Lucas Oil pro Richie Crampton heads back to Englishtown with confidence, momentum
ENGLISHTOWN, NJ- Not even Hollywood could have scripted Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Richie Crampton’s first 
career victory a year ago.
Less than two weeks after the birth of his first child, a daughter named Emma, Crampton raced in the Toyota NHRA Summernationals at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park. His father, Alan, was also on hand, staying in the United States after a trip from Australia to be there for Emma’s birth.
In the first round, Crampton noticed a flat right-front tire after the burnout, but he drove the three-wheeled car to a victory. The rookie then knocked off J.R. Todd, Shawn Langdon, and Doug Kalitta en route to his first win.
“It was truly a dream come true winning in Englishtown at such a historic racetrack,” Crampton said. “That was an amazing day. From running the first round without one of the front tires on the race car to ending up in the winner’s circle with my dad on hand at a Toyota-sponsored event, it was awesome.
“I never knew if I would win a Top Fuel drag race, and all my Christmases came at once last year in Englishtown. I’m excited to get back there. I’ve got a real soft spot for it.”
Crampton also was the 100th driver to win in Top Fuel and the second Australian. He brings additional momentum for the 2015 Toyota NHRA Summernationals, as he won the most recent NHRA race at Heartland Park Topeka.
“The confidence is up there,” Crampton said. “We love Englishtown and hope to score back-to-back wins. That would be amazing for me. To win a Toyota race again would just be amazing. I shared the winner’s circle with Cruz (Pedregon), who is also a Toyota team driver, so hopefully we do that again.”
Crampton’s Topeka victory was his fourth win in the calendar year since Englishtown, behind only Tony Schumacher and Antron Brown.
“Coming off a win in Topeka and going back to the place where I won my first event and became No. 100 on that list is pretty awesome,” Crampton said. “It’s hard to keep that momentum rolling when you win a race, so I’m excited to get there and see how we go.
“I definitely have a bit more spring in my step. It’s good to get wins and it’s huge for everyone. Being the driver, I still consider myself a rookie and I’m trying to learn more and more and more. To get a couple of wins early in 2015 has been a really good feeling, and I’m really confident we can continue to do it.”
Crampton won in the heat in Las Vegas earlier this year, and crew chief Aaron Brooks then tuned the winning car in cool conditions in Topeka. Crampton is up to third in the Top Fuel standings, and he willingly gives credit to Brooks.
“I believe our Lucas Oil team has a great all-around package right now,” Crampton said. “Aaron Brooks has obviously shown to do very well for us in cool-weather conditions, but we’ve always seen some very good times laid down by our team in hot-weather races as well.
“We’re expecting some warmer weather in New Jersey, and I think to key to going some rounds will be that hot-weather tune-up that I am extremely confident Aaron Brooks has.”
Qualifying for the Toyota NHRA Summernationals takes place at 4:30 and 7 p.m. ET, Friday, and 2 and 4:30 p.m., Saturday. Elimination racing begins at 11 a.m., Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all of the action.
After winning at the most recent NHRA event, Lucas Oil Top Fuel driver Richie Crampton brings additional momentum to this weekend’s Toyota NHRA Summernationals in Englishtown.
