FRAM/Prestone team runner-up at Texas Motorplex

ENNIS, Texas (Sept. 23, 2012) - For the second year in a row, Spencer Massey will leave his home track, Texas Motorplex, as a runner-up.

Spencer Massey

Photo by: NHRA

Since the Countdown to the Championship began last week near Charlotte, Massey has had his sights on one thing: Get the points lead.

Although he shares it with Brown, who defeated him in the final round Sunday, Massey is just happy he's still got a shot at a season championship after finishing second a year ago.

It wasn't an easy route to the final as Massey had to face fellow Texan and Countdown contender Steve Torrence in the opening round, DSR teammate and former points leader Tony Schumacher in the second round and Brandon Bernstein in the semifinals.

"Obviously I wanted to win but making it to the finals for the second year in a row here, that's not bad," Massey said. "Obviously my goal today was to not lose any points and get behind. We're tied for first place, so I think our goal here was accomplished."

Eliminations were run on the all-concrete dragstrip where temperatures exceeded 130 degrees and crew chiefs Todd Okuhara and Phil Shuler earned their paychecks.

"It was a hot, greasy racetrack," said Massey, who has won four titles this year. "It was a driver's day because you had to be ready for anything and it was a tuner's day because it was such a challenge. I got to the final round on a pedal fest."

Massey could've been considered an underdog on Sunday because the FRAM/Prestone dragster team started eliminations from the bottom half of the field, in the 10th spot.

"We just got behind on Friday in qualifying, and it put us behind the eight ball," he said. "It doesn't really matter though. As long as you're in the 16-car field, you can win and we almost did.

"It's just one of those deals where every once in a while you're going to have a weekend where you don't have a perfect run on Friday night and it puts you lower than you want to be going into race day. But as long as you're in, you can win."

Source: Don Schumacher Racing