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Closing in on another Wally, Crampton heads to Seattle with momentum

SEATTLE, WA – After posting another semifinal appearance last weekend in Sonoma, GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Richie Richie CramptonCrampton turns his focus to the next stop on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour, the 27th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Northwest Nationals, Aug. 1-3, at Pacific Raceways.

“I’m pretty excited to race in Seattle,” Crampton said. “We will have some great air and a fairly good racetrack to lay down some pretty strong numbers. We all know how well Aaron Brooks likes those kind of conditions, and the GEICO team does a great job of putting together a great race car for Aaron. Definitely after what we have learned this past weekend and going some rounds in Sonoma, it’s pretty exciting to head up to the Northwest and try to throw down some decent numbers.”

In only his rookie year and with three races left before the 2014 Countdown to the Championship kicks off, Crampton is concentrating on clinching his top-10 spot. Seattle poses a great chance for the Aussie, who heads to the event behind the wheel of the defending winner’s dragster.

“There’s a bunch of us duking it out down around seventh, eighth, ninth, and 10th in points right now,” Crampton said. “We’re starting to really pay attention to the numbers and confidence is getting higher and higher with the way we have turned the corner with this race car. The team is the reigning event winners in Seattle, which raises the confidence even more. I think we should do well.”

Even with momentum on his side, Crampton is making sure not to get overwhelmed with the stress of a dwindling season and instead enjoy everything his first year as an NHRA driver has to offer.

“Hanging out with the fans, getting to see some extra bits of the city, and meeting different people that you normally don’t get to see while you’re a crewmember is definitely a nice perk of being a new driver,” Crampton said. “I love the Pacific Northwest, so it’s pretty exciting to go out there and go down to Pike Street and have a little fun.”

Nitro qualifying sessions in Seattle will be held at 3 and 6 p.m. PT, Friday, and 1 and 4 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations will start at approximately noon, Sunday. Qualifying and elimination action will be broadcast on ESPN2.

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