NHRA - National Hot Rod Association

As the current Funny Car points leader, Bob Tasca III is prepared for the long haul this season. The goal is to be ready and have the car at its best when the Countdown to the Championship begins, but along the way, Tasca wouldn’t mind picking up a few more marquee wins.

This weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk qualifies as that, especially considering Tasca is the race winner from the 2019 race.

That victory cemented his status as a championship contender after his return to full-time Funny Car racing in 2018, and this weekend marks an ideal time to start his summer right and continue what he’s built to open the 2021 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season.

“You look at the calendar every year, and you’re plugging in the dates of the races, and there are events you always circle,” Tasca said. “You always want to win a four-wide race, and winning in Atlanta and being the last Funny Cars to go down the track, that was pretty cool. It’s all about building memories, and we’re off to a great start.”

There’s been no denying that, as Tasca won the four-wide race in Las Vegas and followed it up with his triumph in Atlanta, leading the Funny Car standings for the first time in his career.

He’s maintained a strong pace for the first six races, but he’s also wary to not use up all his winning bullets before the playoffs begin in September.

“You need a couple in your back pocket for the end of the year,” Tasca said.

Of course, that doesn’t take away any importance of winning races in the regular season. John Force has pulled within 15 points of Tasca thanks to victories in two of his last three races, and when considering Tasca’s win over Force in the Atlanta finals, it could be a preview of a thrilling championship duel between the drivers.

Tasca, though, is focused on continuing to put together strong runs as the temperature changes. If he’s able to make strong runs in all conditions, it only improves his chances to compete for a first world title.

“Already this year, we’ve thrown down in killer sessions and won races in the heat,” Tasca said. “We’ve checked those boxes, and I know we’re not a one-trick pony, but going into these next several months, we want to get a handle on hot-weather tracks. We’ve spent a lot of time testing and getting this set up where we want to be, and while we’ve got a couple of wins, we’re not resting on our laurels. We want to keep getting better.”

Tasca already knows the winning formula in Norwalk, putting on an impressive display at Summit Racing Equipment Motorsports Park in 2019. That gives him added confidence for the weekend, and Tasca views it as another opportunity to do well and build toward something even bigger on what’s shaping up to be a special season.

“I’m privileged to be surrounded by this great crew that’s led by Mike Neff. I give them all the credit,” Tasca said. “We’ve worked hard in the offseason, and I’ve done some of my best driving because I know how good the car is.

“But it’s a long season, and the goal has always been to be in the top five going into the Countdown. We want to be prepared for the long haul because I know this team is championship-caliber.”