Drag Illustrated Issue 139, December 2018 | Page 57

D.I. COLUMNIST The Real Deal with Tommy D'Aprile W ell, here it was, the World Fi- nals at Virginia Motorsport Park. The anticipation leading up to this race was unlike any other race before. You see, we were in the hunt for a championship and had the lead heading into the World Fi- nals. All we had to do was win first round to clinch the championship – easier said than done. As expected, the car count was high, and so were emotions with many of the teams battling it out for a championship. Little did we know this race would be five days long and would certainly test my faith and patience. Thursday testing allowed us to get a baseline, but with over 300 cars it was difficult to make many runs. Friday qualifying saw us get to the No. 1 spot while encountering challenges along the way. Not only were we trying to win a championship, we were trying to set a record. Saturday brought rain and a final qualifying shot in the eve- ning. Here we were ready to deliver the shot heard around the world, only to have a shifter malfunction and shut off at the starting line. I could not understand what had happened. They shut us off – much to my dismay – but little did we know there was oil on the racetrack that could have caused us to wreck. Thank you, Lord! So now comes race day Sunday and with it first round, the decid- ing round for our championship. As it turned out, our nearest com- petition in second place lost round one, handing the championship to us while still in the staging lanes. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. Crying like a baby, I had realized a dream of mine had just come true. Through all the adversity thus far in my career, my team and I now sat as world champs. The race continued into Monday, when we eventually lost in the semifinals. After that we just took it all in and were so grateful for the blessings we had received. Here is the moral of the story. I started racing at a very young age as most of you have, and along the way there have been some ups and downs. Through the years there were nine straight first-round losses, a severe crash and numerous other challenges, but through it all I never lost my hope. When circumstances looked bad and situa- tions came up that I did not like I chose to see the good in it all and keep pressing toward the goal. God has truly blessed me with some amazing people then and now in my career and I hope for continued blessings in the future. People might say you can’t, you won’t, or you will never. But I say you can and you will! People, please don’t let others steal your dreams. Stay hopeful and treat people the way you want to be treat- ed. If someone else gets what you want, be happy for them, but never doubt that you can accomplish your dreams and goals as well. Not only that, you can enjoy yourself along the way. Surround yourself with people who love and encourage you and be excited for your dreams and goals to come true. Our team has something in com- mon: we all enjoy ourselves and have fun at every race. The true victory has already been achieved even before we head to the start- ing line. To my team and all my competitors, I say thank you from the bot- tom of my heart for all you do to make this sport so exciting and fun. To our Jr. Dragster racers, the future of our sport, you are just beginning on this journey. Stay excited and hopeful, never giving up. To our racing organizations that give us places to race, we are also so grateful. All in all, I am always excited and can’t wait to see all of you at some point at the races. Keep a smile, good attitude and genuine love for the sport of drag racing. Let others see something different in you, and always be grateful that you are a part of an amazing mo- torsport. As always, the choice is yours to make. Your 2018 PDRA Pro Boost world champ, Tommy D’Aprile December 2018 Something For Everyone! Whatever Class You Race, ARP Fasteners Let You Build Maximum Power With Total Reliability! Whether you’re racing a Top Fuel Dragster or a 10-second E.T. car, the objective is the same: get to the finish line first. And as all NHRA World Champions —and standouts in all major drag racing series— know, you can rely on ARP’s extra strong internal engine, driveline and suspension fasteners to get the job done. Check out the new 2019 catalog and see what’s available for your car. FEATURED PRODUCT: WHEEL STUDS Harness the tremendous shock loads from launches with premium ARP wheels studs. They’re made from 8740 chrome moly, through-hardened, with threads rolled after heat-treat to provide optimum fatigue life. And they’re almost 40% stronger than Grade 8 hardware! 800-826-3045 www.arp-bolts.com Get a FREE copy of the new 2019 catalog online DragIllustrated.com | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | 57