READING, Pa. (Oct. 5) - Looking to make headlines, Pro Stock driver Larry Morgan had the chance to shake up the point standings a bit during the first round of eliminations at the NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.

Putting in a near-perfect reaction time of .003-second in the first round compared to Allen Johnson's .084, Morgan was on the way to his best pass of the weekend. Looking for the upset, Morgan lost his lead at the finish line with a 6.594 compared to Johnson's 6.512.

"We just slipped the clutch too much and didn't leave high enough," Morgan said. "We were just scared because we had been the first, second, and third pair out every day. Then today we came to eliminations and were the fifth pair out. We could have left 500 rpm higher than we did, and that means we should have ran a .52 or a .53 by the looks of the run. We would have won if that happened but we just got beat though.

"I was trying and at least they know I've still got it."

Continuing his streak of solid runs, Morgan finishes another race weekend with high hopes. Despite the end of the season drawing near, he wants to end this year on the right foot to start the next season off right.

"I'm pumped up about the runs we've been making," Morgan said. "It's good that we're moving in the right direction; it's just too bad we're running out of races to do it.

"I needed that win, but it is what it is. You just have to take those years you do bad and make the best of them next year. We can only go up from here."

Morgan will use the upcoming off time to get ready for the next race on the 2014 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series tour, the NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Oct. 30-Nov. 2.