Giving Thanks To Drag Racing|
There'southward always so much to celebrate in this great sport of ours, just Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to figure out what we're thankful for in elevate racing.
My listing is a long one, but hopefully information technology stirs something memorable you experienced in 2019. With that, let'southward give cheers to drag racing.
I'm thankful for Stevie "Fast" Jackson, who continues to push the envelope of what'south possible in a calendar year. An absolute dominant twelvemonth in NHRA Pro Mod meant his first world title, the quickest run in class history, a number of wins, Radial vs. the World success and tuning Marcus Birt to a shot-heard-round-the-world nitrous pass equals one of the most memorable years from one of the sport'southward biggest stars in contempo retentivity.
I'm thankful for John Force winning his 150th race, top-stop tirades, the bleep push button that didn't work, depression fences and in-the-crowd celebrations. Seriously, if Forcefulness's win and celebration in Seattle wasn't i of your moments of the twelvemonth, find something else to watch. Force remains extremely important to the health of the sport – for improve or worse – so let'due south not take his greatness for granted.
I'thou thankful for the stick-to-itiveness of Doug Kalitta. Information technology was another year, some other "virtually" for the Top Fuel veteran, this time losing out on his first globe title by three points to Steve Torrence. Yet, Kalitta never appears too downwardly and remains relentless on his quest for a title. Let's hope it eventually happens.
I'm thankful that our sport'due south females are better than your sport's females – at least in motorsports. Nobody does equality like drag racing, and females crushed it at every turn in 2019. We had world titles from Erica Enders, who likewise gave females their 150th career NHRA win, Megan Meyer, Mendy Fry, Haley James, Tricia Musi and others I'thousand surely forgetting, plus outstanding performances from Karen Stoffer, Brittany Force, Leah Pritchett, Lizzy Musi – who won three straight No Prep Kings races – Jianna Salinas, Melanie Salemi, Julie Nataas, and, once more, endless others. Plus, we get Alexis DeJoria back in 2020. I'one thousand already thankful for that.
I'm thankful for top-end fireworks, fisticuffs and feistiness. Look, I'm not condoning Steve Torrence taking a swipe at Cameron Ferre, only I'1000 good with some extra theatrics. Do we demand punches thrown? Probably non. Just a little – or a lot – of extra emotion is only fine with me
On that annotation, I'yard thankful for i of the wildest NHRA World Finals in recent retentivity. All 4 titles in play on Sunday, Torrence-Ferre fireworks, the Enders vs. Anderson showdown – which was actress juicy and heady – Salinas improbably winning the race to paw Hines the championship subsequently he went ruby-red against Salinas to open up the day, the Torrence-Strength showdown and a whole lot more. Inject that kind of drama into my veins.
I'm thankful for Pro Stock. It might be en faddy for the mouthbreathers to continually declare Pro Stock is dying, but that's why these dopes are only loud online. Pro Stock is alive and well, averaging close to 20 cars per race – which is not bad past any professional standard these days. It's Camaro-heavy, no doubt, but this class has establish a way to survive and, dare I say, thrive.
I'g also thankful for Mountain Motor Pro Stock. These standout drivers – often left in the shadows for some foreign reason – got the spotlight and ran with it. It looks like 2022 is going to be even bigger for them, too.
I'thousand thankful for teary-eyed top-end moments and emotional celebrations. I'm looking at you Jerry Savoie, Jianna Salinas, Stevie "Fast" and many more.
I'm thankful for Top Booze Dragster, a course loaded with young guns. Information technology embodies the talented youth in the sport and lets u.s. all know the future is pretty dang brilliant.
I'k thankful for Austin Prock and Jordan Vandergriff, and permit's hope they brand something of this friendly rivalry.
I'thousand thankful for Donald Long'south undying passion for Radial vs. the Globe. Whether information technology's Lights Out, Sweet 16 or defending the class at every plow, he's helped take this class to new levels. We're suddenly in the three.50s with no signs of slowing downwardly and a bandage of characters that brand the class even more enjoyable.
Speaking of that, I'm thankful for pushing the envelope. Marcus Birt is hell on drag radials, and the same goes for Kevin Rivenbark, Tim Slavens, Marker Micke and well-nigh xx other maniacs who put on a testify for us in RvW.
I'one thousand thankful for firsts, like Alex Laughlin winning Lights Out, Drew Skillman winning a earth title, Todd Tutterow winning the Gatornationals in arguably the race of the year confronting Jackson, and anyone else who claimed a victory for the offset time.
I'm also thankful for possibly the biggest first – Scott Oksas winning the Drag Illustrated World Serial of Pro Mod. The jolly big homo is $100,000 richer thanks to the operation of a lifetime and there may accept not been a cooler moment.
I'grand thankful for milestones letting us know that nothing is out of reach in this sport. Brittany Force gear up both ends of the earth record at some point this year in Elevation Fuel, Ron Capps went near 340 mph in a Funny Automobile, Jackson obliterated the Pro Mod tape, RvW records were shattered seemingly daily and, well, more is surely coming next year.
I'm thankful for guys similar Bo Butner and Laughlin who drove in approximately 27 dissimilar classes this season.
I'm still thankful for four-wide drag racing and just as thankful information technology'southward not going anywhere.
I'm withal thankful for burnout contests, burndowns, head games and well-done trash talk (nonsensical Facebook videos don't count) that makes the sport even more enjoyable.
I'm still thankful for throwback pigment schemes, Halloween costumes and wraps in Vegas and anything that stretches outside the norm.
I'm also thankful that this sport is so smashing I probably forget a dozen things I would be thankful for otherwise.
And lastly, I'1000 thankful for sold-out crowds, unlike series thriving all beyond the country and a sport that is thriving. Allow's hope 2022 continues to raise the bar.
Before y'all do that, treasure all that is incredible in this sport. Find what you're thankful for and
Happy Thanksgiving.
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Source: https://dragillustrated.com/giving-thanks-to-drag-racing/