A PAST NHRA PRO STOCK WORLD CHAMPION , BO IS BACK FROM A BRIEF RETIREMENT TO CONTEND FOR MORE CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH JOHNSON ’ S HORSEPOWERED GARAGE AND ELITE MOTORSPORTS .
have brought on great sponsors that enjoy it , but you cannot compete with what it feels like to win a national event Wally . Even a divisional . I know people that will go race for a $ 1,500 check and a Wally instead of a $ 100,000 race . NHRA has the Wally , and that ’ s what we all want .
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Randi Lyn , you hold a place in history as one of just a handful of female Sportsman to have won seven trophies . What does that accomplishment mean to you ?
RL : I try not to focus on that ; I never want to be “ the girl ,” but you are , and sometimes you just have to own it . When I race , I want people to think of me as equal , but it ’ s true that a lot of girls haven ’ t done that . It is different , and it sets you a little bit apart . I don ’ t think you realize what a big deal it is while you ’ re doing it . But it isn ’ t just about the trophies that come at the end , it ’ s about the memories you make along the way , going rounds . Sometimes , you do look back and go , “ Oh , wow ,” and it ’ s a nice feeling to have accomplished something for all the time spent working for it . But other times , I think it ’ s not enough .
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What do you remember most from your first win ?
RL : I remember Leo Taugher was the announcer , and I ’ ll never forget it , he said , “ You can always tell a first-time winner because of the smile on their face .” It was just a really cool
July / August 2023 experience , because Leo was from Division 3 . He had announced since I started , and Leo was everybody ’ s friend . I was far away from home ; we were in Phoenix , and at the time , Bo wasn ’ t even running Pro Stock . I didn ’ t know everybody out there , just a few people , so it was neat to have a little piece of home with Leo there . The whole thing was very , very exciting .
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Did winning change anything for you ?
RL : I feel like I ’ ve gradually gotten more confidence in myself through the years . It ’ s easier to have that confidence all the time , and not just in clutch situations . I know what I ’ m capable of now , and it ’ s become , “ This is what you ’ ve got to do , let ’ s do it .” It ’ s not as nerve-wracking as it once was . It ’ s hard to win anywhere you go , but when I came back home and won in 2013 at Norwalk , that was my game-changer moment . When you win in Division 3 , you ’ ve really done something . For one , all of my friends and family were there to celebrate , and Norwalk is a prominent race with the ice cream scoop trophy and everything . That was definitely a big deal for me .
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You have a pretty good final-round record – what ’ s been your secret ?
RL : I won four before I lost one , and when I look at the ones I didn ’ t win , they were some really difficult races with really good racers – people that have won world championships , like Joe Santangelo and Jeff Taylor . I don ’ t beat myself up too bad over them , but you always want those back . I don ’ t go up there preparing differently for any round , I just react really well under the pressure . When everyone is up there watching , I feel like I don ’ t want to let people down . Especially Bo , but no matter who ’ s watching , I always want to do my best . I feel like those situations bring out the best in me .
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Bo , take us back to before you had won your first national event . How bad did you want to get that first trophy ?
BB : I won a lot of divisionals out of Division 3 , and back in the day , it was guys like the Coughlins and Jeff Taylor ; it was a stacked Super Stock field at every race . When I won my first division
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