Another Career-Best for Blake Alexander

Courtesy of NVW Motorsports Promotions
Photo courtesy of Competition Plus

ENGLISHTOWN, NJ – Despite a close first round loss to Robert Hight, Blake Alexander is still happy with the performance of his Gates/Auto Service Plus Funny Car at the Toyota NHRA Super Nationals. He ran two solid qualifying sessions and got to represent Gates Auto, a corporation who has supported him since age 16.

“It meant so much to be able to race the Gates Funny Car at Englishtown. The people at Gates have supported me through the Sportsman ranks and now into the transition to the Pro level and Fuel Funny Car. I look forward to representing them again at the next race in Bristol,” said Alexander.

Blake’s weekend started off with a decent 4.19 in qualifying, which put him in the show at 9th after the first session. The parachutes came out just after the half-track mark, slowing the car down considerably. Crew chief Paul Smith tuned it up for the next session, resulting in a 4.116 at 302 mph, beating out Blake’s previous career-best run of 4.16. But Blake believes that the first run would have been even better than 4.11.

“The first run was a little better incrementally before the ‘chutes came out, so it could’ve been a 4.0 run. The improved conditions in the second session helped us, but also helped every other team. I was just happy to lay down a run that put us in the Top 12 heading into the Saturday sessions,” Blake says.

As Sunday eliminations rolled around, the sun heated up the New Jersey track; not good conditions for an 8,000 horsepower nitro Funny Car. Paul Smith and the Gates Auto team sent Blake down the track on his quickest run in eliminations yet, but his 4.17 wasn’t enough to take out Robert Hight’s 4.09.

“When the track temperature is 100+ degrees and the air temperature is in the high 70s, it’s still going to play into the big teams’ strengths,” Alexander claimed. “One race into the series of hot summer races, we managed to qualify. We just have to keep trucking away and success will follow if we keep doing the things we’ve been doing.”