Tasca Racing brought confidence and a proven combination into this weekend’s NHRA Virginia Nationals, returning to the chassis that delivered a No. 1 qualifier and a final-round appearance at this same track last season. Under sweltering conditions at Virginia Motorsports Park, the team’s decision paid off immediately with a string of strong runs and a competitive performance throughout qualifying and eliminations.
Bob Tasca III piloted the PPG nitro Mustang Dark Horse Funny Car to a smooth 4.113-second pass at 310.48 mph during Friday’s opening session, placing the team in the No. 8 spot. The second round of qualifying saw another full pull
at 4.138 seconds, though the car appeared to lose a cylinder early. On Saturday night, Tasca delivered his best run of the weekend, 4.047 seconds at 319.75 mph, securing the No. 7 qualifying position heading into race day.
“The car picked up right where it left off last year,” said Tasca. “Running a 4.04 in the hottest conditions we’ve seen all season says a lot about this team. I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished so far.”
On Sunday, Tasca faced Spencer Hyde in round one and powered to a decisive 4.055-second run at 319.14 mph, advancing to the second round of eliminations. The car was aggressive, consistent, and clearly capable of going rounds.
Round two matched Tasca up against Austin Prock, and on paper, Tasca had the winning run with a 4.141 to Prock’s 4.166. But the victory didn’t hold, Tasca was disqualified after the car spun the tires near 900 feet and drifted just
enough to clip the finish line cone with the header. “I tried to get it back in the groove, but it pulled too quick,” Tasca said. “Tough second-round loss for this team.”
The return to the 2024 chassis paid off in performance and consistency. The team made three full qualifying passes and ran strong on race day. Despite the heartbreak in round two, Tasca Racing showed signs of returning to form, and
the data collected under extreme conditions gives the crew something to build on as the season heats up.
