MARSTONS MILLS, Massachusetts (May 27, 2017) – The Permatex Top Alcohol Funny Car/ Follow A Dream reaped a strong semifinal finish at this past weekend’s Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio.

With rain on Friday shortening the number of qualifying efforts from three to two, driver Phil Burkart qualified ninth for the event.

Burkart reached the semifinals and faced Andy Bohl. While Burkart had a better reaction time (0.053 vs. Bohl’s 0.074), his Chevrolet Camaro spun the tires about 200 feet into the run, allowing Bohl to take the win.
Burkart recorded a 258.32 mph/6.683 second pass, while Bohl had a winning 271.02 mph/5.514 second pass to advance to the final round.

“(Crew chief Anthony Terenzio) had the right setup and we ran real good, but just a touch aggressive in the semi’s and we spun the tires,” Follow A Dream team owner Jay Blake said.

At the same time, Blake said his team continued to learn more about how the car performs, what it likes and what it may use going forward for even better results and outcomes.

“Every time you make a lap, you learn more information,” Blake said. “Every lap is different so you’re always learning things you can carry forward.

“The more rounds you run, the more information you gain.”

Prior to the Norwalk race, Blake and his team visited the Permatex facility in Solon, Ohio. Then, a number of Permatex employees came out to the track during the weekend to cheer the team on. Also, the team welcomed visitors from the Travel Centers of America Service group.

Next on the Permatex /Follow A Dream team’s racing schedule is this weekend’s divisional race at Lebanon Valley Dragway in West Lebanon, New York. Blake is hoping for big things: his team has won four of the last five divisional races it has competed in at Lebanon Valley.

“Last year we won this race, so we’re hoping for another repeat,” Blake said. “The folks in Division I and there at Lebanon Valley do a great job prepping the track.”

After this weekend’s race at Lebanon Valley, the team hits the road again for the following weekend’s (July 7-9) NHRA national event at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet, Illinois – about 50 miles southwest of downtown Chicago.
That race holds special significance as it will include the Jegs All-Star Race, an event within an event, that Blake and the rest of the Follow A Dream team have a good shot at winning.

Another thing Blake is looking forward to will be after the Chicago race when he visits and gives a speech at the Illinois Tool Works headquarters – parent company of Permatex.

“We’ve got a lot of exciting things coming up in the next few weeks,” Blake said.