Drag Illustrated Issue 152, January 2020 | Page 87

“We knew we had to just step our game up in order to still be competitive,” Pluchino said. “Our advantage was we had runs under our belt. We had a combination that was already worked out, and we worked that out in 2018 so we could be more consistent in 2019. The name of the game was win every round you’re supposed to win and you’re going to have to come out on top on those tight rounds because we weren’t going to be able to be out in front anymore.” Still, Pluchino started the season with three wins in four final rounds at the first four races, losing only to good friend Tony Gillig at the Mid-Atlantic Showdown. His championship battle with Diste- fano grew uncomfortably close when Pluchino red-lit in the first round and Distefano won the penultimate race, the Fall Nationals. Pluchino managed to hold off the nitrous car, though, and sealed the deal on race day at the World Finals. “I really enjoyed winning it like that rather than sitting on the sidelines and having someone else lose it,” Pluchino said. “I always want destiny in my own hands. I always want to have the ball with 10 seconds left in the fourth quarter. It’s nice closing it out like that.” Pluchino won’t defend his championship in 2020, as he plans to focus on driving his father’s 2016 championship-winning ’13 Mustang in Ex- treme Pro Stock. He’s already shown signs of prom- ise: he made up for his Fall Nationals red light by reaching the Extreme Pro Stock final there. DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI [ PRO NITROUS MOTORCYCLE ] Travis Davis L ike Rivenbark and Pluchino, Travis Davis knew what it takes to win a PDRA world championship from his experience as a past world champion. The 2017 victor claimed his second Drag 965 Pro Nitrous Motorcycle title this season after quietly and consistently performing at the top through the class’ five contested races on the PDRA schedule. “You’ve got to do what you’ve got to do to win the rounds and be consistent, and we did that,” Davis said in his acceptance speech. “We won some races on performance. We won some races on holeshots.” Davis was victorious at the motorcycles’ season opener, the Mid-Atlantic Showdown at Virginia, which was completed during the North-South Shootout at Maryland. The Douglas, Georgia-based rider then added a runner-up finish at his home race, the Summer Nationals at South Georgia. A clutch performance at the World Finals solidified Davis’ championship run aboard his Timblin-built Suzuki. “This year, the highlight for me was the World Finals,” Davis said. “We came into the World Finals and the championship was between three of us and it would go to whoever went the furthest. With the second round between me and Chris Garner-Jones, I beat Chris for the championship and went on to win the race.” Davis finished just under two rounds ahead of perennial contender Garner-Jones, while outgo- ing world champion Ronnie “Pro Mod” Smith came in around half a round behind Garner-Jones. The World Finals was a highlight in more ways than one for Davis, as he watched his son, Brayden, win the race as well. The father-son duo shared the championship stage in 2017 when Brayden won the Top Jr. Dragster world championship. “This year we finally got to do what we didn’t do in ‘17,” Davis said. “Me and Brayden got to share the winner’s circle because he won his second Pro Jr. Dragster race this year. It was special to me for us to share the winner’s circle together.” Davis also credited Brayden for his watchful eye and feedback when the family motorcycle is on track. He also thanked his wife, Brandy, for helping with everything from starting line duties to rebuilding engines. “Sometimes she reaches around there and tells me, ‘I think you’re straight.’ Well, that ain’t what you want to hear when you’re fixing to run 180,” Davis said with a laugh. “But she does it. Three o’clock in the morning and she’ll be out there helping me change motors, build motors. Thank you.” DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI DI Aaron Tremayne Ja n u a r y 2 0 2 0 400 THUNDER PRO STOCK // Ryan Learmonth 400 THUNDER PRO STOCK BIKE DragIllustrated.com | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | 87