Determination, perseverance, and why the Winter Series matters

BY CRAIG COOK

PHOTOGRAPHS BY LUKE NIEUWHOF AND ERIN ELLINGTON

It’ s Saturday evening at Bradenton Motorsports Park, and Shawn“ Murder Nova” Ellington is sitting on the ground next to the rear driver’ s side wheel well of“ Blue,” the ProCharger-powered’ 69 Camaro he drives for Keith Haney Racing. For perhaps the first time all weekend, his pit area is unusually silent. The former Street Outlaws star is by himself at the moment.

Fans who would typically be surrounding his trailer are anxiously awaiting the final round of the World Series of Pro Mod between NHRA Pro Stock star Aaron Stanfield and the newly crowned Drag Illustrated Winter Series points champion Peter Norton. It’ s a final round that Ellington had just come so close to reaching. As I walk around the front of the car, he looks up at me, smiles, and says three simple words:“ We didn’ t quit.” Truer words have never been spoken. I watched it happen firsthand throughout the weekend. Parts scattered across tables, engine torn apart, zoomies lying on the ground. Multiple times throughout qualifying our official DI event photographer, Luke Nieuwhof, and I entered Ellington’ s pits for a quick photoshoot – and each time we stopped and observed a mad thrash to repair the car. It wasn’ t just Ellington, either. His wife Erin, son Aiden, crew chief Daniel“ Phantom” Parker, tuner Brandon Stroud, William Ellington, Benjamin Harris, members of Keith Haney Racing, and even representatives from ProCharger were in a constant state of organized chaos.

“ We have worked on the car more this week than we have in the last three seasons of No

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