Drag Illustrated Issue 154, March 2020 | Page 34

Dirt OSCR CANCELLED with timing experts, Crossnoe negated all runs completed at the event. That decision was announced after persistent storms and a dismal forecast led Crossnoe to call off the completion of the race on Saturday morn- ing. Still, Speed Promotions paid out all purse money promised to the racers. Purses for qualified fields were split equally among the qualifiers. Rac- ers who entered the bracket race, which hadn’t started yet, were refunded their entry fees. “Looking toward 2020, we really hoped that our actions in the rained-out event would pay forward for us to bring the event back to Bowling Green and finish what we started last season,” Crossnoe said. “After a number of months and unsuccessful conversations, the stars did not align for us to make this possible for you all and it makes us sick.” “This event means a ton to myself and my team but it is exceptionally special for me,” Crossnoe added. “In 2014, when we started this whole deal, my father was diagnosed with cancer and he was able to attend OSCR for one day before he passed away that summer. This event has always been special to myself, my family and the entire team involved because of that reason. From the memo- ries to the record runs and big wins, OSCR has had it all over the last six events.” The cancellation of OSCR was a devastating blow for Crossnoe, but he still remains deeply entrenched in race promotion and execution. He serves as the series director of the PDRA, which will start its season in April, as well as the vice president of racing operations at Virginia Mo- torsports Park. It’s at VMP where Crossnoe will continue to use what he’s learned at OSCR to put on the COMP Cams Shakedown Nationals XVIII presented by FuelTech, September 16-19. “The skilled and professional team that greeted you at OSCR will be a part of Shakedown once again as we continue to try and bring the most organized and fun events on the circuit to the racers who fit the categories,” Crossnoe said of the Shakedown Nationals, taking place at VMP for the second time this fall. “As much as we are going to miss seeing you all at OSCR, we look forward to having you at the Shakedown in Sep- tember at one great racing facility in Virginia Motorsports Park.” DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI Op-Ed: Is Stevie ‘Fast’ Jackson the Best Racer Alive? After a dominant Lights Out 11 victory and a perfect start to 2020, it’s a question worth asking By Josh Hachat 34 | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | DragIllustrated.com If you’re somehow unaware, first, what are you doing with your life? Second, let’s review, just for the wow-factor sake. • Set NHRA Pro Mod world record (5.643) in Gainesville • Won four races and advanced to eight finals in 12 races • Racked up the most points in a single season (1,017) in NHRA Pro Mod history • Won No Mercy and the Shakedown in RvW • Advanced to the finals at World Street|Nationals in RvW • Won the U.S. Street Nationals in RvW Issue 154 W hen Stevie “Fast” Jackson fi- nally got to reflect on his 2019 sea- son, he did so acknowledging how difficult it would be to top it. So far, he’s making it look easy. Jackson has won the first two races he’s en- tered in 2020 – both in the Radial vs. the World “Shadow 2.0” – crushing the field in February at Lights Out 11 in Valdosta. If this is the encore to an utterly brilliant 2019, one that included a NHRA Pro Mod world cham- pionship and multiple RvW wins, then the sequel may just be better than the original. By all accounts, including Jackson’s, last year was the best year of his career, putting together arguably the most dominant season in NHRA Pro Mod history. Through two months in 2020, though, he’s on pace to top it, which begs the question: Is Stevie Fast the best driver alive? You can throw out your Torrences, your Hights, your Enders, your Coughlins and I could be good with any of those names. But Jackson certainly deserves to be in the conversation after the past 11 months he’s experienced.