NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

With a 2016 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season that has not gone the way as planned to this point, count Richie Crampton as one who is excited to be heading to Brainerd Int'l Raceway this weekend.

Crampton and his team have made noticeable improvements in recent races, including a runner-up finish in Sonoma, giving the Top Fuel standout added momentum heading to an important race where he is the defending event winner.

"For me, it's just feeding off the confidence of the team in general,” said Crampton. "Brainerd's been exceptionally good to everyone at [Morgan Lucas Racing] over the last few years, and obviously Indianapolis has as well. This is a pretty exciting part of the year for us, and to have a race car that appears to have turned a corner performance-wise gives us the momentum we're going to need to try and make a run at this thing in the last six races of the Countdown."

The race is also the 17th of 24 events in the 2016 season, and after winning five races a season ago, Crampton is still searching for his first this year. That has been a frustrating turn of events for Crampton and his team, led by standout crew chief Aaron Brooks, but the Australia native can sense a turnaround is near. With the Countdown to the Championship looming, it could be coming at a perfect time for Crampton. He has put together solid results at the last two events in fast conditions, giving Crampton confidence he will be able to thrive with whatever comes his way in Brainerd and beyond.

"Over the last two races, we've seen a little bit of warm weather and a little bit of cool weather, and in both of those settings, our Lucas Oil dragster has run pretty good,” said Crampton, who has seven career Top Fuel wins. “That gives me a lot of confidence, knowing Aaron Brooks has got a handle on the race car. We can run really good on a 110-degree racetrack, and we can run really good on an 80-degree racetrack. This is obviously the business time of the year. I’m excited that we know we've got a race car that can work in both conditions.

"I look at the points every week, out of curiosity, but there are so many variables that can change the outcome of any given race that I wouldn't even try to predict where we could be or where someone else could be to begin the Countdown. I pay attention to it, but we really know that if our race car goes rounds, we're going to accrue those valuable points and be sitting in a better position."

Crampton was incredible in Brainerd a year ago to close out a record-setting weekend of action, running an impressive 3.695 at 325.30 mph in the final around against Brittany Force. Cool conditions led to a number of thrilling runs, something that may repeat itself this weekend. Crampton is prepared if that’s the case and going to a race where he has had previous success also provides a boost.