PHOTO: NATE VAN WAGNEN |
races. I also want to thank Jim Rowe and Marty Noir, who come to the races when they can, as well as my parents and grandparents. Pat Musi’ s engine was great. The Musi family was always good about getting us parts like rods, rings, and valve springs quickly anytime we needed anything. Carl Rossler and crew at Rossler Transmissions were also great to us. They build a tough, reliable and quick-reacting transmission.
“ I’ m really happy to be back at the top. When I started this journey, I was only planning on going to one race, with the goal being to make it in the field. I didn’ t have any idea this is the path it would take. It’ s pretty surreal.”
Ferguson also thanked class sponsor Magna- Fuel and contingency sponsors Flatout Gaskets, Hoosier Racing Tire, Jesel, Lovendahl Racing Solutions, Edelbrock EFI, VP Racing Fuels, and JRI Shocks.
This season was emotional for Ferguson in more ways than one, with roller coaster highs and lows. At the event where Ferguson took over the points lead, the Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, his friend and mentor, Ronnie Davis suffered a horrendous on-track accident, injuring journalist and photographer Ian Tocher in the process. Davis later succumbed to his injuries. Ferguson won the event and dedicated his win to Davis and Tocher. Being able to win for them is
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something he counts as a highlight of the season.
The success Ferguson has seen in his young career is almost unheard of in Top Sportsman. He’ s led the points for an astounding 20 out of the 25 events held by the PDRA in the past three seasons, as well as participating in 27 of 36 potential rounds of racing in the 2016 season with a 20-7 win-loss record.
“ I’ ve got a great team,” Ferguson said of his success.“ I sure couldn’ t have done it without Dale and Rick. I think racing motocross when I was younger gave me a really good feel for cars and mechanics and controls. Keeping my head in the game is the hardest part. When I cut a bad light or make a bad decision on top end, I can look back and see that I wasn’ t focused during that run.”
Ferguson says he tries to keep his racing approach nonchalant.“ I don’ t have any rituals. I’ m not superstitious. I think if you get yourself into too strict of a routine you create weaknesses for yourself. I don’ t really care what lane I’ m in. I try to alternate so I don’ t start getting a favorite lane. Same with staging. If you have a routine and it gets disrupted it can mess you up. I think it’ s good to not have too much of a routine. The one thing I try to do the same is my burnout. I do my burnout the same every time and I back up real quick. I like to get back to the starting line so I’ m not rushed at all. My crew guys are
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always telling me I need to slow down,” he joked.
Although Ferguson ran Dale Pittman’ s 1963 Corvette with a Pat Musi 903-cubic-inch, nitrous-assisted motor in Top Sportsman this season, he also got some seat time behind the wheel of Cor Valentyn’ s blown‘ 63 Corvette, which Ferguson wheeled at local Quick 8 events in Ohio. He and Valentyn plan to continue running local events next season in“ The Patriot” Corvette, but at PDRA races Ferguson will be behind the wheel of Henry Dogay’ s show-quality 1968 Camaro in Top Sportsman competition. Ferguson was planning on refreshing his trusty Firebird for a limited campaign in 2017, and Dogay’ s overseas work as an oil and gas construction manager was going to limit his ability to race. After befriending Ferguson over the course of the last season, Dogay tapped Ferguson to drive the“ Cajun Nightmare”.
“ This is an unbelievable opportunity,” Ferguson expressed.“ I was excited about getting the Firebird back together, but it’ s just not the caliber of car Henry’ s Bickel Camaro is, and it still needs a lot of work. How could I possibly pass up an opportunity like this? Henry is a really amazing person and friend. To be able to race with him this year as a team to defend my championship is an honor.”- LISA COLLIER DI
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