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How long have you been drag racing?
13 years
How did you get your start? Started to build cars as a
teenager and continued on to street racing cars and motorcycles during
my 20's. I took a 3 year break and decided to pursue legalized drag
racing in 2000.
What’s been the biggest challenge to your racing program this season? Compared to last season? Broken parts from the beginning
that started early Spring T&T before NMRA Columbus and finished with
my car breaking on the track at NMRA Bowling Green during 1st round of
eliminations. The majority was clutch/transmission/rearend issues.
What would you consider your biggest accomplishments as a racer?
Being competitive on a .400/.500 pro tree with a 5 speed trans.
What’s gotten you hooked on the Mustang drag racing scene?
I have been around Mustangs and Fords since the late 80's. I never
liked the Camaro's or Chevy's, so Mustangs were for me and its continued to
this day.
What are your plans for the future? Continue to race my
current car and possibly step up to the next level of heads up racing.
What changes, if any, do you feel the sanctioning bodies need to make
in order for our sport to prosper? I think the sanctioning
bodies need to listen to the racers more. I also would like to see the
sanctioning classes a little easier to switch over from one to the
other.
Who are your biggest friends (or enemies) at the track?
I have many friends and like to associate with all racers. My closest
buddies are my Midwest Ford guys who I do a ton of racing with and
help me out at the track.
Who do you fear having to see at the starting line? Why?
I don't fear anyone at the line. I spend the time in staging lanes
concentrating on what I want to do and not worry about the other lane.
What advice would you give to
someone looking to start out in the heads up racing scene?
If I were to give advise on this it would be spend a season and go to
the numerous races, talk to the racers, talk to people, and see what
it is all about. I did that in 2001 and the knowledge I gained was
tremendous.
Very briefly, tell me the dumbest
mistake you've ever made at the race track? Breaking my car
during a single pass during eliminations at NMRA Bowling Green 2003.
Anyone you’d like to thank, wives you HAVE to thank, other things not
mentioned you feel are important? There is one person who
has helped me the most and that is Dale Bakalar who goes by smkn89gt
on Hardcore50. He has been a tremendous help on the car and providing
his truck/trailer for the events. Without him I wouldn't have made it.
I would also like to thank Tim Bruder who also has helped me out. And
not to be forgotten, the Hardcore50 members and racers who I have met
and had some pretty fun times with already.
What music do you listen to? Who’s your favorite? I
listen to hard rock. Metallica is usually found close to me on trips
and parties.
Any nick names for you? Not really any per say, most
people call me by my first name Doug or Vrt/Vrtical.
Do you have any pets? Yes I have a cat named Church.
Do you have Kids? No kids
that I know of.
What do you like to do as a hobby outside of drag racing?
Well drag racing takes up most of it, but I am a pretty serious
snowboarder during the winter, but since I started pursuing drag
racing I have scaled back as I can't blow my legs/knees out, I drive a
5 speed.
What track do you dislike the most? Not really one track
that I dislike. They all have their pros/cons. I will say Cordova, IL
is like a beach I swear with all the sand.
Which is your favorite track to race on? US41 in Indiana.
That's one of my T&T tracks and it usually hooks really well and my
car does best on that track.
Do you have a lucky charm? What is it? Not really,
but I should get one.
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