Drag Illustrated Issue 138, November 2018 | Page 18

Special Section
STEVEN BOONE IS FEELING PRETTY GOOD. ENTERING THE PDRA WORLD FINALS AT VIRGINIA MOTORSPORTS PARK IN MID-OCTOBER,
THE SOFT-SPOKEN NORTH CAROLINIAN HAS A THREE-ROUND LEAD IN LIBERTY’S GEARS EXTREME PRO STOCK. HE JUST WON
HIS SECOND-EVER PDRA 660 MAN TROPHY AT THE FALL NATIONALS AT DARLINGTON DRAGWAY. EXTREME PRO STOCK, THE
PDRA’S BRAND OF MOUNTAIN MOTOR PRO STOCK, IS REGULARLY ATTRACTING FIELDS FULL OF SEASONED VETERANS AND
NEWCOMERS. BOONE’S BUSINESSES – HE HAS THREE OF THEM – ARE DOING WELL.
All things considered, it’s not
hard to see why Boone always
has a smile on his face – and,
of course, one of his signature
bucket hats on his head.
“My goal when we started the
season was to finish in the top
5 in points,” Boone says. “I was
really concentrating on this
3.99 barrier that Pro Stock is
trying to hit. Now, even
though I would love to be the
first person to run 3.99, my
focus has changed now to be
more consistent and try to
win rounds. I’ve never been
in this position, and it feels
good.”
Boone’s venture into moun-
tain motor Pro Stock started
in 2009, first competing in
IHRA Pro Stock before the
class was eliminated from the
sanctioning body’s roster.
Boone then moved to ADRL
2
18 PDRA660.com
STREET RACE
Extreme Pro Stock, where he
earned his first win in 2010 at
the Georgia Drags in Valdosta.
A so-so season followed in
2011, then Boone parked his
operation for a few years
while the state of big-inch Pro
Stock racing was in limbo.
The PDRA added Extreme Pro
Stock to its lineup for the 2016
season, drawing Boone back
to competition for the last two
races of the year. He’s enjoyed
racing since then, running a
limited campaign last year
and a dedicated full season
this year.
“The PDRA has been a great
organization to race with,”
Boone offers. “I’m very ap-
preciative that they give us a
place to run.”
Beyond the PDRA as whole,
Boone goes on to explain how
the camaraderie in the
Extreme Pro Stock pits keeps
him coming back. The class
has become a branch of
Boone’s family, and it all
began with his relationship
with his engine builders, Allen
Competition Engines.
“Ever since we’ve started,
we’ve been with the Allens,”
“THE PRO STOCK GROUP JUST SEEMS LIKE
A BIG FAMILY TO ME. I KNOW THERE’S
CONTROVERSY OUT THERE BETWEEN
SOME PEOPLE, BUT NOT WITH US,”
Boone says. “They’re just like
family, really. Everybody that
we race with, even the other
engine builders – Jon Kaase
and Sonny (Leonard) – every-
body’s treated us great.
“The Pro Stock group just
seems like a big family to me.
I know there’s controversy out
there between some people,
but not with us,” Boone adds
with a laugh.
Extreme Pro Stock isn’t just a
bunch of buddies getting to-
gether to race, though. Car
counts are steadily climbing
back to the brimming fields of
the “good old days”, while on-
track performances are creep-
ing up on unprecedented
numbers and close racing. All
of this is encouraging for
Boone.
“When we started racing