“ We know we’ re the ones to beat, whether everyone feels that way or not, but you gotta go out there and you gotta get the job done. We’ re motivated.”
whether it’ s No. 2 or 16.’ Mountain Motor is a tough game no matter what the number is or who it is. It’ s a tough deal to win. If you want to hold the check and the trophy at the end of the day, you’ ve got to get rid of them at some point, so you might as well get rid of‘ em first round.”
Following the first-round win over Firkus, Pluchino was set to face Bill Neri, who had to shut off on the starting line. Pluchino ran a 4.066 at 172.91 to earn semifinal lane choice over Dwayne Rice. Pluchino and Rice cut identical reaction times, but Rice slowed to a 4.692 at 160.14, while Pluchino earned lane choice for the final with his 4.09 at 177.53.
In the final round against Reese, with $ 25,000 on the line, Pluchino left first by. 003 seconds and charged to a 4.081 at 177.60 in his Kaase-powered Ross Environmental Services’ 13 Mustang to finish ahead of Reese and his 4.125 at 176.03. It was the ultimate validation for Pluchino, who came so close to winning the event two years in a row. He also worked with event organizers as a class liaison, reaching out to racers to drum up participation.
“ I’ ve only been doing this for 5-6 years now in the Mountain Motor game, but it’ s been a hell of a ride and this has been one really fun race,” said Pluchino, a two-time PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion, in the winner’ s circle.“ I want to thank everybody for putting it on and all the Mountain Motor guys for coming out – 21 cars. We’ re a really confident group, so going into this deal, we felt good. We felt really good
“ We know we’ re the ones to beat, whether everyone feels that way or not, but you gotta go out there and you gotta get the job done. We’ re motivated.”
as things were progressing. I love my team and I would ride with them any day. I put me and them against the world.”
Pluchino was motivated by last year’ s MMPSI runner-up finish, so much so that he went on to win the NHRA championship while also finishing second in the PDRA Extreme Pro Stock points. With the MMPSI title crossed off his list, he’ s eying another title this season.
“ My plan is race by race, go out there and win everything that we can win,” says Pluchino, who thanked partners like Ross Environment Services, Kelling Equipment, Ram Clutches, and Jon Kaase Racing Engines.“ I want to leave a champion again in 2025. My long-term goal is when you think Mountain Motor Pro Stock, you think Johnny Pluchino. And it’ s not that it’ s me individually, but it’ s me and my team and my guys that put their heart and soul into this deal DI.”
DI DI
DI DI DI DI DI DI DI
“ We’ ve made four really good runs all weekend, but our No. 1 run was good,” Pluchino said on Friday night.“ I’ m honestly more impressed with what we did in the heat. Both of our runs during the daytime were low for the session and very impressive runs. As happy as I am to be No. 1, I’ m really happy that we have a car that’ s capable of going out in the heat and going. 09,. 10 when the conditions are difficult.”
Due to the random chip drawings that determine pairings in eliminations at WSOPM in Pro Mod, Pro 10.5, and Mountain Motor Pro Stock, Pluchino ended up facing No. 2 qualifier Dennis Firkus in the first round of eliminations. Firkus went red, while Pluchino set low E. T. of the round with his 4.078 at 177.88.
“ Look, I will say there was a team that we ran first round,” Pluchino begins with a smirk,“ and his crew chief might have said,‘ Go get that orange car,’ before the chip draw and he got me and they were on I-75 early.
“ There’ s no reason to sulk about it,” Pluchino says of drawing the No. 2 qualifier.“ At the end of the day, I turned to my dad [ 2016 PDRA Extreme Pro Stock world champion John Pluchino ] and said,‘ We can beat anybody. Whatever it is,
May / June 2025 DragIllustrated. com | Drag Illustrated | 109