FUNNY CAR ’ S BOB TASCA III , PAUL LEE SUPPORT SCOREBOARD RELOCATION
Under the ownership of Victor Alvarez , Bradenton Motorsports Park has seen numerous high-level improvement projects since Alvarez bought the track in 2018 . The PRO group was immediately impressed with the facility during the initial site visits , but they did find a couple areas that needed to be addressed before hosting 11,000-horsepower Top Fuel dragsters and Funny Cars capable of running more than 330 MPH in 1,000 feet .
One of those projects involved moving the timing scoreboards away from the race course . The scoreboard posts were previously just a few feet away from the retaining walls on either side of the track . The posts are now around 40 feet away , creating a safer environment for the racers competing in the PRO Superstar Shootout .
Funny Car drivers and PRO board members Bob Tasca III and Paul Lee partnered to sponsor the scoreboard relocation project through their businesses , TascaParts . com and FTI Performance , respectively . Both brands appeared on the scoreboards during the PRO Superstar Shootout and will remain as the lane sponsors through the end of the 2024 season .
On Friday night , Tasca made history in the TascaParts . com lane when he recorded his earth-rattling 341.68 MPH blast in final qualifying , further proving that today ’ s Funny Cars are nothing like the ones that ran at Bradenton in the last three decades of the 20th century .
“ Safety is absolutely paramount for us ,” said Tasca , the vice president of the Tasca Automotive Group . “ Moving the scoreboards out was one of the big safety projects . This was also an opportunity for me to put TascaParts . com on the boards .”
Lee , whose Wharton Automotive Group acquired DeLand , Florida-based FTI Performance in 2019 , similarly saw both short-term and long-term benefits behind the scoreboard relocation project .
“ This is another way to give back ,” Lee said . “ Bradenton is in FTI country , so we want to have our name out there to our customers . More importantly , moving the scoreboards away from the track solves an important safety concern and helps the track , especially with Top Fuel cars running at the PRO race .” DI
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