PHOTO : NHRA / NATIONAL DRAGSTER
FORMER PROFESSIONAL boxer Floyd Mayweather once said , “ A true champion fights through anything .” This is certainly true of the men and women who claimed championships across drag racing ’ s many classes , tracks , series , regions , divisions and sanctioning bodies in 2020 . As it ’ s been said many times before , it was a year unlike any other . Winning a season championship in 2020 required precision at every step . With races wiped off schedules and short fields at some races leading to less rounds , there was no room for mistakes . Racers needed to be flexible as series changed dates and even locations in continuous efforts to continue racing despite restrictions .
And despite the extra efforts that went into racing in 2020 , the rewards for success were cut back substantially . Sanctioning bodies were forced to slash payouts in response to limited or nonexistent spectator ticket sales and reduced spending by sponsors . The post-race “ winner , winner , chicken dinner ” was eaten in the pits instead of at the local steakhouse . Championship speeches were written out on Facebook posts rather than spoken in front of fellow racers and supporters at glitzy banquets . Even the pats on the back and attaboys doled out during the PRI Show were missing from the 2020 championship experience .
Yet each one of the champions on the following pages will say that it was all worth it . They still get the big trophy with their name on it , the No . 1 decals on their windows and the honor of being referred to as “ defending champion ” throughout the 2021 season . But above all , they get the satisfaction of knowing they were the very best of the best .
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January 2021 DragIllustrated . com | Drag Illustrated | 67