Story By: SARA SLAUGHTER / JOHNSON HORSEPOWERED GARAGE – DINWIDDIE, VA – In his Feather Lite Batteries Ford, John Pluchino rallied to his first Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Mountain Motor Pro Stock victory Sunday at the PlayNHRA Virginia Nationals at Virginia Motorsports Park.
In what was his second final round, Pluchino left the starting line first with a .032-second reaction time for a 6.335 second pass at 222 mph to get the win on a holeshot over No. 7 qualifier Elijah Morton. Morton had a .086 reaction time to go with his 6.312 pass at 221.91 in his Easy Living Wheels Ford.
“This is awesome all the guys we raced today, they’re all excellent racers and have great teams. We may be one of the small teams but we’re not scared of anybody,” Pluchino said. “Thank you to JHG and NHRA for having us out here running for points and a championship. I’m just really excited. We are going to make one hell of a run at this thing for the whole season. There’s only one first Mountain Motor Pro Stock world champion and that’s what we want to be.”
En route to the finals, Pluchino handled his Ford past points leader Bo Butner in the first round. Pluchino ran 6.357 seconds at 222.47 mph to better Butner’s 6.370 at 222.69. Butner had won the first two races of the JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock season.
In the semifinals, Pluchino powered his way past No. 1 qualifier John DeFlorian when he had a .031 reaction time to go with a 6.336-second pass at 222.44 mph for the holeshot win. DeFlorian in his Graber Concrete Chevy left the starting line in .133 seconds and crossed the finish line at 6.335 and 219.94.
Morton started eliminations defeating Randi Lyn Butner in the first round. R.L. Butner’s JHG machine would get loose right at the hit to coast to a 14.761 second pass at 57.63 mph. Morton would have a clean 6.395 pass at 221.56 setting him up for a semifinal match up with Tony Gillig. Gillig would leave the starting line first in his Dayco / Right Trailers Chevy but Morton would chase him down. Morton had the win with a 6.328 at 222.58 to Gillig’s 6.347 at 220.69.
The JHG Mountain Motor Pro Stock series is officially halfway through their six-race season. They’ll begin their second half at the Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway, August 16-18.