BEST OF THE BEST With a combined eight NHRA world championships between them, Rickie Smith, Troy Coughlin and Jason Line know what it’ s like to have an entire class chasing after them. Line is the defending Pro Stock champion, while Smith and Coughlin are responsible for the last five Pro Mod season titles. |
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PHOTOS: REAL PRO MOD ASSOCIATION, NHRA / NATIONAL DRAGSTER |
whether I am or am not, that’ s up to somebody else to decide, but that’ s how I look at myself. It’ s always been that way and I’ ve always felt that way since I started bracket racing when I was 15 years old. I’ ve always had that same mindset and it’ s probably just the way I’ m wired. That is what I feel and I’ m okay with it. I’ m out there to try and do the best that I can and make somebody beat me. I don’ t want to give it to them; I want to make them earn it.
TROY COUGHLIN: It’ s two answers to the question. When you’ re racing with a target on your back, you can go from zero to hero and hero to zero in a matter of one run, which is five seconds in the quarter-mile. But it’ s really awesome
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to be in that position and I think it has an advantage to it, for sure, when you do have that( target) after winning races and championships. You just stay in good communication with your guys and take it one round at a time, and just put your best foot forward every time. The person |
that makes the least amount of mistakes usually winds up on top.
RICKIE SMITH: That’ s a good question. About the time you think you’ ve figured out how to handle it, something else gets thrown at you. I’ ve had a hell of a career, without a doubt, but it
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January 2017 |
DragIllustrated. com | Drag Illustrated | 109 |