Matt Giangrande , car owner Enoch Love win $ 25,000 Mountain motor pro stock invitational

By Nate Van Wagnen

Long Islander turned North Carolina-based doorslammer wheelman Matt Giangrande quietly went into the second annual Mountain Motor Pro Stock Invitational at the WSOPM looking to shake things up . With an entry list that included defending winner John Montecalvo , 2023 runner-up Elijah Morton , reigning PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion Alan Drinkwater , and two-time PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion Johnny Pluchino , no one was watching Giangrande and car owner Enoch Love , who made significant investments into his Kaase-powered ’ 19 Camaro over the offseason .

By the time qualifying wrapped up on Saturday evening , Giangrande found himself in the No . 8 spot with a 4.109-second pass at 175.07 MPH . He got a tricky draw in the first round in Elijah Morton , who was the runner-up last year but was breaking in a new car and qualified No . 12 . Giangrande crushed the tree with a . 014-second reaction time and ran a 4.142 at 174.96 to get the win over Morton , who slowed to a 6.867 .

“ I ’ m a pretty conservative racer by nature ,” Giangrande said . “ I don ’ t ever want to beat myself . I want to make the other guy or girl in the other lane beat us . We go out there in the first round and just kind of got down . Me and Elijah have had some epic battles throughout the years . We got a baseline and luckily we were able to turn a win light on . We were just on from there .”

Another big-time matchup followed in round two , as Giangrande drew 2017 NHRA Pro Stock world champion Bo Butner , who was making his Mountain Motor Pro Stock debut as the No . 1 qualifier in his Elite Motorsports-fielded JHG ’ 20 Camaro . Giangrande grabbed a sizable holeshot advantage and posted a 4.162 at 174.68 , while Butner coasted to a 6.523 .

“ Drawing Bo in the second round was exciting ,” Giangrande admitted . “ I think we went out to eat on Friday night and I told Jennifer , my wife , who I couldn ’ t do this without , I would love to get Bo at some point in time . Just because if you want to be considered one of the best , you need to race the best . Lo and behold , I got what I wished for . We were able to get by him , then just kept plugging away .”

Giangrande drew No . 15 qualifier Rick Cowger in the semifinals . Cowger made it through the first round when Montecalvo couldn ’ t make the call after suffering critical engine damage in qualifying . He then stepped up to a 4.176 to

PHOTOGRAPHS BY DAVID HILNER , LUKE NIEUWHOF

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