Sophomore Richie Crampton embracing a return to sea level in Sonoma

SONOMA, CA – Last season, Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Richie Crampton learned how to live life at the top level of professional drag racing. His year ended with two victories and the coveted designation of Rookie of the Year. This season, Crampton is learning the fickle nature of the sport, experiencing the highs of three glorious wins while also suffering the pain of his first career failure to qualify.

“I know what they mean when they say you can go from hero to zero in the blink of an eye,” Crampton said. “We were sky-high after winning Bristol (Tenn.) and then we immediately had the DNQ in Norwalk (Ohio). The other two times we won, the next race we lost in Round 1. It can be very, very humbling.

“We know why we have stumbled. We have recognized each of our stumbling points along the way and made the necessary corrections. It’s all part of racing at this level.”

Crampton is hoping the pendulum swings in a friendly direction at this weekend’s 28th annual NHRA Sonoma Nationals, which runs Friday through Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. His guarded optimism lies in the fact that his crew chief, Aaron Brooks, has a long history of performing at his best when he can use all 10,000 horses his nitro-fed engine produces.

“It’ll be great to get back down to sea level,” Crampton said. “You can really pound on the track when you have all that oxygen helping you make maximum horsepower. You don’t have to push your equipment as hard at sea level, and when the weather cooperates, it can be very good at Sonoma.”

Currently fifth in the Mello Yello championship points, Crampton, a 35-year-old who hails from Adelaide, Australia, has fashioned a 20-10 race day record in his sophomore season. His average qualifying position is sixth.

Top Fuel qualifying sessions for this weekend are scheduled for 5 and 7:30 p.m., Friday, and 1:45 and 5 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at 11 a.m., Sunday. ESPN2 will carry both qualifying and elimination action.

“In these summer months, those nighttime qualifying sessions are crucial,” Crampton said. “We’ve had our missteps in those sessions the last few races and we’ve paid for it.

“The good news is we have the best crew in the sport, guys that have won a bunch of races, and they know what we need to do to capitalize on our chances.”

Prior to the start of the race on Thursday evening, Crampton will take part in the ninth annual Eric Medlen Nitro Night Charity Dinner at Bay Club Stone Tree. In addition to raising funds for Speedway Children’s Charities, the charitable arm of Sonoma Raceway, the evening is dedicated to the memory of local drag racer Eric Medlen, who succumbed to injuries sustained from a testing accident in 2007.

“The Eric Medlen dinner is always a great night, so I’m excited to join the group of people honoring Eric,” Crampton said. “It’s a very special event with a lot of his family and friends, so that’s definitely going to be a high point of the weekend for sure.”