Special Section by competitive bodybuilding . When that chapter in his life started to close , Fowler and his family chose to go all-in on the drag racing dream .
“ We made a lot of sacrifices to put this deal together ,” Fowler admits . “ We sold our lake house , bought a smaller farmhouse out in the country and just downsized our lifestyle to be here with my family and friends . To me , everyone in the drag racing world is family . It doesn ’ t matter if it ’ s PDRA , IHRA , NHRA – the drag racing family is second to none . It ’ s worth the sacrifices for me and my family to be here .”
Fowler fields his split-window Corvette with the assistance of a team made up of family and friends : his wife , Kelly ; aunt Deena Totherow , crew chief Todd Howard and his daughter Courtney ; childhood best friend Danny Sinclair ; and Drew and Austin McClure .
“ I can ’ t say enough about how much I appreciate everybody ,” Fowler offers . “ It ’ s a total team effort . I feel bad sometimes because there are still some things with crewing the car that my leg prevents me from doing . I couldn ’ t pay these guys enough money . When they say the car is ready , it ’ s ready . I don ’ t have to second-guess it . That takes a lot of pressure off me .”
Moving forward , Fowler dreams of joining his childhood heroes in Pro Nitrous or Pro Modified , but he understands the challenges that come with competing with the quickest and fastest doorslammers on the planet . He also realizes his physical limitations will catch up with him again , but he ’ s going to do his best to keep outrunning them , doing it all with a beaming smile on his face .
“ I ’ m living life in reverse , so to speak ,” Fowler says . “ I started life in a wheelchair and was given the ability to walk again from the wonderful people at Shriners Hospital – the official charity of the PDRA , where I was a patient for two solid years . I rolled in the doors in a wheelchair and walked out on a walker two years later .
“ We are constantly battling a clock . With my polio and the deterioration of my muscles , I will eventually wind up back in a wheelchair . Therefore , we are going to live our dreams until that day comes .”
THE STARS
& THEIR
CARS
BRIAN CHIN - OUTLAW 10.5
CAMRIE CARUSO - TOP DRAGSTER
TODD FONTANA & JASON HARRIS - PRO NITROUS
DRAG ILLUSTRATED PHOTOGRAPHER TARA BOWKER TRAVELS THE ENTIRE EIGHT-RACE PDRA SCHEDULE COVERING THE EVENTS FOR DI AND HER POPULAR BLACK ROCK PHOTOGRAPHY BRAND . KNOWN FOR CAPTURING MEMORABLE MOMENTS OFF TRACK AND VIVID ACTION SHOTS ON TRACK , BOWKER COMPILED THIS COLLECTION OF HER FAVORITE PHOTOS FROM THE FIRST HALF OF THE 2018 PDRA SEASON .
JOHNNY PLUCHINO - PRO OUTLAW 632
SCOTT BLAKE - PRO NITROUS
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