Drag Illustrated Issue 149, October 2019 | Page 93

BIG MAN ON CAMPUS BY JOSH HACHAT PHOTOGRAPH BY JOE M C HUGH LONG TIME COMING Scott Oksas referred to the World Series of Pro Mod victory as the biggest win of his decade-long fast doorslammer racing career. The boisterous, fun-loving wheelman didn’t play it down in the winner’s circle and throughout his well- deserved DI cover shoot on the Bandimere Speedway starting line. October 2019 SCOTT OKSAS SCORES CAREER-DEFINING WIN AT THE WORLD SERIES OF PRO MOD T There were times when Scott Oksas thought about calling it a career. It usually happened during a frustrating stretch when an engine would blow or parts needed replaced, or the burly Californian wouldn’t find the success he wanted. He had won races, but Oksas was still looking for that career-defining moment in his Pro Mod pursuits. He started that particular dream a de- cade ago, simply hoping to put together a com- petitive program. But as Oksas basked in the limelight at Bandi- mere Speedway, doused in champagne and grin- ning from ear to ear with his family in tow, he finally had a win for the ages. His career took a major turn when he added Jeff Pierce as the tuner late last year, and Oksas was downright nasty in his turbocharged RJ Race Cars Ford Shelby Mustang on Thunder Mountain. That included a winning blast of 5.882-seconds at 247.38 mph in the final round against Doug Winters to claim victory at the third annual D rag I llustrateD World Series of Pro Mod presented by J&A Service, Elite Motorsports, Big O Tires and benefiting One Cure at Bandimere Speedway. He reeled off a profanity-laced celebration as the car came to the stop at the top end, celebrat- ed with his team, raised the massive $100,000 check high above his massive frame, worked the microphone with jubilant excitement and soaked up every minute he could. After 10 long years of grinding through the ups and down, Oksas had reached the mountaintop in DragIllustrated.com | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | 93