Vital Statistics Driver:Morgan Lucas
Date of birth:November 27, 1983
Hometown:Brownsburg, IN
Sponsor/Car:GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster
Crew Chief:Jimmy Walsh
Career Wins:13 (Top Fuel 3, Top Alcohol 10)
Career Final Rounds:20 (Top Fuel 7, Top Alcohol Dragster 13)
Career Best Elapsed Time:4.474 seconds (quarter mile)
3.814 seconds (1,000 feet)
Career Best Speed:333.33 mph (quarter mile)
316.90 mph (1,000 feet)

Top Fuel driver and multi-car team owner Morgan Lucas is driven by the challenge of competing at the top level of professional drag racing. But it was his love of the drag racing community itself that spurred his career choice. His incredible will to win came later.

"Me and my dad went to the NHRA Finals in Pomona when I was 10," Lucas said. "I remember pulling into the track and before we even got out of the car I heard this roar and my whole body shook. It was a Top Fuel dragster going down the track. I couldn't get out of the car fast enough to see what it was all about.

"The cars were awesome but what I liked even more was how friendly the drivers were. We went around and met them all and everyone was so nice. I was like, 'Fast cars, cool people, I like this deal.'"

The following year, Lucas and his hot rod-loving father Forrest returned to Pomona where young Morgan had a fateful meeting with an up-and-coming driver named Darrell Russell. Little did Morgan know then how the rising drag racing star would affect his life.

"I was getting Darrell's autograph and he was so nice to me," Lucas said. "He even went in his trailer and got this front wheel that he had bent and asked me if I wanted it. I was blown away. He made such an impression on me. I got him to sign it and then I spent the rest of the weekend getting all the other drivers to sign it. To this day, it's my most prized possession. I've been offered me a lot of money for that wheel but I would never sell it."

Completely enthralled with the sport from that day forward, Lucas followed a well-worn path to the professional ranks, taking the logical growth steps through Junior Dragsters, Super Comp dragsters, and Top Alcohol Dragsters before finally reaching the Top Fuel class.

"My first car was a Junior Dragster that was a replica of Mike Dunn's La Victoria Salsa dragster," Lucas said. "I didn't win a race but I learned how to be competitive in that car.

"After that I worked on Jason Rupert's Top Alcohol Funny Car. He really taught me what it takes to be successful in racing and how much work is involved. It was great experience to start from the bottom and work my way up."

Within a week of turning 16, Lucas earned his Super Comp license and began racing a car capable of covering the quarter-mile in 8.9 seconds at 175 mph, teaming with the likes of established racers Tom Bayer and Shawn Langdon to gain as much experience as possible.

In 2002, Lucas took the next step and moved up to the renowned Darien and Meadows Top Alcohol Dragster, a hot rod capable of 5.2-second runs at 275 mph. By this point, Lucas had learned how to race and win and he did so with regularity over the next two seasons.

"We qualified No. 1 at our very first race in Seattle and then did it again the following weekend in Sonoma (Calif.) only that time we closed the deal and won the race," Lucas said. "That car was awesome. We won Indy in 2003, and won four races in a row two different times. We almost won the world title but ended up second to Alan Bradshaw."

Midway through 2004, Morgan's favorite driver, Russell, lost his life in a tragic accident at the St. Louis event. As the sport mourned, Lucas contemplated his own future.

"It shook me up," said Lucas, the youngest of Lucas Oil founders Forrest and Charlotte Lucas' seven children. "I think all of us started having doubts about doing this after Darrell died. But we all got through it together.

"A few months later we were racing up in Woodburn, Oregon, when (Russell's crew chief) Wayne Dupuy called. He said they wanted to keep racing and they wanted me to drive Darrell's Top Fuel car. It was one of those phone calls you never forget."

Lucas has since honored Russell's memory by becoming one of the best drivers in the sport. His GEICO Powersports/Lucas Oil dragster, as well as teammate Langdon's Lucas Oil/Speedco dragster, now threaten for the title of every race.

In 2009, both Lucas and Langdon reached the playoffs and contended for the Full Throttle championship late into the season.

"This is my family out here," Lucas said. "It's where I belong. I knew it when I was 10 years old and I feel so lucky to be living my dream. I hope it never ends."

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

2008:

  • Finished 12th in Top Fuel championship standings on the strength of three semifinal appearances
  • Pulled double-duty on numerous occasions by driving his Top Alcohol Dragster at several races

2007:

  • Finished 15th in NHRA POWERade Top Fuel standings
  • Four semifinal appearances (Las Vegas1, Brainerd, Reading, Las Vegas2)
  • Recorded win/loss record of 10-16, now has accumulated a 68 – 69 win/loss career total.
  • Reset career best Miles-Per-Hour 330.47 mph at the Auto Club NHRA Finals in the fourth round of qualifying at Pomona, Ca.

2006:

  • Finished 11th in NHRA POWERade Top Fuel standings
  • Five semifinal round appearances (Pomona1, Atlanta, Topeka, Brainerd, Memphis)
  • Raced to his 100th career round (Quarterfinals – Brainerd).
  • Recorded win/loss record of 17 – 22, now has accumulated a 58 – 53 win/loss career total.

