Dirt
MARK PAWUK
I need to get used to – knowing how to finesse
the car and get it down the track.
Leah Pritchett and Kevin Helms have
been working together this year, now you’ve
had a chance to get to know them a bit. Talk
a little bit about the dynamics of the team.
I think it’s going to be awesome. Leah stayed
Monday after the race in Charlotte, helped
me get used to the car, and gave me advice
on how to get it down the racetrack. She was
a big help for me. I never really knew Kevin
before, but he has a stellar resume, and he’s
awesome. Me being the “old gun” and Leah
being the “young gun,” I think we’ll mesh well
together. I think we can learn from each other
and be a very competitive team. Hopefully,
we’ll win some races.
You’ll race five events this year. What are
your plans for beyond 2018?
You know, I haven’t really thought about it
yet. I really like that NHRA is giving the class
some attention, and I think these cars could
be the wave of the future. It’s great to see all
three manufacturers back in the sport and
being competitive. Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge,
they’re all there. It’s great for the sport, and
it’s great for the fans. As far as my future, I
want to see how this year goes.
You’re a pro with plenty of experience be-
hind the wheel, but are you a little nervous?
Oh yeah, I’m nervous. But I think it’s good
to be nervous. You can never take anything for
granted. You have to have a lot of respect for
these race cars, because they can control you
very easily. I hope I can do a good job, and I
don’t know if I still have it after 11 years, but
I’m looking forward to it. I know I’ll gain more
confidence as we go, and hopefully I’ll win a
few rounds.
DI DI DI
DI DI DI DI
DI DI DI
The ‘Giant Killer’ Returns
Doug Foley goes A/Fuel racing after selling racing experience business
By Nate Van Wagnen
40 | D r a g
I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
at two NHRA Lucas Oil Series divisional races
and the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals near Char-
lotte. He qualified on the bump spot at his debut
race at Virginia Motorsports Park, anchoring the
quickest field in class history with a 5.26-second
performance. The Mooresville, North Caroli-
na-based driver followed that up with a No. 1
qualifying effort and runner-up finish at his next
divisional race at Maple Grove Raceway. Suddenly,
what was originally planned as a “building year”
was shaping up to be something more.
Speaking from the 24-home subdivision he’s
developing, Foley spoke with Drag Illustrated
about selling his business and going racing again.
What inspired you to ease out of the racing
experience business?
I think it was more the traveling than anything
else. I enjoyed the work. It was a lot of fun seeing
people have the opportunity to do something
Issue 134
D
oug Foley went into the 2018
season with a whole bunch of free
weekends to go racing. For the first
time in 20 years, the former NHRA
and IHRA Top Fuel standout didn’t have to worry
about spending his weekends teaching people
how to drag race through his Pure Speed Drag
Racing Experience, as he sold the business to the
owner of the Rusty Wallace Racing Experience.
Foley didn’t plan on spending his newly found
free time relaxing at home or on a boat. He final-
ized a schedule for his new Top Alcohol Dragster
operation, put together with longtime racing
partner Tim Lewis. Foley had a nitromethane-
injected A/Fuel dragster assembled by Anthony
Dicero using a Don Schumacher Racing-built
chassis, formerly destined for Top Fuel compe-
tition as a backup car for Rod Fuller. He tasked
second-generation A/Fuel guru Shane Conway
with the tuning duties.
As of early June, Foley and team had competed