PHOTOS: NATE VAN WAGNEN, COLE ROKOSKY |
ship is my team’ s. It’ s theirs, not mine. I get the credit, but it’ s them behind the scenes.”
With the 2016 world championship coming in a much different manner than his previous titles, McKinney and team felt the thrill of victory in a new way.“ The first two seasons we had such an advantage on everyone, we put it in cruise control,” McKinney storied.“ The class caught up. We were on cruise control too long. There were a lot of downs. There were times I didn’ t even want to go. I thought we had lost our touch.”
The team recognized their mistake and went to work.“ This last month we probably put in 50 test runs before Bradenton and Virginia, just trying to get our combination back. We had good help from the Vance and Hines guys. We went testing with them a week before the Virginia race
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and learned a lot of stuff we were overlooking. It makes for very good racing, and it’ s very rewarding to win this way. We earned every championship we’ ve ever won, but this one was very hardfought. It’ s definitely more gratifying to win this way rather than to have the cushion over the competition like we have in the past. This year was by far the best championship. It’ s gratifying to win this one. The torch is going to have to get passed on to someone else at some point, but it worked out again this year for us.”
Although McKinney and team pulled off their fifth championship in a row, he recognizes that the class has a new level of parity and expects several teams to post three-second runs more often next year. One thing is sure, however, McKinney and his team are not about to let their guard down again.
“ My mom and dad are the heart behind this thing,” thanked McKinney.“ If it wasn’ t for them I couldn’ t do it. Dad’ s been pushing me since I was little to be the best that I can. I try my hardest and he gives me good equipment. We pull it off. I want to thank my fiancée. She’ s my rock and she pushes me, too. When we get down and out she keeps us going. My uncle Steve is at just about every race
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with us doing the clutch and in between round maintenance. Ashley Owens is the man behind the tune-up and the chassis. That guy forgot more about all that stuff than anybody else ever knew. He’ s amazing with what he knows and what he can do with that motorcycle. It makes it easier for me because I know it’ ll be consistent every pass. I can do my job a lot better because I’ m not worried about the motorcycle. If it wasn’ t for him and dad we couldn’ t do this. Their combined experience and knowledge make them almost untouchable.
“ I definitely want to thank the guys in our shop, D & S Auto Parts. When we’ re gone they take care of things. My counter man, Jaimie, keeps the place together. Fast by Gast, Paul Gast, he helps us with our motor. He gets repairs done in a timely fashion. Vance and Hines, Eddie Krawiec was actually helping us at the test session a week before the last race. I also want to thank Vance and Hines for helping to sponsor the class this year, and I want to thank the class title sponsor, Drag965. I definitely want to thank the PDRA. Everybody at the PDRA is just great to deal with; they’ re awesome to be around.
From the time you pull in the gate until the time you leave everybody is trying to help you out. We’ ve raced a bunch of organizations. It’ s good to go to a place where you feel at home and still get treated professionally.”
In his young career, McKinney has already accomplished more than many do in a lifetime of drag racing. McKinney will celebrate his championship this offseason while also planning his wedding to take place next May – in between races, of course.- LISA COLLIER DI
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