Photograph courtesy of Frank
Peterson and stangcrazy.com
HC50: Personal Info: Name, location, age, make, model, year of car?
Procopio (Cope for short)
Cusumano,
27, Monroe,Michigan,1991 coupe, 357CID
Vortech Y-Trim, T W heads, Turbo400 trans.
HC50: How long have you been drag racing? How did you get
your start?
11 years, It all started when my older brother brought home a
brand new 1990 black LX 5.0 hatch. I was 15 and I couldn't wait to
drive it. I
remember going to Ramchargers (the local speed shop) the first
week he had
the car. Those were the days because I wasn't the one spending the
money
yet.
HC50: What's been the biggest challenge to your racing
program?
Getting that car down the track with some consistency. Those
damn
Drag Radials are tricky.
HC50:
What's gotten you hooked on the Mustang drag racing scene?
I've always had the need for
speed. I have also been a big Ford fan for as long as I can
remember. It just seems like the right thing to do.
HC50: What are your plans for the future?
I think my future plans include have a good time at the races. I
haven't thought that far into it. I'll work on next years plans
this winter. One
thing is for sure the future hold lower ET's and faster MPH!!!
HC50: What changes, if any, do you feel the sanctioning
bodies need to make in order for our sport to prosper?
I feel that NMRA and FFW are doing good. I think they will be
around for a long time (I hope).
HC50: Do you feel like the rules
regarding the nitrous, Turbo and blower cars
are fair? If not, what would you like to see changed?
Drag Radial class is pretty new, but the rule makers are not blind
they see something needs to be done. The blower cars are at a BIG
disadvantage. Over the past winter I've seen a lot of complaining
from the turbo crowd. We've all seen that turbo cars can make the
power to play with the NOS cars. I would like to see the J-trim
let in so us blower guys will have a little hope for next year. I
can't see trying to slow cars down, let them go faster! Isn't that
the point of drag racing anyway? I will hope for a rule change, or
maybe do a complete combo change to try to catch up. I guess only
time will tell.
HC50: Who are your biggest
friends (or enemies) at the track? Who do you fear
having to see at the starting line?
My biggest friends at the track are Dave Hopper (Hopper-Tech Performance), Anthony Kujawa, and
Chad Jackson. These guys are ready to bend over backwards to get
you down the track. I really don't fear anyone at the
starting line, well, maybe myself.
