Crampton still has sights set on NHRA Road to the Future Award

LAS VEGAS – With two races remaining in the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster driver Richie Crampton remains the leading contender for the sport’s rookie of the year award.

Headed to the NHRA Toyota Nationals this weekend at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Crampton leads all rookies with two victories, capped by a win at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis.

He’s the only rookie in the ultra-competitive Top Fuel class to reach the Countdown to the Championship, and he’d love to close out the season by winning the Road to the Future Award.

“From the beginning of the season, I really had my eyes set on trying to win the Road to the Future Award,” Crampton said. “I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but that was definitely the No. 1 priority. We wanted to finish well and contend for the championship, but as a rookie driver, the rookie award was something I’ve been focused on trying to achieve.

“At the end of the year when the dust settles, I hope to be in the running for it.”

The rookie award will be announced at the NHRA Awards Ceremony on Nov. 17, a day after the season ends. But there is still plenty to accomplish for Crampton and his Morgan Lucas Racing team.

“I really want to try to do well in these last two races because you never know what next year is going to bring,” Crampton said. “Finishing out the year well and bringing some confidence into next season would be huge. Of course, I want to keep pushing forward and try to win more rounds and more races and take this rookie of the year award home.”

When Crampton talks about highlights for the season, his two victories are at the top of the list. His first career victory in Englishtown, N.J., made him the 100th different winner in the Top Fuel class. But simply getting to drive in Top Fuel has been a season-long highlight for the Australian native who is now a U.S. citizen.

“I just flat-out love rolling into all these racetracks as a driver and getting to drive a Top Fuel dragster down them,” Crampton said. “That’s by far been the most enjoyable part of the year for me, just doing what I dreamed about doing for so long.

“To stand back and look at what I’ve been given the opportunity to do this year, all of that has been remarkable for me.”

Top Fuel qualifying sessions are scheduled for 1:30 and 4:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday. Eliminations begin at 11 a.m., Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all qualifying and elimination action.