Courtesy of Elon Werner, Werner Communications
ODESSA, TX — When drag racing is in your blood you try and take every opportunity to get on the track. For second generation Pro Stock driver Mason McGaha the chance to race for seven straight days was a chance of a lifetime. McGaha will be racing Monday and Tuesday during the Division Four divisional race wheeling his father’s previous Pro Stock Camaro in Comp and he will double up in Comp and Pro Stock for the 39th annual NHRA Fall Nationals starting on Wednesday, October 9-13. McGaha is looking forward to getting into race mode beginning Monday.
“I will definitely be the busiest guy on the property next week,” said McGaha, one of the rising stars in Pro Stock. “We did the double divisional in Dallas in 2022 and I’ve been wanting to run Comp forever. Chris (Mason’s dad) always ran Comp, and I’ve always liked Comp. It’s just Chris’ old Pro Stock car and we run it as an A-Altered so we’re technically 500 pounds overweight. It works out pretty good and we’ll still be competitive.”
This season racing the Harlow-Sammons Chevrolet Camaro McGaha has had a breakout year. He has raced to two semifinals and a final round in his blue Camaro. He has also competed in multiple Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge races. The team atmosphere surrounding McGaha will carry over to this weekend of furious racing activity.
“I believe everybody on both teams is going to be here helping us out. The whole operation will be in action,” said McGaha.
On Monday during the divisional McGaha will race his team’s silver Chevrolet Camaro that will give the young driver runs to get focused for the Texas Fall Nationals. On Wednesday and Thursday, he will roll into the qualifying for the national event with Friday starting his dual rolls as a Comp and Pro Stock driver.
“Just having runs on the track you’re about to race on is huge,” said McGaha. “That’s one of the reasons we wanted to do this. We should have six or seven runs on the board before the Texas Fall Nationals. On Friday, I’ll be in round one for Comp and then later we’ll go right into Pro Stock qualifying. I am looking forward to getting that hit in the morning and then going into Friday qualifying.”
The Divisional time trials will get underway Monday, October 7 at noon and carry over to eliminations on Tuesday, October 8. The Texas Fall Nationals qualifying for Comp will begin for McGaha on Wednesday and Thursday. Pro Stock qualifying will start with two sessions on Friday, October 11 at 4:15 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. and then two sessions on Saturday, October 12, 12:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. The quickest 16 Pro Stock cars will hit the track on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. for eliminations with the race being broadcast on FS1. For tickets or additional race information visit www.stampedeofspeed.com.
