RITCHIE CRAMPTON – NHRA’S ‘AUSSIE’ BORN TOP FUEL STAR

ONLY ON THE DAVE DESPAIN SHOW

SUNDAY NIGHT NOV 2 – AT 8PM ET

Corona, CA (Oct. 27, 2014) – This Sunday night, Nov. 2 at 8:00pm and repeated again at 11:00pm – see Dave Despain interview the star of one of the unlikeliest ‘rags to riches’ stories in sports.   When Morgan Lucas, the Top Fuel ace and team owner of the Morgan Lucas GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel Dragster, stepped out of the race car in the Spring of 2014 to focus on the family owned Lucas Oil business, Ritchie Crampton was an unlikely heir to his seat. For although Crampton had been a member of Morgan Lucas Racing since its inception in 1997, he was best known outside his native Australia as a clutch specialist and car chief on the GEICO/Lucas Oil Top Fuel dragster. 

In the span of a few dizzying weeks, Crampton went from crew member to Top Fuel driver behind the wheel of the GEICO dragster. The native of Adelaide who began drag racing in his native Australia in the Supercharged Outlaw class; had longed to resume driving competitively since coming to America, but that dream had to be put on the back burner while he paid his dues at the top level of the sport.

“Be careful what you wish for.” Ritchie Crampton

“I wanted to start racing again,” Crampton said. “I really missed it. I’d taken the first steps to getting my Top Fuel license by paying for everything out of my own pocket. I wanted to show everyone I was willing to do whatever it took to start driving again. Morgan knew I wanted to drive, and if I had my license he wouldn’t have to outsource in situations when we needed a substitute,” 

Sure to win “Rookie of the Year” honors, Crampton has already made his mark on the record books racing to victory on June 1st, 2014 at the Summernationals in Englishtown, NJ to become the 100th category winner in NHRA history. On September 1st he followed it up with a personal best run of 327.98 mph to capture the US Nationals in Indianapolis, IN.

Show repeat: Sunday, Nov. 2 at 11:00pm ET.  

For more information visit:  www.mavtv.com