Drag Illustrated Issue 113, September 2016 | Page 30
Dirt
something a lot of people get to do,” Driskell recognizes. “We qualified
number one at the PDRA in Michigan in 2015 at one of our first races with
it,” he proudly adds of the twin turbo ’15 Camaro PDRA Pro Boost entry
that ran 3.83 at 205.10 mph.
Together, Driskell and Moyer shared some great memories, but as situations change, all good things must come to an end. The two parted ways in
December of 2015, and Driskell found himself contemplating his next move.
With Donald “Duck” Long’s infamous “Lights Out 7” radial race at South
Georgia Motorsports Park quickly approaching in February, Driskell considered going
on his own to tune. “I was lining people up
to work on X275 cars and other random shit
to make a few hundred bucks,” Driskell says,
“but Andrew Alepa asked if I had plans for
Duck’s, and we wound up working together.”
Alepa’s car, a stunning radial tire C7 Corvette featuring twin-turbo Proline Racing
(PLR) Hemi power driven by Rob “The Gangster” Valden, was a bit of an unknown for
Driskell as he wasn’t sure how the situation
would pan out. Fortunately, the guys hit it off,
personalities clicked, and they’ve been motoring forward ever since. “It’s really awesome
working with a professional who only has to
focus on driving, a crew that works on the car,
and an owner that’s extremely understanding
and who gives his all with the hope that we’ll
win,” Driskell says. “I left Duck’s race thinking
‘F*ck yeah, I could do this forever!’ We all just
work so well together.”
Being involved with Alepa’s top-tier Radial
vs. the World operation means that Driskell
also gets to work closely with the team at Proline. “That’s been a really new experience for
me because we’re using more standardized
engine combinations. Plus, being able to
work with tuners like Steve Petty and Jamie
Miller and Josh Ledford is really awesome. Br andon Stroud, who’s got
an incredible wealth of knowledge, has allowed me to be involved in his
maintenance program,” says Driskell, who was welcomed into PLR’s “red
hat mafia” with open arms. “The whole PLR group motivates everyone to
strive for the best. Yeah, we race against each other, but we’re family and
still help each other out.”
Although Driskell’s primary gig is that of being Alepa’s crew chief, his
agreement is non-exclusive and he often finds himself working with other
racers on his occasional off-weekends. “I enjoy the challenge of tuning and
of making all the components work on different combinations,” he says.
When a well known but not-to-be-named Pro Mod driver made the switch
to EFI, Driskell was the one who was instrumental in doing the installation and setup. He’s also had a hand in other notable radial tire projects,
including working with Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.
Ironically, one of Driskell’s favorite projects that he’s ever worked on
wasn’t a drag car, but rather a ’57 Chevy rat rod street car owned by David
Strom. “It’s cool as f*ck!” he exclaims excitedly. Driskell, who usually doesn’t
work on street cars, tunes the classic Chevy’s Holley EFI system to maximize
fuel economy and keep the ProCharged 383 c.i., small-block Chevy engine
happy at cruising RPM while also being suitable for drag racing during its
stint on the HOT ROD Power Tour. Strom and his son, Casey, picked out
the engine together just one day before the teen was killed in an unrelated
car accident. “David built the car as a tribute to him. It’s really incredible,
a full tube frame, and it won best of show at the Tri-Five Nationals out of
more than two-thousand cars,” boasts Driskell, who is extremely proud of
his part in the project. “He’s got infinity million dollars in that thing. Now
we’ve got a two-thousand-horsepower engine on order for it and they’re
gonna’ blow it up for his son.”
In addition to tuning, Driskell also has enjoyed his fair share of seat time.
He’s won several X275 events and scored both win and runner-up finishes
at PSCA’s Street Car Super Nationals in years past. Last July, Driskell was
the big winner in X275 at the Sunrise Nationals. “We ran the finals at 8
a.m., and my mom was up until 4 a.m. watching but finally had to go to
sleep, so I called her at 7:30 and she turned on the live feed,” says Driskell,
perhaps more proud of his incredible mother, Jodette, than he is of the
win itself. “She watches every single race we’re in on the live feeds, she’s
hardcore,” he proudly adds. That same season, while still with Moyer,
Driskell and team picked up multiple wins and had a “phenomenal year
where the car practically paid for itself.”
Having worked with Moyer for so long, one would expect Driskell to be
a diehard turbocharger fanatic. “I hate to admit it, but deep down, I’m a
nitrous guy at heart,” he laughs, adding that his first car ran nitrous. However, in today’s crazy competitive environment, Driskell simply believes
it’s not feasible to run nitrous and that turbocharged powerplants are the
way to go. “And I’m not just saying that because I get paid to do the turbo
stuff; no one would pay me to blow up a nitrous engine!”
Regardless, Driskell says the most important lesson he’s gleaned from
driving and tuning is “you’ve got to be out there in the game no matter
what, you’ve got to be learning, and you’ve got to hustle.”
That desire to constantly be learning is what drives Driskell forward.
Early on it was Hyperaktive Performance Solutions’ Joe Oplawski that made
a huge impact in the young man’s life. “When I first started, I was thrust
into all of this, and Joe was instrumental in helping me grow,” Driskell
humbly recognizes. “He answered every question that I had, and still does.”
Driskell also has developed a friendship over the years with fellow Texan
Frankie “The Madman” Taylor. “He gave me the opportunity to learn
screw-blown stuff and Hemis, which were new to me,” he notes. “I haven’t
been able to do a lot with Frankie because of my schedule, but he’s got a
top-notch Pro Extreme team and I love working with him when I can.
He’s someone that didn’t come from a lot but has succeeded with his own
willpower and desire to learn.”
First impressions often can be deceiving, and Driskell is a perfect example.
The likeable crew chief has a reputation for messing around and having
fun, but he’s fiercely competitive when it comes to racing. “I might walk
around in flip flops wearing a tuxedo shirt cracking jokes, but inside, my
mind is in the game and don’t let that fool you,” cautions Driskell, who also
admits to conducting this interview over the phone as he sat naked in a
Cartersville, Georgia, hotel room while sipping a fine, single-malt scotch.
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I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com
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PHOTO: ELLEN ESCHENBACHER
CHASE DRISKELL