He came close to earning several championships while competing in NMCA Dart NA 10.5, and when the series ceased operations at the end of 2024, he aimed toward Small Tire Pro Stock, a naturally aspirated, heads-up class he created with fellow racers David Theisen, John Langer, Joe Clemente, and Robbie Blankenship. With

support from 10K Technology, Pen and Paper Strength App, Dolce and Clemente’ s Market, V & J Inc., BES Racing Engines, CFM Carburetors, and Extreme Fab and Beadlocks, Small Tire Pro Stock debuted with a six-race schedule including five tracks in the spring of 2025.

At the first race, which was part of Sick at the Rock presented by Motion Raceworks in April at Rockingham Dragway in North Carolina, Ausmus set the pace in qualifying in his Firebird powered by a 573-cubic-inch Pontiac by Tony Bischoff of BES Racing Engines, carburetor by Dale Cubic of CFM Carburetors, and a five-speed transmission by Liberty’ s. Density altitude was at 200 feet and weather conditions were ideal for naturally aspirated engines, and several rounds later, he became the first-ever racer to arrive in the Small

Tire Pro Stock Winner’ s Circle.

“ That was a good start to the season for my team and me, and it gave us confidence going into the next race,” says Ausmus, who dedicated the win to his wife, Becky, as they were celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary that weekend.

Ausmus then traveled to the second Small Tire Pro Stock race, which was part of Sick on the Green in May at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Kentucky. He qualified in the second spot and returned to the Small Tire Pro Stock Winner’ s Circle.

As summer began to heat up, the southern gentleman qualified No. 2 at the third Small Tire Pro Stock race, which was part of the Heads-Up Series in July at Darana Dragway, formerly Milan Dragway, in Michigan. He exited eliminations in the semifinal round after losing traction on the

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARY LENDZION