Three-time NHRA Funny Car champion Robert Hight took over the controls of the Bristol Motor Speedway Pace Car Saturday morning and mashed the gas on the red, white and blue Chevy Camaro SS to log some laps around the iconic half-mile that’s been the home to so much NASCAR history.
Hight, who is the provisional No. 1 qualifier for this weekend’s NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals in his 12,000-horsepower Auto Club Chevy Camaro, says he enjoyed turning left for several laps on the high-banked all-concrete bullring.
“It’s amazing, it’s so much fun,” Hight said. “I wish I was better at it. I’ve ridden around here with some NASCAR drivers before and they’re awesome. One of these days I’d like to go take some lessons and learn a little bit. To do this for 500 laps, I’m a little dizzy right now. What’s amazing to me is that I will watch this race on TV and those guys will run right along the wall. I can’t imagine doing that, inches off that wall all the way around it’s insane. I still have to get here for a race because that would be a lot of fun.”
Hight, who won at Bristol Dragway in 2011, is having a great season in the NHRA Camping World Series this year with three wins in five final rounds.
Saturday’s final two qualifying rounds remain scheduled for 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for noon on Sunday, June 19.
Friday’s 90-minute qualifying show will air on FS1 at 8 p.m. (ET), and be followed by a one-hour Saturday qualifying highlights show at 11 p.m. (ET), also on FS1. Sunday’s three-hour final eliminations show will air at 3 p.m. (ET) on FOX.
Enough with the multi-colored neck ties and fancy pocket protectors, there's still time to purchase tickets and give your Dad an unforgettable Father's Day weekend experience. Weekend packages begin at just $94 while single-day Friday tickets start as low as $30 for adults. Saturday adult tickets start at $47 and Sunday’s tickets start at $37. Kids 12 and under tickets are free each day in grandstand sections A-U with a paid adult.
To purchase your reserved seats, call Bristol Dragway at (423) 989-6900. Tickets also are available online at www.bristoldragway.com. NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals tickets are available by visiting the Bristol Motor Speedway website or by calling the Bristol Motor Speedway ticket office at 866-415-4158.
