Brogdon makes Pro Stock return at U.S. Nationals

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – ProtectTheHarvest.com driver Rodger Brogdon is fired up to return to Pro Stock for the 60th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals this weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis.

Brogdon and his team took four races off to prepare for the rest of this season and 2015, improving their in-house engine program and taking delivery of a new Jerry Haas Race Cars Chevrolet Camaro.

“The guys have been working really hard in the shop,” Brogdon said. “We’ve got three really good engines, and we’re taking them all to Indy. Maybe we can take a new car and go up there and show off.”

Brogdon and his team are testing the car this week at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis in preparation for “the Big Go.”

“I have a lot of confidence in them,” Brogdon said. “We need to put some runs on this new car, so we’re going to run the rest of the races this year and get a handle on everything for next year.”

Brogdon is trying to accomplish what many in NHRA can’t do: Build a competitive race team from the inside out. Creating an in-house program is a Herculean task for anyone, but Brogdon is a successful businessman and is committed to the task of his own NHRA team.

Progress was made by the team’s engine builders, as seen by a No. 6 qualifying spot in Bristol, Tenn., but Brogdon needed more depth with his engines, so he skipped a handful of races.

Now, though, he’ll race at Indy in the biggest event of the season.

“To even be involved in it is a helluva deal,” Brogdon said. “There’s so much history there. We’ve always done decent there in the past, in my Comp car and in my Pro Stock. We’re very anxious to get to Indy.

“We enjoy watching all the races. There is a lot going on, but that’s actually a race we do get to watch some racing. Usually at races we don’t get to watch too much. I’m anxious to do our thing but also to watch some other guys go down the track.”

Of course, his first priority is his own race team, and he’s optimistic for a good weekend.

“We’ve always been determined and we always try hard,” Brogdon said. “It would be very beneficial for the whole team to have a good weekend, I’ll tell you that.”

Pro Stock qualifying begins Friday with a single round at 6 p.m. and continues Saturday with sessions at 2:30 and 6 p.m. and Sundayat 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Eliminations begin at noon, Monday. ESPN2 will carry 12 hours of coverage of the race.