Permatex/Follow a Dream Team Back On Track With Semifinal Finish

Courtesy of Jay Blake

Marstons Mills, MA – October 5, 2011-With a career-best performance, Jay Blake's Permatex/Follow A Dream team reached the Top Alcohol Funny Car semifinals in its first national event appearance since the Chicago event in July. At the Auto-Plus NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway, driver Todd Veney made three consecutive runs in the 5.50s, including a career-best 5.548, and advanced to the semifinals, where he fell to Frank Manzo, who clinched the national championship with a world-record run.

"We've got our race car back," Blake said. "The car made a solid run right out of the box, and it just got better from there."

Veney ran a 5.68 off the trailer, followed by a 5.66 and, in the final qualifying session, a 5.56 at 260 mph, the team's best run since the Charlotte event in April. In the first round, Veney recorded a 5.548, bettering the 5.549 the team ran in the same round of the same race last year, in a win over Division 1 rival Eric Lourie.

A 5.56 in the quarterfinals took care of veteran Dan Pomponio, setting up a match with Manzo, who needed to win that round to clinch his record 15th championship. Veney lost traction not far off the line and Manzo advanced with a 5.411.

"It was great to be back in the 5.50s again," Veney said. "So many little things have bitten us in the last few races, but no one on this team ever doubted that we'd be back, and now we are."

Television coverage of the event will be on ESPN2 Sunday, Oct. 9 at 3 p.m.

The team's final race of the season will be at the Division 2 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event at Silver Dollar Raceway in Reynolds, Ga., Oct. 15-16. Veney remains ninth in the national standings, but is just two rounds out of the top five.