Pro Stock Bike Top 10

National Dragster, Jul 23, 2004

Midseason overview: Phillips split with former partner Kevin Calmes this year and is racing on his own with a budget he claims is a fraction of what the top teams have. Phillips' crew also varies from race to race and often consists of friends from his hometown, Baton Rouge, La. Despite the limitations, he has managed to maintain a spot in the top 10, primarily due to his riding ability, which is widely respected in the class.

Quotebook: "Things are going pretty well right now; I'm managing to get by. My biggest concern is trying not break anything because I don't have a lot of spares. I don't lean on it unless I really have to, but I can still run with anyone."

Season highlight: "Getting to the semi's in Atlanta and Chicago. I should have won both of those races. I had the best bike in Atlanta; I qualified second and was No. 1 until Angelle came around me in the last session. That was my race to win."

Season low: "I broke an engine in Englishtown because I didn't put in the oil-pump gear. That really hurt. Beginning the year with three firstround losses was not good, either."

Looking ahead: "Joe Vanderbrink and the Vance & Hines team have given me two good engines, so I know my bike will be fast; it's just a matter of having the budget to stay out here. Right now, it's a little thin, but I hope I can make the rest of the races. If I'm out here, I know I can win some rounds."

Midseason overview: No Pro Stock Bike racer has had higher highs or lower lows this year than Stoffer. After riding her GEICO Cycle-Gard Suzuki to a win in Houston, she was involved in a devastating crash in Columbus. Stoffer was not injured, but it proved to be a major setback for the team. Riding a borrowed bike, she failed to qualify at two of the next three races.

Quotebook: "After everything we've been through, I feel good that we're strong enough to still be out here. I have a lot of support from my team and from the fans, and that's one of reasons we're still here. Racing is tough, but if it were easy, a lot more people would do it."

Season highlight: "Winning in Houston was huge. My husband Gary and I had won on the divisional level, but to do it as a Pro was even more than I had imagined. The fact that Gary and I and [team owners] Doug and Debbie Johnson all won our first one together made it even more special."

Season low: "Obviously, crashing in Columbus was a major setback. At this point, finances are the weakest link in our team, and that was costly. Once I realized I wasn't hurt, my first thought was how much it was going to cost."

Looking ahead: "I'm looking for no more downs and a lot more ups from here on. We've rebuilt our old bike, and I'm looking forward to getting it back on track. I'm not that far behind in the points, and my main goal is to ride well again. We just want to get back to where we were at the start of the season."