LETTER from the EDITOR

My wife , who routinely reminds me of my old soul , knows that despite all the things I love about modern technology , I feel like I missed out on some truly great times in America . Air travel , air conditioning , the Information Age and the internet - a few of an almost endless list of things and happenings I ’ m grateful for . Nonetheless , it ’ s not unusual to hear playfully bemoan being born in the wrong generation . I ’ m not losing sleep over it , but I ’ ve always wondered what it would have been like to live through the days of dimly-lit , smoky speakeasies and dance halls , the birth of advertising , the birth of advertising in the 1920s - the first time in American history when more people lived in cities than on farms .

There are plenty of things in drag racing that I feel like I missed , too , and I ’ ve often thought about what it would have been like to witness one of those historic 64 Funny Car events in Seattle , a big nasty gathering of “ Awful Awful ” Fuel Altereds , Pro Stock during the Bob Glidden , Lee Shepherd match racing days and the birth of a couple bonafide celebrity personalities in Don “ The Snake ” Prudhomme and Tom “ The Mongoose ” McEwen , amongst innumerable other examples .

While I may not have been around to have eyes on the birth of Pro Modified , I have been fortunate enough to witness the category - undoubtedly my favorite eliminator - grow and mature into its current form , including the many historic moments , broken barriers and blockbuster events along the way . I ’ ve also had a front row seat for the fast street car movement , especially the rise of Outlaw 10.5- tire and birth of the near-lawless Radial vs . World . Where the aforementioned categories - lovingly lumped together as fast doorslammers here - have arrived today , however , as a regular top-billing attraction at events around the globe , in this humble individual ’ s opinion , signifies the dawn of the fast doorslammer age .

I ’ m not saying that we haven ’ t been racing these types of cars for many moons - of course they have - but I do not believe we have ever done so with the pomp and circumstance that we see today . Events like our own Drag Illustrated World Series of Pro Mod , Donald Long ’ s Sweet 16 boast in excess of $ 100,000 in prize money ; Mel Roth ’ s Street Car Supernationals in Las Vegas and St . Louis award over a $ 100,000 to their doorslammer category victors . The National Muscle Car Association ( NMCA )

Wesley R . Buck Editor-in-Chief and Professional Drag Racers Association ( PDRA ) are holding national events that are essentially doorslammer-only at world-class facilities with legitimate sponsors , payouts and fanfare - both with Pro Mods serving as the main attraction .

The rise of big money noprep racing alongside the STREET OUTLAWS reality television phenomenon helps only to solidify the notion . Consider the fact that the show recently outperformed Monday Night Football ratings-wise and its star Justin “ Big Chief ” Shearer - no doubt a permissible celebrity at this point - having dedicated a couple seasons laying the groundwork for and ultimately racing his Pro Mod and force-feeding and popularizing the term amongst the series ’ legions of fans , and it ’ s hard for me to believe there has ever been a time this particular brand of racing has had more sizzle than it does today .

I may have missed Elvis Aaron Presley ’ s debut on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956 , but I am surely right in the midst of what may be the most exciting time for drag racing ever , especially if you ’ re as fond of race cars with swinging doors and suspension as I am .

There ’ s no denying that the considerable crowds routinely on-hand for these major no-prep events across the country - especially those with known appearances by the cast of STREET OUTLAWS or directly tied to the filming of the show or its spinoff - are on the grounds specifically to see the stars of the show in-action on the track and in the pits . It ’ s a scenario that is extremely unique in terms of drag racing promotion . Typically , we ’ re a sport that has for the most part attracted fans by way of a wild and crazy , fast and loud sensory experience / thrill show - not so much an opportunity to see and / or interact with celebrity personalities . The STREET OUTLAWS-related functions are the opposite as the racing - by-and-large - plays second fiddle to “ Big Chief ” addressing the crowd or his fellow racers on the starting line , or talking trash and taking pictures in the pits . So , to be clear , I ’ m not arguing that fast doorslammers - whether it be legit Pro Mod-style cars or somewhat stock-appearing back-halved cars - are capable of drawing tens of thousands of fans out to the drag strip on their own . We ’ re not quite there , but we are lightyears from where we were just a few years ago in terms of the status and notoriety of those associated with fast doorslammer racing , and there ’ s no denying “ the show ” has had a significant impact on that .

That ’ s why I believe we ’ re living in the age of the fast doorslammer .

I invite you to email me at wes @ dragillustrated . com and follow me at facebook . com / wbuck and wesbuckinc on Instagram .

Wes Buck Founder & Editorial Director 660.988.2313 wes @ dragillustrated . com

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8 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 131