Drag Illustrated Issue 139, December 2018 | Page 4

DI 139 PAGE 80 Alexander the Great PHOTOGR APH BY RICK BELDEN 4 | Drag I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com When Blake Alexander raced to victory twice in his first six NHRA Top Fuel appearances earlier this season, he locked up not just his well-deserved place on DRAG ILLUSTRATED’s 2018 30 Under 30 list, but also the revered cover spot. The near-back-to-back victories seemed to come out of nowhere, but they were simply the result of a passion-driven climb through the sport’s ranks that eventually led to a partnership with veteran team owner Bob Vandergriff and crew chief Ron Douglas. BY NATE VAN WAGNEN Issue 139