LAS VEGAS (April 3, 2019) — Robert Hight and the Auto Club of Southern California Chevy Camaro SS Funny Car team are headed to the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas ready to add another Wally to their roster.
With the points lead, two victories and three consecutive No. 1 qualifiers, Hight has had a stellar start to the 2019 Mello Yello Drag Racing season. At the most recent 50th anniversary Gatornationals, he posted the quickest time of the weekend in the Funny Car class with a 3.852 and made history as the first racer since Kenny Bernstein in 1987 to have three No. 1s in the first three races of the season. Heading to Sin City for the fourth event, Hight is eager to continue leading the power rankings and, with Jimmy Prock, Chris Cunningham and the Auto Club of Southern California team keeping his car consistent that doesn’t seem far out of reach for the two-time Funny Car world champion.
“It’s pretty awesome to drive a car like this. Sometimes you count your blessings because you don’t know how long it’s going to last and things change. It really all boils down to hard work. Qualifying No. 1 at the first three races shows we have a really good handle on this race car. We’ve been quick everywhere we’ve been,” said Hight. “I really have to give it up to Jimmy Prock and Chris Cunningham, and my Auto Club guys. They’ve really put in the work to make this thing go rounds and I can’t wait to see how it does at the Four-Wide in Las Vegas.”
At last year’s inaugural Four-Wide event at The Strip, Hight didn’t have the showing the Auto Club team has gotten used to, they were the No. 12 qualifiers and had a first-round exit after the 11,000-horsepower Funny Car went up in smoke at the start. However, prior to the four-wide format, Hight has been successful at the facility which is visited by the Mello Yello series both in the spring and fall. He has a total of five wins and seven No. 1 qualifiers including three wins and four No. 1s at the spring event. He’s also seen success in the four-wide format at Charlotte where he’s won twice.
“The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is always a great race and we’ve seen success there in the two-wide format so I’m looking forward to getting there. Last year was the first time we’ve done a four-wide at the facility and we didn’t run like we had hoped for but we have a better idea going in and with the way things are going so far this season I think we can get a win,” said Hight. “It was another long two weeks off so I’m ready to get this thing going.”
Qualifying at the DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA Four-Wide Nationals starts Friday and Saturday with sessions at 1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. both days. Eliminations are scheduled to begin Sunday at 12 p.m. NHRA coverage will be on FOX Sports 1 (FS1) Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET and Sunday at 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. ET.