Drag Illustrated Issue 152, January 2020 | Page 71

The Champions of 2019
[ NHRA PRO MOD ]
Stevie ‘Fast’ Jackson
I
t took a little longer – though
not by much – than Stevie “Fast” Jack-
son had initially planned, but the plan
to wreak havoc in NHRA Pro Mod
fully came to fruition in 2019.
Cementing his status as arguably the best
driver in the sport, regardless of class, Jackson
dominated a class that typically doesn’t allow it
because of its impressive parity. Jackson kicked
that notion to the side this year, winning four
races, advancing to nine finals and racking up
the most points in NHRA Pro Mod history. He
claimed his first NHRA world title in emphatic
fashion – just like he said he would.
“I never minced words,” Jackson says. “When I
came to run NHRA in 2017, I said I was coming to
win a championship. [Crew chief ] Billy Stocklin
is a magician running this car. He’s got this thing
on a string. All my boys are killing it.”
In truth, Jackson has been a problem for the
talented competition in Pro Mod since he first
stepped foot in Gainesville in 2017. He had shown
moments, as evidenced by his nine career wins
in just 36 races, but everything finally came to-
gether for a full season. Jackson
pointed to his top-end crash at the
four-wide event in Charlotte last
year as the pivotal moment. His
team bounced back, and their new
blown RJ Race Cars Camaro ran
roughshod over the competition
this year.
“There’s no ‘I’ in ‘team,’ and we
never give up,” Jackson says. “This
championship started when I was
lying in a hospital bed, looking up
at the ceiling after crashing (in
Charlotte), and I told these guys
we were going to get it. It’s awe-
some to tie a bow on the season.”
Jackson made a resounding statement to open
the year, setting the E.T. record in Gainesville with
a crushing run of 5.643 seconds and advancing
to the finals at five of the first six races, winning
two of them.
He added wins in Charlotte and Las Vegas to
clinch the championship and close the year in
style. Accomplishing it against a talented field
made the championship that much sweeter for
the fan-favorite, who may just be getting started
when it comes to NHRA titles.
“Pro Mod is, I believe, the most exciting class
out here,” Jackson states. “You’ve got top-notch
equipment. You’ve got real drivers who are real
people. It worked out good for us and we’ve just
got a bad hot rod.” – JOSH HACHAT
DI DI DI
DI DI DI DI
DI DI DI
Vic Penrod
Ja n u a r y 2 0 2 0
NHRA SUPER STOCK
//
B rad Woodard
NHRA NOSTALGIA JUNIOR FUEL
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