N THE final hours of his fifth season as an NHRA Pro Stock competitor , third generation drag racer Mason McGaha is enjoying the intensity in a class where the top and bottom of the 16-car field are separated by the slimmest of margins . He ’ s been holding his own in the battle to secure a top 10 finish in this season ’ s Mission Foods Drag Racing Series , reaching a final round in Brainerd , posting two semifinals finishes , and qualifying a season-high third in Seattle .

The driver of the bold blue Harlow Sammons Racing Chevrolet Camaro is known for his efficiency at the tree and cool demeanor behind the wheel — tall orders in a class so challenging — and he is inching closer and closer to his first win .

“ The competition is so tough and fierce , and everybody is so good ,” says the 22-year-old who hails from Odessa , Texas . “ It ’ s really tight out there , but that ’ s what makes it really satisfying when you do good .”

Although he comes by drag racing naturally — dad Chris is his Pro Stock teammate and a multi-time winner in the category ( including the 2016 U . S . Nationals ), and grandfather Lester sowed his own oats in Competition Eliminator . Both dad and grandfather build the engines that beat in the heart of their factory hot rods , and young McGaha is right alongside them , learning the family business from every angle .

His road to Pro Stock wasn ’ t paved for him from birth . McGaha was heavily invested in baseball and played into his freshman year of high

school , when a sparkling piece of machinery caught his eye .

“ We had a COPO sitting there , and we took it a couple of times and ran it , and I was hooked ,” recalls McGaha . “ It wasn ’ t a Pro Stock car , but it was way more addicting than the Jr . Dragster that I had driven before . It was fun being little and getting to go down the track , but when you get in a big car — well , let ’ s just say it was a little more spunky than the Jr ., and I was like , ‘ I like this .’”

McGaha was aiming at Pro Stock early , but at the time , the rule was that a driver had to be 18 years old within the season in which they made their debut . With a December birthday , his dip into Pro Stock would not come until 2020 , which came with an uncertain and oft-changed schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic . McGaha ’ s first start was at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park in the summer , and that first season , he raced eight events highlighted by a semifinal finish at the fourth Indy event .

“ We were planning to run Pomona [ the season-opening Winternationals ], but I was not ready ,” explained McGaha . “ We had no idea when we were going to be able to get me ready because races are so back-to-back in the normal season — but when COVID hit , we had all this free time . That gave me the opportunity to just go test , test , test .”

In addition to testing the Pro Stock car , Mc- Gaha had the opportunity to run the COPO in No Box at a local track . The real kick into gear , though , came behind the wheel of his family ’ s Firebird that is outfitted like a Stock Eliminator entry .

“ It was like a No Box car , but this one had a two-step , and the COPO was off a footbrake ,” says McGaha . “ The Firebird was more like a Pro Stock , where you could have both feet down and simulate waiting on the tree . That was my biggest hurdle trying to drive a Pro Stock car , waiting on the tree . This Firebird , I was able to sit there and be on the brake and the gas and do like the clutch pedal in a Pro Stock car . I had to do numerous runs until I finally got it right , but that ’ s what finally put me over the edge to where I could drive a Pro Stock car . It ’ s kind of funny , a little ol ’ Firebird Stocker got me to figure out how to drive a really nice Pro Stock car .”

With three two-lane final rounds on his scorecard , McGaha has found a home in Pro Stock and is eager to put his first win in the books . He knows it ’ s coming , and although the class isn ’ t without enormous challenge , it is most certainly where he wants to be .

“ I feel like I keep ‘ em honest ,” says McGaha . “ There are two big teams , and then there ’ s us [ racing full time ]. As long as the funds are there and NHRA keeps letting us in the gate , we ’ re going to be in the mix . I want to drive for as long as I can . I love doing it so much , and this is all I ’ ve ever known . There is nothing else I ’ d rather do .” – KELLY WADE DI

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