylinder heads in his suitcase instead. He wanted to do some more work to prepare for the NHRA Sonoma Nationals this weekend at Sonoma Raceway.

“I’m leaving my dirty clothes in Denver,” Morgan said. “We took them out of the suitcase so we could put some cylinder heads in. I was welding all day Monday, fixing heads.”

The extra work was needed because Sonoma is at sea level, as compared to Denver’s mile-high altitude. That’s important because the thin Denver air makes engine builders like Morgan fret, as engines groan without the oxygen they have at sea level.

Morgan, in fact, had a better engine on his hauler in Denver but preferred not to use it and instead save it for Sonoma.

“We look forward to going to Sonoma,” Morgan said. “I didn’t have my race engine for Denver because we didn’t want to wreck it. We’ll be fine. I feel better going out (to Sonoma).”

In Denver, Morgan also raced a second car, driven by veteran Tommy Lee, who helped the Larry Morgan Racing team make progress with its two Ford Mustangs.

“The car feels better with all the changes we made in Denver,” Morgan said. “We made some progress with the car, no doubt, even though it’s tough to tell up there. The changes we made should show up more at Sonoma, so hopefully we’ll be a little closer to the front of the field.”

Lee, a past driver and talented mechanic, will be back for Sonoma and Seattle.

“We think Tommy Lee is an asset,” Morgan said. “He definitely helped us with the car. We’re keeping him around.”

Pro Stock qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:15 and 6:15 p.m., Friday, and 12:55 and 3:15 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at noon, Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all qualifying and elimination action.