Scott Taylor Gets Meaningful No Prep Elite Win at Rockingham Dragway
It took Scott Taylor seven seasons to finally capture his first career No Prep Kings Invitational win this year. It only took two weeks for him to win his second, as he defeated Clay Cole in the final round of No Prep Elite at Rockingham Dragway, the second of four playoff races.
“Back when I was bracket racing a long time ago, I was the bridesmaid many times,” Taylor said. “When I finally got that first win, they started coming a lot more regularly. I never would’ve dreamed at this level that the same deal would happen, but in the back of my mind I figured if I could get that first one knocked out, maybe more would happen. And it did.”
With the way the No Prep Elite bracket fell, Taylor was forced to race his good friend Kye Kelley in the first round. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Jim Howe, setting up a rematch from his first NPK win in Martin, Michigan against Robin Roberts – with the same result. In the finals, Taylor would race Cole, who was looking to win back-to-back events after winning in Tulsa the week prior. While it stands to reason to think the first win would be extra special, Taylor admitted the second time around was even sweeter.
“This win is definitely more special to me than the first win,” said Taylor. “We were having major issues the week we won our first one, and I didn’t feel like the car was performing good enough to win a race. And while we did everything we could to get that win, this one…we ran some heavy hitters and the car performed phenomenally. I felt like we had a car that could win the whole race, and that means a lot to me.”
With the Rockingham event counting for points and a half, the win also catapulted Taylor from eighth in the standings to tied for third with Roberts. After suffering a first-round loss in Tulsa the week before, he is now right back in the thick of the championship hunt, just one round out of first place with two races to go.
“When we lost in the first round [in Tulsa], I didn’t think it would be possible to win a championship,” Taylor said. “With Murder Nova going out first round [in Rockingham], that opened up the door for everybody to gain on that lead. When I went to the driver’s meeting for the finals, they started going through the numbers and told me if I won, I’d be in the third spot. I never even dreamed that was possible.
“I gotta give a huge shoutout to my crew, family, and sponsors for making all of this possible,” continued Taylor. “We’re super confident right now with our car, but I’m gonna tell you, this is still anybody’s race. Whoever can keep their car the healthiest is going to win this championship. Preparation is key, and that’s what we’re trying to do – be prepared for war.”
Clay Cole Takes Over Points Lead: After winning the first No Prep Elite event in Tulsa last weekend, Clay Cole nearly made it two in a row in Rockingham, falling just short in the final round against Scott Taylor. However, with another strong showing, Cole took over the points lead with just two races remaining. With 110 points, Cole currently sits five points ahead of Murder Nova. Scott Taylor and Robin Roberts are tied for third with 95 apiece. Ryan Martin rounds out the top five with 80 points.
“I couldn’t be more proud of my team,” said Cole. “They have made sure the car is perfect for every round, double and triple checking every little detail to ensure we make nice, clean passes. When you combine that with Brandon Stroud tuning it, you’re almost guaranteed to go rounds. Being the new points leader is humbling, but also means we’re going to have to step up even more if we want to try and stay there. I’m confident in my team, tuner, and car that everything will go as planned – we just have to execute the plan.”
Stat Guy’s Stat of the Day: With his first-round victory over Bobby Ducote in Rockingham, Ryan Martin won his 300th round of competition in No Prep Kings, according to “Stat Guy” Chris LeCloux. Martin is currently the only driver to achieve that milestone.
Up Next: No Prep Elite heads to Alabama International Dragway in Steele, Alabama Oct. 18-19 for the third of four playoff races.
This story was originally published on October 15, 2024.
The post Scott Taylor Gets Meaningful No Prep Elite Win at Rockingham Dragway first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
