TOPEKA, Kan. – Former two-time NHRA
Division 5 Top Alcohol Dragster Champion Mark Taliaferro will return to his
blown ‘roots’ with his Markco Machine Works sponsored team during next
weekend’s Kansas Nationals at Heartland Park in Topeka, Kan. Taliaferro, who has campaigned an A/Fuel
dragster for the past three seasons will be returning to a blown alcohol
combination with a brand-new Chip Nielsen chassis tuned by Tom Conway.
Taliaferro, from Odessa, Texas, returned
to the Top Alcohol Dragster class with a Conway tuned A/Fuel Dragster in 2010
after taking 12 years off to focus on his family and business. He scored two divisional wins and two
national event runner-ups since returning to competition. He finished a career-best 8th nationally last
season.
With the resurgence of the blown alcohol
combination, Taliaferro felt the urge to go back to the combination he raced
throughout the ‘90’s with, winning two Division 5 Championships and one
national event. He last drove a blown
car in 1998.
“We did a lot of homework on the class
when we looked at coming back in a couple years ago,” said Taliaferro. “At the time, the A/Fuel combination was
definitely the way to go. Over the past
few years, the blown cars have definitely become competitive with the A/Fuel
cars. I had a lot of fun driving my
blown car back years ago. After watching
Whiteley and Demke last year, we decided to make the switch.”
Taliaferro cites that getting Conway on
board to make the switch closed the deal.
“I have had Tom as my tuner going back
years ago when we raced the blown car,” stated Taliaferro. “We didn’t want to do it without him. He has done a lot of homework over the winter
studying what has changed since he last raced a blown car.”
The team had hoped to get the car in
time to test before Topeka, but after encountering several setbacks getting the
blown car completed, the first qualifier on Friday will be Mark’s first lap in a
blown car in nearly 15 years.
“Obviously we would have liked to test,”
explained Taliaferro. “The reality is we
are going to be working late nights just to get the car done for Topeka. I have no doubt we have the right people and
pieces on the car. I may be the biggest
variable in this deal. It’s been a long
time since I’ve driven a blown car.
Hopefully we can go make a respectable showing and get some good data to
build on. I really have to thank all the
work my team has put into getting this car together along with the support of
our sponsors Markco Machine Works, W74 Oil Tools and MCO Construction. Without a good team and support from our
sponsors this would not be possible.”
Qualifying begins next Friday and final
eliminations will conclude the event on Sunday.
Markco Machine Works is an API Licensee
for manufacture of new Blow Out Preventers, as well as re-manufacture and
repair of blowout preventers. Markco
also manufactures wellhead equipment and is a supplier of BOP replacement
parts. Find out more at www.markcomachineworks.com
W74 Oil Tools is your one-stop resource
for downhole fishing tools and oilfield support services. Located in the Permian Basin of West Texas,
one of the largest oilfields in North America, we have over 35 years of fishing
tool experience. Through decades of
servicing national and independent companies, we have established a name
representing quality and reliability.
Find out more at www.w74.com
MCO Construction, leaders in oilfield
fabrication and maintenance, was established in 1975. Along with fabrication and maintenance, MCO
offers services in pipe cleaning, reclamation systems and CNC plasma cutting
and machining. Find out more at
www.MCOConstruction.com
No comments:
Post a Comment