FAMILIAR FEELING IN THE LAST YEAR, ALEX
LAUGHLIN HAS COLLECTED TROPHIES AT THREE OF
THE BIGGEST EVENTS IN DOORSLAMMER RACING:
LIGHTS OUT 10 IN RADIAL VS. THE WORLD, THE
NHRA U.S. NATIONALS IN PRO STOCK, AND NOW THE
WORLD DOORSLAMMER NATIONALS IN PRO MOD.
GOT ‘EM
ALEX LAUGHLIN PICKS UP FIRST
PRO MOD VICTORY IN DECISIVE FASHION
ALEX LAUGHLIN hadn’t even sat in the seat of Marc Caruso’s Caruso
Family Racing ’69 Camaro before the World Doorslammer
Nationals. But after a series of test runs, four rounds of qualifying
and four passes in eliminations, Laughlin was cutting
consistent reaction times and wheeling the roots-blown ATI
Performance entry like a veteran.
It all culminated in a $50,000 payday, adding another milestone
to Laughlin’s illustrious doorslammer racing career, which
also includes 2019 victories at Lights Out in Radial vs. the World
and at the prestigious NHRA U.S. Nationals in Pro Stock.
“It sounds pretty crazy – let’s be real, it is real crazy,” Laughlin said in the
winner’s circle. “We started off on the wrong foot. We struggled through
every test run. Once we started qualifying, things started going our way.
Once we started racing, things really started going our way.”
Lee White, who’s tuned Caruso’s car for the last few seasons, agreed
that the team’s week started out rather rocky. The partnership between
Laughlin and Caruso was developed just a couple weeks before the event,
so he didn’t have a chance to get fitted in the car until both arrived at the
track. Plus, the car ran in outlaw trim with Tommy D’Aprile driving at
the Snowbird Nationals in Bradenton the month before.
“We were late leaving [the shop],” White started. “We had some issues,
some self-inflicted issues, then we had to get Alex comfortable in the car,
which he did a really good job in the car. Then just getting the car set back
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67 Drag Illustrated