2005:

  • Three final round appearances: Checkers Schuck's Kragen Nationals at Firebird Raceway in Phoenix; Sears-Craftsman Nationals at Gateway International Raceway in Madison, Ill.; and Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway in Denver.
  • Finished fifth in the NHRA POWERade Top Fuel point standings with 1,357 points.
  • Earned two Budweiser Low E.T. awards. He qualified his Lucas Oil Dragster in the No. 1 position at the Summit Racing Southern Nationals at Atlanta Dragway (May, 14) after running 4.541 seconds, 326.40 MPH.  He claimed his second at the ACDelco Nationals on "The Strip" at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway rocketing down the quarter-mile to a time of 4.508 seconds, 324.36 MPH (Oct. 22).
  • Set career best elapsed time: 4.474 seconds in Pomona, Calif. (Feb. 12) at the season opening CarQuest Winternationals.
  • Set career best speed: 328.94 MPH at Heartland Park Topeka for the running of the O'Reilly Summernationals (May 29)
  • Amassed a 29-23 win/loss record - 56 per cent proficiency record

2004:

  • Began professional Top Fuel career at 23rd annual Lucas Oil Products NHRA Nationals in Brainerd, Minn., August 15, 2004.
  • Earned runner-up finishes at ACDelco Las Vegas NHRA Nationals and Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in Pomona, Ca.
  • Set career E.T. - 4.519 ET (Nov. Pomona), MPH - 326.08 MPH (Nov. Pomona)
  • Lucas finished 15th in NHRA Top Fuel category, eighth in Lucas Oil Top Alcohol point standings and third in Division 7 regional championship.
  • Winner of four Lucas Oil Drag Racing series National Event titles:: Summitracing.com Nationals (Las Vegas1), Fram-Autolite Nationals (Sonoma, Ca.), Lucas Oil Nationals (Brainerd, Minn.), and Lucas Oil Nationals (Reading, Pa.).
  • Earned one low qualifier National Event award: Lucas Oil Products Nationals, Brainerd, Minn.
  • One divisional six event win (Seattle)
  • Had Three No. 1 Qualifiers - Lucas Oil divisional events (Bakersfield, Ca, Division 7, Woodburn, Ore.-Division 6, Seattle - Division 6)
  • Has a total of 10 National event alcohol wins in11 final rounds

2003:

  • First full season behind the wheel of the Jerry Darien and Ken Meadows owned Top Alcohol Dragster; competed in 10 national events and seven divisional events
  • Earned six low qualifier awards; K&N Filters Winternationals (Pomona), O'Reilly Spring Nationals (Houston), Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 event (Sonoma), Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 6 event (Woodburn, OR), Carquest Auto Parts Nationals (Seattle), and Mac Tools U.S. Nationals (Indianapolis)
  • Winner of two Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 events; Firebird International Raceway (Phoenix) and Infineon Raceway (Sonoma)
  • Winner of four national event titles; Mac Tools U.S. Nationals (Indianapolis), Carquest Auto Parts Nationals (Chicago), O'Reilly Fall Nationals (Dallas) and Auto Club of Southern California Finals (Pomona)
  • Earned first Mac Tools U.S. Nationals title from the pole position
  • Became only the third Top Alcohol Dragster driver in NHRA history to win both the national event and the Jeg's All-Stars race held at Route 66 Raceway in Chicago
  • Top Alcohol Dragster Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 Champion
  • Finished No. 2 in the national point standings.

2002:

  • Competed in Super Comp the first half of the season posting two wins in the Super Comp Association.
  • Competed in six events in the Top Alcohol Dragster class driving for Jerry Darien and Ken Meadows.
  • Earned five Low Qualifier awards in Top Alcohol Dragster; Lucas Oil Northwest Nationals (Seattle), Fram/Autolite Nationals (Sonoma), Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 event (Medford, OR and Las Vegas), and the Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals (Pomona).
  • Earned two National events wins in Top Alcohol Dragster; Fram/Autolite NHRA Nationals (Sonoma), Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals (Pomona), and one Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 "Summer Nights of Fire" (Pomona).
  • Finished runner-up at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Division 7 event in Las Vegas.
  • Ranked 18th in the national points standing in the Top Alcohol Dragster class in 2002.
Personal
Hero: Dad, Dale Earnhardt and Boris Said
Proudest Moment:  Winning the Auto Club of Southern California Finals in 2002 and setting the national elapsed time record
Marital status: Single
Education: Riverside Community College (two years)
Youngest professional driver on the NHRA circuit
Favorite TV Programs:Family Guy, NHRA Lucas Oil “On The Edge”
Favorite Movies: Super Badd
Favorite Movie Stars: Chris Farley, Mike Myers, Adam Sandler, Will Ferrell
Favorite Sport: Basketball, Football
Favorite Vacation Spot: Fiji
Favorite Food: Italian, Japanese
Favorite Groups: Incubus, Linkin Park, As tall as lions, and U2
Hobbies: Racing, Watching Indianapolis Colts football
If you weren't racing: Working for the Family
Youngest professional driver on the NHRA circuit