Brogdon hopes to keep momentum rolling at Heartland Park

TOPEKA, KS – The widest smile in the Pro Stock pit area likely belongs to ProtectTheHarvest.com driver Rodger Brogdon.

That’s because Brogdon knows he is competitive again in the cutthroat class, where hundredths of a second mark the difference between first and last, and he knows he has a chance at getting to Victory Lane at the NHRA Kansas Nationals this weekend at Heartland Park Topeka.

Brogdon and business partner Steve Kent invested heavily into their race team, moving into a sparkling new shop in Houston before the 2013 season. Brogdon won in Bristol, Tenn., last year for his first career victory, but Pro Stock is anything but easy.

Last weekend, using an Elite Motorsports engine, Brogdon qualified No. 5 and won in the first round. He hopes that momentum continues in Topeka.

“We’re going to run the same engine, so we’ve got a positive attitude,” Brogdon said. “We know we can go out there and qualify in the top five and run good on Sunday and have a chance to win. That’s the plan.”

The Atlanta showing helped him inch closer to the top 10 in the Pro Stock standings, and he’s only 36 points away from 10th-place Jimmy Alund.

“Yeah, we definitely want to get into the Countdown playoffs again this year,” Brogdon said. “But we want to be able to do well when we get there, and this team proves we have what it takes when we have the right horsepower. Atlanta was good but we hope Topeka is even better.”

Brogdon has raced at Heartland Park for many years, including his seasons racing in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

“It gets real windy up there, but in the past I’ve done pretty decent,” Brogdon said. “Even back in my old Super Stock days, I made some semi’s and finals up there a couple of times. I like it up there.”

Pro Stock qualifying sessions are scheduled for 4:30 and 7 p.m., Friday, and 1:30 and 4 p.m., Saturday. Eliminations begin at noon, Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all qualifying and elimination action.