Drag Illustrated Issue 114, October 2016 | Page 107

TOMMY KUNDRIK
go really, really fast,” Kundrik said.“ To be part of something that’ s the next level, it’ s just amazing. It’ s awesome because I’ m an enthusiast, I’ m a participant, everything. We’ ve done a lot of cool stuff.”
While the tire has revolutionized drag radial racing, Kundrik is the first to admit he’ s relied on simple aspects, whether it’ s common sense to see what’ s needed, taking good ideas and running with them or good market research. With that around the world –“ to countries you wouldn’ t think you could ever sell them to” – but constant progression continues to be the goal. He has witnessed what he calls the“ rise and fall of Outlaw 10.5 right in front of my eyes” and wants to continue to set the bar, whether it’ s the next generation of radial tires or something to give the Outlaw 10.5 participants a boost.
“ The 275 Pro started it, then the 315 Pro fol- get us. That’ s what we’ re striving for.”
That means Kundrik will continue to live his dream, constantly looking for moments like that one magical day in Bradenton. But whenever and whatever that moment may be, he’ s damn near positive that a drag radial tire will be involved.
“ I think it’ s the next step,” Kundrik said.“ I think radials are safer, they’ re definitely faster. It’ s the next step. You have to figure out how to make
“ IT WAS EVERYTHING YOU COULD HAVE EVER WANTED. YOU SET EVERY RECORD, YOU TOOK
OVER THE MARKET COMPLETELY, EVERYBODY’ S HAPPY AND YOU SOLD EVERY TIRE YOU HAD.”
PHOTO: KEVIN COX
in mind, it wasn’ t rocket science to see that drag radial racing was where his team needed to focus.
“ For radial to keep going, to where it’ s at currently and to keep going strong for what … eight years? It’ s amazing. And it just keeps growing,” Kundrik said.“ It’ s absolutely amazing. Just to see all these guys that were anti-radial and to see what Donald has done with this deal and see where it’ s gone – again, it’ s amazing. To have 400 radial cars at the same property, it’ s just amazing to see what it’ s blown up to today.”
Kundrik now sells drag radial tires to countries
lowed it and it’ s that much better. It’ s going to carry us into the future,” Kundrik said.“ You know, we have a 33x10.5x16W coming. It’ s kind of a blip on the radar now and we’ re getting ready to start testing that, trying to give the Outlaw 10.5 guys a boost because if we leave them alone I think they’ ll be a 3.95-4.00 car for the next 10 years.
“ I’ m a huge believer in the notion that competition makes the world go around. You have to have someone out there pushing you to be better, someone setting the benchmark. I would like to think we’ re the benchmark. We’ re the best. Come
that next tire. We make little tires very, very well. Now, we’ ve got to learn how to make big tires really, really well, and do it in a radial. You go to that next step and maybe someday you’ ll see a Pro Mod with a big radial on it. If that day comes then we’ ve succeeded because you can only go up. Nobody wants to go down. They just want to go faster and if you can give somebody a tenth and two miles an hour, it’ s going to be huge – especially if you do it just by bolting a tire on. I see the market going that way, I really do. It’ s just a matter of time.” DI
October 2016
DragIllustrated. com | Drag Illustrated | 107