Special Section by competitive bodybuilding. When that chapter in his life started to close, Fowler and his family chose to go all-in on the drag racing dream.

“ We made a lot of sacrifices to put this deal together,” Fowler admits.“ We sold our lake house, bought a smaller farmhouse out in the country and just downsized our lifestyle to be here with my family and friends. To me, everyone in the drag racing world is family. It doesn’ t matter if it’ s PDRA, IHRA, NHRA – the drag racing family is second to none. It’ s worth the sacrifices for me and my family to be here.”

Fowler fields his split-window Corvette with the assistance of a team made up of family and friends: his wife, Kelly; aunt Deena Totherow, crew chief Todd Howard and his daughter Courtney; childhood best friend Danny Sinclair; and Drew and Austin McClure.

“ I can’ t say enough about how much I appreciate everybody,” Fowler offers.“ It’ s a total team effort. I feel bad sometimes because there are still some things with crewing the car that my leg prevents me from doing. I couldn’ t pay these guys enough money. When they say the car is ready, it’ s ready. I don’ t have to second-guess it. That takes a lot of pressure off me.”

Moving forward, Fowler dreams of joining his childhood heroes in Pro Nitrous or Pro Modified, but he understands the challenges that come with competing with the quickest and fastest doorslammers on the planet. He also realizes his physical limitations will catch up with him again, but he’ s going to do his best to keep outrunning them, doing it all with a beaming smile on his face.

“ I’ m living life in reverse, so to speak,” Fowler says.“ I started life in a wheelchair and was given the ability to walk again from the wonderful people at Shriners Hospital – the official charity of the PDRA, where I was a patient for two solid years. I rolled in the doors in a wheelchair and walked out on a walker two years later.

“ We are constantly battling a clock. With my polio and the deterioration of my muscles, I will eventually wind up back in a wheelchair. Therefore, we are going to live our dreams until that day comes.”

BRIAN CHIN- OUTLAW 10.5

CAMRIE CARUSO- TOP DRAGSTER

TODD FONTANA & JASON HARRIS- PRO NITROUS

DRAG ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHER TARA BOWKER TRAVELS THE ENTIRE EIGHT-RACE PDRA SCHEDULE COVERING THE EVENTS FOR DI AND HER POPULAR BLACK ROCK PHOTOGRAPHY BRAND. KNOWN FOR CAPTURING MEMORABLE MOMENTS OFF TRACK AND VIVID ACTION SHOTS ON TRACK, BOWKER COMPILED THIS COLLECTION OF HER FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2018 PDRA SEASON.

JOHNNY PLUCHINO- PRO OUTLAW 632

SCOTT BLAKE- PRO NITROUS

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