Drag Illustrated Issue 175, March / April 2022 | Page 22

Dirt

KEN QUARTUCCIO
to Markiewicz ’ s . 143 bulb . Both drivers had to pedal , but Quartuccio recovered quicker and went on to win .
“ We set the car up super soft ,” Quartuccio said . “ As soon as I let go of the button it tried to wheelie and I just gave it a quick , quick blip to set the nose down , whereas his car carried the nose harder and he had to lift longer than I think I did . I think that was the difference to win the race . I thought it was all going to be him . They just ran so good in the day .”
The win was especially validating for Quartuccio , who started racing at Lights Out several years ago in the Outlaw 632 class , which no longer competes at the event . He ’ d qualify No . 1 just about every time , but only came away with one win . The frustration continued when Quartuccio stepped up to Radial vs . the World a few years ago .
“ I always ran good there and I always came home without a win ,” said Quartuccio , who did win the Magic 8 race in Pro 275 at No Mercy 12 last year . “ I ’ d be at the end of the track and I ’ d want to just keep driving right off the end of the track sometimes . Look at Jason Lee and what they went through . They ’ re fast . Fletcher Cox [ and Shawn Ayers ], they tested in Florida and they were fast . It ’ s heartbreaking . This race , I don ’ t know what it is about it , but it ’ ll break your heart .”
Those heartbreaking moments were also tough
on Quartuccio ’ s team , which includes Jamie and Johnny Miller , Dennis Godbout , Gary Gonzalez , Richard Beaumont , Jason Gade , and Kyle Cheval , as well as Quartuccio ’ s wife , Denise , and daughters Kaitlin and Kelsey . Quartuccio was proud to deliver a win for them , and was quick to praise them .
“ Jamie and those guys made a lot of really good calls and a lot of gutsy calls ,” said Quartuccio , who also mentioned supporters like Menscer Motorsports , Proline Racing , and M & M Transmission . “ I give them credit for really thinking outside the box .”
When Quartuccio appeared in DI # 174 as the 2021 DI Outlaw Racer of the Year , he hinted that he was trying to get a major Duck X Productions RvW win so he could step away from radial racing . After winning Lights Out 13 , he confirmed he ’ ll likely focus on big-tire competition to pursue the 2022 PDRA Pro Boost world championship .
“ I want to try to win a Pro Mod championship ,” Quartuccio says . “ I don ’ t know how many more years of racing I have left at the level I ’ m racing at or as much as I ’ m racing . Pro Mod is really where I want to focus my efforts . But I just believe Pro Mod racing is the best thing going right now .” DI
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