Tasca’s Brainerd Nationals Weekend: Flashes of Speed, Same Old Frustration

Bob Tasca III came into Brainerd International Raceway for the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals looking for momentum, and for one fleeting moment on Friday night, the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Nitro Mustang Dark Horse looked every bit the contender Tasca has been chasing all season. But by Sunday afternoon, the story was painfully familiar: early speed, late struggles, and another first-round exit that left the veteran Funny Car driver searching for answers. 

The weekend opened with a stumble. In Q1, Tasca overpowered the track just before the 330-foot mark and was forced to lift, limping to a 5.658-second run that slotted him 13th. It was the kind of start that can rattle a team’s confidence – but this crew didn’t flinch. 

Friday night under the lights, Tasca delivered one of his best hits of 2025: a 3.930-second blast at 332.43 mph. The Mustang charged straight and clean, putting Tasca temporarily back among the heavy hitters in 4th place. 

“What an extremely important run for us, and we needed a full pull,” Tasca said after the pass. “And that’s exactly what that hot rod gave us. The car ran great. Hands down the smoothest run for me this season. Feels good to be back in the top of the ladder.” 

Saturday, however, brought more of the same frustrations that have dogged this team all year. Q3 was tuned too aggressively, causing the Mustang to smoke the tires at half-track. Q4 showed promise – a 4.665 at 176 mph – but it wasn’t enough to hang with the rapid pace of the field. By day’s end, Tasca had been pushed back to 8th, lining him up against No. 9 qualifier Dan Wilkerson in round one. The two had tangled just two weeks earlier in Sonoma, with Wilkerson getting the upper hand there as well. 

“We’ve been focused on getting the car quicker to the 330-foot mark, and this run showed the progress we’ve made,” Tasca said Saturday evening. “We’ll make a few more adjustments before round one tomorrow, and now it’s about bringing everything together.” 

Sunday morning, Tasca cut a sharp .067 light and had the Mustang moving early, but the run unraveled past half-track. The car slowed to a 4.780 at 180 mph, while Wilkerson stormed away with a 3.919 at 332 mph to end Tasca’s day. 

“The only thing we’ve been good at this season is giving the other lane a confidence boost,” Tasca admitted bluntly after the loss. “That’s not who we are, but right now, that’s the reality.” 

For Tasca, the sting isn’t just about one race. It’s about a season where flashes of brilliance, like Friday night’s 3.93, have been overshadowed by inconsistency and missed opportunities. Brainerd offered a glimpse of the potential still lurking in this Mustang, but once again, it came without the payoff of round wins. 

With the Countdown to the Championship fast approaching, the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team is running out of time to turn things around. If they can bottle the smoothness of Q2 and finally make it repeat on Sundays, Tasca may yet rewrite the narrative of 2025. Until then, the wait and the frustration continue.