PHOTOS: GARY ROWE

1998, a young man from the mountains of North Carolina mopped the floor with IHRA Top Dragster competition, claiming his first ever world championship. Now, just under two decades later, Matt Cooke has done it again.

Pulled in by the two-day race format, Cooke gave the PDRA a try in the fall of 2015. It turned out well for him, his wife, Kelly, and his car owner, Andy Burnet. Cooke won Dragstock and made plans to chase the tour in 2017. The year started out with a blip, but things quickly took a turn for the better. Out of the seven events contested this season, Cooke was in five finals en route to becoming the 2017 PDRA Top Dragster world champion.

“ I’ ve never left the house, bought seven tech cards and been in five finals in my life,” Cooke says.“ I’ m lucky enough to drive Andy’ s stuff. Andy supplies Kelly and I with the best of the best, tells me to pull the motor out and freshen it regularly.

Every single component on that car has a spare in the trailer. When somebody sends you to the races like that it makes you race better. I don’ t even know what I ever did to deserve it. I was almost relieved that I did something for him. He goes over and beyond. He’ s a great car owner.

“ I got Eddie Careccia back this year and he

committed to me for all eight races. He and I don’ t have to walk on any eggshells around each other. We’ ve got two decades of good times and bad times and I race way better when he’ s with me. Whatever it takes, he’ s capable.”

Most of all, Cooke thanks his wife, Kelly, who has been his biggest supporter throughout his career.

“ It’ s been a blast,” Cooke says of his first season with the PDRA.“ The races are relatively close to the house. The payout is good. I like the four-round race and I like to race fast. I want to race other people getting after it.

“ Everybody wants to be a part of something that’ s winning in life. Whatever your bag is in life, you want to succeed at it. Eddie, Andy, Kelly and I were tough to beat this year. Stars just aligned. I realize those years are few and far between. I’ m just happy it happened.”

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