He ’ s won championships in the Northeast Outlaw Pro Mod Association , set records and guided Green to his first NHRA Pro Mod victory , picking up every piece of knowledge he can along the way . Marinis grabbed major headlines for his blast of 5.572 at 255.19 , as the planets aligned and he was ready when the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity arrived .
Each run in the car – no matter the car – has made him a better tuner , and calling all the shots in a variety of cars in a variety of series has certainly made him a better driver .
“ Feeling what the car is doing , that ’ s so important , but it can be hard to communicate it unless you know all those little things ,” Marinis says . “ Something you pick up on with one car can apply to the other , and that ’ s part of the advantage I have . All of it helps make me a better tuner . The computers are great and everything , but not having an eye for certain things , it can hurt you .”
Marinis has an eye for everything , making it a continually learning process . It leads to ideas at odd times , his brain simply firing because there ’ s work to be done and , of course , phone calls at every imaginable hour . “ My phone never stops ,” Marinis says with a laugh . “ It ’ s always going .”
Off-weekends are non-existent and even if he ’ s not at a track , he expects the phone to be ringing with drivers seeking advice from a nitrous guru .
Just a week after the U . S . Nationals , Marinis was in his street car when he received a call from a grudge racer who was racing in Texas . He had a problem and he was certain Marinis could solve it – Marinis ’ off-weekend be damned .
True to his ways , Marinis pulled over on the side of the road , pointed him in the right direction and waited to see if his suggestion worked . A thumbs-up text back gave him his answer – another satisfied customer for the man who never stops working .
“ In regard to the time thing , you make enough time if you love it ,” Marinis says . “ You stop what you ’ re doing and help someone out because you love to do it .”
It ’ s a full steam ahead approach that ’ s been a hallmark of Marinis ’ demeanor . This time of year , it ’ s seven days a week for months at a time , and every spare minute is filled with racing in some way or fashion . With the rate the sport moves forward – especially in the wild radial and Pro Mod classes – even a little down time seems like lost time for Marinis .
“ You can ’ t take time off of racing and be at the top of your game at this level ,” Marinis says . “ It ’ s a constant evolution and you ’ ve got to live it .
“ YOU CAN ’ T TAKE TIME OFF OF RACING AND BE AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME AT THIS LEVEL ,” MARINIS SAYS . “ IT ’ S A CONSTANT EVOLUTION AND YOU ’ VE GOT TO LIVE IT .”
MARINIS MADE THE QUICKEST NITROUS RUN IN PRO MOD HISTORY LAST YEAR , RUNNING 5.572 AT 255.19 MPH .
“ The tires , the track prep , shocks , the lock-up converter , fuel injection , nitrous controllers , all of them have changed so much and it ’ s come so far that all have these changes have been game-changers .”
Good luck thinking all of this – on top of a regular , full-time job – is enough to wear out Marinis . Racing is his caffeine and he ’ s always loaded up on it .
“ I really don ’ t consider the racing a workload . I enjoy it too much ,” Marinis says . “ I don ’ t know if you could pay me enough if I didn ’ t love it as much as I do .”
The love for the game is fueled by Marinis ’ unending thirst to keep pushing forward . There ’ s never a chance to slow down or get complacent , but only the chance to push the envelope forward in as many ways possible .
He worked with Pat Musi on engine upgrades over the winter , talked with Jerry Bickel Race Cars about roll bar upgrades and discussed converter items with Marty Chance .
74 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 160