Drag Illustrated Issue 120, April 2017 | Page 76

drag racing, but the opportunity to choose their own paths was pivotal in each of their journeys.

“ We all have the same passion, but everyone stands up for what they truly want,” Steven says.“ Dad really liked the alcohol cars and I really liked the door cars. Cory still has a passion for bikes and Mom took a liking to Funny Cars. Each person has their own unique interests.”

But as each family member will attest, Steven’ s gravitation to Pro Mod seemed only natural. From racing in the Top Sportsman days to his immediate fascination with Pro Mod, racing a door car was undoubtedly his priority.“ Steven always had a fast door car,” Reed says.“ I remember that badass Top Sportsman Camaro he had. I think he just liked the look of( the Pro Mod), that big blower sticking out of it.”

Of course, racing a Junior Dragster was the first dream. After Jim finally relented and gave in to the constant requests, Steven and his brothers enjoyed immense success in the Junior ranks. That only fueled his passion when the cars got bigger and faster, first with the Top Sportsman car to eventually his first Pro Mod ride. That came in the form of a’ 53 Corvette that needed to be completed when Jim purchased it. It sat for a while as Steven lived in North Dakota, but when the opportunity arose, he jumped at the chance.

“ I was just drooling all over it,” Steven says.“ We went testing with it and I drove it a little bit and I said,‘ There’ s something to this.’ The Pro Mod was very convenient and a lot rolled over from the alcohol cars. As a driver, I honestly think it was just a new challenge nobody in the family had tackled before.”

Steven gladly became the first, but his father soon followed, as the allure of the powerful Pro Mod machines became too much for him. Steven had the new Cadillac by the 2014 NHRA Pro Mod season, racing the full schedule, while Jim competed in five races.

In 2015 and 2016, Steven continued to take steps forward, racing the full 10-race slate each season and finishing 11th in points last year. Meanwhile, his father won the family’ s first Pro Mod race in 2016 before finishing one spot behind Steven in the overall standings. For 2017, Steven appears to have taken a huge stride forward, though, as his victory in Gainesville to kick off the year created a massive boost and further validated the direction of the team’ s program.

“ It sets the tempo. It took a little bit of pressure off, finally getting that first win, but it maybe adds some more( pressure) as well. Everybody is aiming to take you out now and we’ re going to have to work even harder,” Steven recognizes.“ In the past, there’ s been a lot of times where we’ ve qualified well but struggled during race day. The big push has been to be better on race day. It’ s great to see the program starting to come together and it was a big weight off our shoulders.”

Consistency can be among the hardest things to conquer in a Pro Mod car that often seems to have a mind of its own. That’ s been the big goal for Steven this year, and after three events he sits third in points. Being in the championship mix is all he’ s dreamed of and now the hope is to carry the hot start through an entire season.

“ It’ s pretty humbling when you win,” Steven says.“ There’ s a lot of talented people in this class who have been doing this a very long time. The fact that we can qualify and have them look at us as a contender is exciting. I’ m just some kid who is used to racing a Top Sportsman car now racing against some amazing drivers. To even compete with these guys, I’ m very fortunate.”

Steven’ s current travel schedule with J & A Service continues to be extensive, as is his father’ s, meaning the best place for everyone to congregate is usually at the race track. Doing well on the dragstrip remains serious business, but getting to do it together as a family has added an irreplaceable aspect to it.

“ It’ s a great feeling having your parents so involved in your life still,” Reed says.“ I’ m happy they want to be there and it makes everything better. We all appreciate the times we have together and we make the most of it. We’ ve all been racing a long time and it’ s a good family environment. Everybody enjoys being there and hanging out. I see my family the most at the races.( Steven) and I live in different states and we’ re both doing different things, so the race track is when I see him. It’ s the same for Mom and Dad. I don’ t see them unless I’ m at the races.

“ As a teenager, you kind of drift away from your parents, but once you hit your 20s you realize how precious that relationship is. I’ m fortunate and we’ re all very lucky to do what we do together. It’ s a great environment.”

Reed’ s thoughts ring true with the rest of the family as well. Annie adjusted her Top Alcohol Funny Car schedule so it coincides almost perfectly with the NHRA Pro Mod and Pro Stock

Motorcycle schedules. That means more time to race together as a family, which remains perhaps the biggest priority above anything that takes place on the track.

“ It’ s very comforting knowing the majority of our family is there at the track,” Annie says.“ One of the things we noticed back when we were running Juniors is it was very family-oriented and it was a nice way to raise our kids. It teaches them a lot, more than people realize.

“ It’ s very peaceful to me knowing they’ re doing something they love. It makes a mom happy and peaceful watching them grow like they have. It’ s very rewarding.”

Congregating as a family at the track is something Jim once envisioned and hoped for, but it’ s gone far beyond his own dreams. Seeing the successes of his wife and sons has been surreal, especially being able to experience it at such a close proximity.“ When we’ re all at the same track,

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