down a career-best 3.594 at 207.78 to turn on the win light worth $ 50,000 and the DI Winter Series points lead .
“ It was all I could do to not wreck the car down there ,” Kelley says . “ I was in there celebrating , cheering , punching shit . It ’ s just an unbelievable feeling to even race at this stage . But to win at this stage ? It ’ s something I know will probably never happen again under these circumstances , so I ’ m just going to live it up . I ’ m gonna own it , because it happened tonight .”
Kelley hoped to partner with a Pro Mod car owner for the Winter Series , but tuner Jeff Pierce convinced Kelley to bring his NPK car . The move obviously paid off , as Kelley qualified , won the race , and lit up the scoreboard with a final-round
performance that tied the third-quickest pass of the event .
Pierce praised Kelley as one of the top five drivers he ’ d put in any car he ’ s tuning , and it ’ s easy to see why . Kelley had reaction times of . 049 , . 012 , . 013 , . 023 , and . 033 in eliminations .
“ It wasn ’ t that I wanted to , it ’ s that I knew I needed to ,” Kelley says of his quick reaction times . “ These guys are fast , and I didn ’ t think my car was as fast as them . I was doing everything I could to kill that tree and stay out front .”
Kelley left the Snowbirds as the Winter Series points leader , far surpassing his expectations for the weekend . If he can maintain the lead through the U . S . Street Nationals and WSOPM , he ’ ll collect the $ 25,000 Winter Series championship bonus .
“ I just wanted to qualify . That was it ,” Kelley admits . “ We might go to the next one and knock the tires off , but I don ’ t even care – we done badass tonight .”
Kelley was humble in victory , realizing the significance of his win against one of the toughest fields of Pro Modified racers ever assembled . The victory came with a major boost in confidence as he prepares to continue the Winter Series .
“ It ’ s crazy , man . I really don ’ t have words ,” Kelley says . “ I mean , this don ’ t happen . This is unbelievable . We ’ re gonna live it up , and we ’ re gonna be back in January to try our luck again .”
Quartuccio established a solid baseline in the first qualifying session when he recorded a 3.651 at 203.16 to sit No . 9 and later drop to No . 19 after the second session . He moved up to No . 16 with his 3.644 at 205.79 in the third session on Saturday . The Connecticut-based wheelman made a major statement in the final session , though , as he ripped off a 3.601 at 208.94 to qualify fourth out of 64 cars .
Quartuccio and Jeff Rudolf drew the No . 1 chips in the first-round chip draw , meaning they ’ d be the first pair out in Sunday ’ s first round of eliminations . Quartuccio was uncharacteristically late on the tree , but he laid down a 3.641 at 206.35 to move on over Rudolf , who slowed to a 5.063 . He used a 3.645 at 206.13 to get the win over Jason Lee and his 6.666 . Quartuccio then drew one of the biggest headline-grabbing doorslammer drivers of the season , Travis “ The Carolina Kid ” Harvey , for the third round . He left on Harvey and won with a 3.619 at 206.95 to finish ahead of Harvey and his 3.626 at 208.46 . In the semifinals , Quartuccio double-bulbed No . 1 qualifier Mark Micke , who went red by . 153 and let off the throttle . Quartuccio charged to a 3.595 at 208.49 to advance to the final round . DI
96 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 192