VICTORIOUS THE PLUCHINO RACING CREW , INCLUDING JOHN , BRUD BENEKE , JOHN PETERSON AND BILL MADDEN , GOT TO EXPERIENCE THE WINNER ’ S CIRCLE FIVE TIMES IN 2020 WHEN YOU COUNT THE NHRA EXHIBITION RACE THEY WON AT INDY .
time he could get , and the handful of passes in testing wouldn ’ t be enough . Without fanfare – no farewell tour , no “ going out on top ” championship speech – the father tossed the keys to his son , setting Johnny on the fast track to an Extreme Pro Stock world championship of his own .
On a cold , quiet winter day , Pluchino sat down with Drag IllustrateD to share the stories behind his journey to Mountain Motor Pro Stock and the path he took to win the 2020 PDRA Liberty ’ s Gears Extreme Pro Stock world championship .
Looking back at Maryland in 2019 , I remember running into you and your dad at the base of the tower when you had learned that you were going to run that race in the Pro Stock car . What was going through your mind in that moment when he broke the news to you that you were going to drive the car that weekend ?
I guess I was so happy and sad at the same time . I didn ’ t know exactly how to feel . I had visions of 2019 pretty much being his last season in the car , and for someone who watched their dad race pretty much his whole life , I didn ’ t want it to end quickly like that . I wanted him to have one last chance at another championship , especially while I was racing and making a run at the 632 championship .
I really was saying , “ Hey , man . Wouldn ’ t it be a picture-perfect 2019 if we can go out there and somehow manage to scrape two championships together ?” That ’ s really what we went into 2019 looking like . Yeah , the driver side of me , the one who wants to be in a Mountain Motor Pro Stock car probably more than anyone on the planet was thrilled , but the son and the competitor that I am was upset because we were giving up our chance at running for a Pro Stock championship . Plus , I knew how hard it was for him to step out of the car .
It ’ s a weird way to feel and it ’ s kind of difficult to explain exactly what you ’ re feeling at that time . But I didn ’ t argue too long .
Him putting you in the car at that point , it was to help prepare you for the quarter-mile races you had planned and also because he had seen what you were capable of in the 632 car . How determined were you to prove him right after getting that opportunity ?
I was very determined to prove multiple people right . One , being my father , since I ’ m getting in his car . As a smaller team , I know how much that car is worth to our program . In a split second , you can make a decision that could probably end your racing career . Even if I ’ m fine or whatever the case may be , replacing a car like that is not necessarily something we ’ d be able to do .
There ’ s a lot of faith that had to be placed in me to be able to do that . This is something that my dad has built up his whole entire life , to be able to get to the point we ’ re at now . That ’ s a huge amount of responsibility placed on you . The last person in the world you want to let down is your father and your best friend . You don ’ t want to do that .
Now beyond him , I had a sponsor that just came onboard , Chip Lofton [ of Strutmasters ], and he put his faith in me at a time when he was not sure he wanted to continue sponsoring race cars . He had some dealings that he wasn ’ t too happy about in the past and he was considering not sponsoring race cars for a little bit , and he put his faith in me to represent him and his company .
Then there ’ s my crew guys . They go there to compete just like I go there to compete . They ’ re not driving , but that doesn ’ t matter . They ’ re part of the team as well . You don ’ t want to be a downgrade . You don ’ t want to be a liability in a race car .
I ’ m as confident as anybody and if I didn ’ t think I could do it I wouldn ’ t be in the car . I ’ m not saying I was perfect by any means , but for a rookie in the car , I think I did an OK job .
For sure . On that note , you went out first round at the first couple races , then you went to the finals at Darlington at the end of the season . How motivating was that to reach a final round in your first season in the car ?
When I went to the first two PDRA races , I stunk . We weren ’ t making great runs . I think I went red once . We just weren ’ t gelling with the Pro Stock car at that point . We weren ’ t clicking .
Then you start to look at it and go , “ Is it me ?”
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