Joe Welch Takes First Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown No. 1 Qualifier at NHRA Route 66 Nationals
May 21, 2023
JOLIET, Ill. (May 20, 2023) – Joe Welch and his Joe Welch Racing DragPak took the inaugural No. 1 qualifying spot in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown at the Gerber Glass & Collision NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway bettering the rest of the Chevrolet COPO Camaros, Ford Cobra Jets and Dodge Challenger Drag Paks.
Welch earned his first No. 1 of the season with a 7.636-second pass at 181.64 mph in the second session with an engine malfunction. The Joe Welch Racing Dodge ran 7.806 at 179.85 in the first qualifying session on Friday but due to his engine problems in the second session, was unable to make the call for the third session.
“I love seeing this crowd in Chicago. I just love the fans. And the fans love this class. They come by and they remember the old days of Pro Stock when they were real cars. Fans come up and ask. ‘Can I sit in it? or can I touch it?’ We tell them sure, and we really appreciate the attention and support,” Welch said. “After NHRA made the horsepower adjustment (changing the upper supercharger pulley on the Dodge Drag Pak from 3.375 inches to 3.500 inches), we’ve had to make a wealth of changes to the car and unfortunately, we were going up and trying something else when my car caught on fire. I didn’t get to get up to the starting line to make that last run. Thank God that I’ve got some friends here in the pits because they’ve loaned me parts. I’ve got people over here working on the car. Hopefully we’ll get it fixed.”
Welch, who was looking for his second win of the season, did manage to get his Drag Pak fixed for the first round of eliminations. He matched up with David Davies and his DH Davies Racing Save Our Allies Dodge Drag Pak. Welch would be first off the line with a .052-second reaction time to Davies’ .277. Welch’s Challenger would run into issues late and shut off early for only a 8.183-second pass at 135.33 mph that would be bettered by Davies’ 7.849 at 177.39.
Defending his Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown bounty, Lenny Lottig, qualified No. 2 picked up his first-round win over Ricky Hord. Lottig would handle his ITI Trailers & Truck Bodies COPO Camaro to a 7.693-second pass at 178.40 to defeats Hord and his Automotive Enterprises COPO’s 7.784 at 175.68.
“Well, that first round is probably one of the hardest ones because you can’t win the second one without the first round is the old saying. That’s just a nice experience of relief to get past that first round. So now, we want to just keep it going,” Lottig said. “I’m liking what I’m feeling. This car has been driving great. I can’t wait to get back to the track tomorrow.”
Competition at the Gerber Glass & Collision NHRA Route 66 Nationals for Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown continues with round two on Sunday at 12:50 p.m. with semifinals at 2:05 p.m. and finals at 3:40 p.m.
Sunday Matchups
- No. 16 David Davies vs. No. 9 Jason Dietsch
- No. 4 Aaron Stanfield vs. No. 5 Doug Hamp
- No. 2 Lenny Lottig vs. No. 10 Stephen Bell
- No. 3 Del Holbrook vs. No. 6 Mark Pawuk
About Flexjet
If maintaining performance vehicles is your passion – translate those skills into becoming a Flexjet aircraft maintenance technician (AMT). Explore a career with the world-class Flexjet Maintenance group today.
Flexjet, Inc., a global leader in subscription-based private aviation, first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing and is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 24 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4AIR Bronze Sustainable Rating and is IS-BAO compliant at Level 2. Red Label by Flexjet, a market differentiator, which features the most modern fleet in the industry, flight crews dedicated to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. To date there are more than 40 different interior designs across its fleet, which includes the Embraer Phenom 300 and Praetor 500, Bombardier Challenger 350, the Gulfstream G450 and G650. Flexjet’s European fleet includes the Embraer Praetor 600 and the Gulfstream G650. Flexjet’s helicopter division sells fractional, lease, and on-demand charter access to its fleet of owned, operated and maintained Sikorsky S-76 helicopters which boast 55,000 hours of safe flying certified by Wyvern and ARG/US and serving locations throughout the northeastern United States, United Kingdom, and southern Florida. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com or follow us on Instagram @FlexjetInc.