Defending Pomona champion Lucas riding high into season opener

(Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Top Fuel driver Morgan Lucas and his GEICO/Lucas Oil teammates are pumped up for this weekend's 52nd annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Winternationals, but surprisingly their enthusiasm isn't based on the fact that Lucas is the defending champion of the traditional season-opening drag race.

"We had the best preseason test we've ever had," Lucas said. "And that's got our confidence up. Granted, the conditions (at the South Florida test) were like Disneyworld but any time you go out there and run career-best numbers several times in a row, it lifts you up.

"Aaron (Brooks) and Rod (Centorbi, crew chiefs) came to the team with a definite gameplan and they've executed it well. The guys are all getting along great and everyone is smiling. In the past, we've gone into Pomona like a work-in-progress. This year we're going in there ready to win."

Brooks and Centorbi joined Morgan Lucas Racing in November; Brooks coming over from R2B2 Racing and Centorbi from the championship-winning race team of Del Worsham. The two men worked together in the past at Al-Anabi Racing under the direction of multi-time champion Alan Johnson.

"They have a professional way of doing things and I like that," Lucas said. "They're also working very closely with our other team, which will only help us all as the season goes along. I think we'll have two great racecars all year."

Lucas' second car -- the MavTV/Lucas Oil dragster -- will be driven by longtime friend Brandon Bernstein, who also joined Morgan Lucas Racing in the off season. Longtime MLR crewmen Joe Barlam and John DeFilippis will tune Bernstein's car.

"We have an entirely new look with both the GEICO dragster and the MavTV dragster," Lucas said. "Plus a new attitude.

"I feel really good about this weekend. I lived in Riverside when I was younger and I've always considered Pomona my home track. It's where I fell in love with the sport. It's also a big race for Lucas Oil because we have a big facility in Corona, so everyone from the shop comes out. And now we have MavTV on board and that's a big deal for us. The excitement is sky-high right now."

Nitro qualifying begins with sessions at 2 p.m. PST on both Thursday and Friday, followed by two more rounds at 11:30 a.m. and 2:15 p.m. Saturday. Eliminations are slated to begin at 11 a.m. Sunday. ESPN2 will carry all the action.