Chuck DeMory had a little extra pep in his step on Friday afternoon at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C.

The former IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock racer from Geneva, Ill., has begun a new chapter in his racing life. There will be no more late nights thrashing a race car to prepare for the rough and tumble world of Pro Stock.

DeMory has put away his firesuit and helmet, and now walks to the starting line in shorts, a team uniform shirt and a headset that enables him to communicate with his son Chuck DeMory Jr., a racer in the NMCA’s Nostalgia Pro Street division.

Chuck DeMory had a little extra pep in his step on Friday afternoon at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C.

The former IHRA mountain motor Pro Stock racer from Geneva, Ill., has begun a new chapter in his racing life. There will be no more late nights thrashing a race car to prepare for the rough and tumble world of Pro Stock.

DeMory has put away his firesuit and helmet, and now walks to the starting line in shorts, a team uniform shirt and a headset that enables him to communicate with his son Chuck DeMory Jr., a racer in the NMCA’s Nostalgia Pro Street division.

“He’s the driver and I’m the crew chief … and I’m too old to drive,” said DeMory patting this writer on the back with a smile. “Really, it [Pro Stock] was just a bottomless pit of money and I wasn’t willing to spend the money anymore.”

Chuck Jr. believes the acorn didn’t fall far enough from the tree to keep him out of the sport.

“I raced in the under classes when my dad was off racing Pro Stock,” Chuck Jr. said. “I contributed to his race team for many years but it became apparent that you need someone watching over the operation while you’re in the car to be successful.”

Drag racing can be a bottomless pit, inside or outside the cockpit, but for the elder DeMory, this arrangement works best.

“Now it’s his money and not mine,” said DeMory referring to his son’s all-steel 1968 Mustang. “This is his first year in competitive driving. It took us a year to put this car together.”

Chuck Jr., drove his classic Mustang to a 7.941 on Friday during the NMRA/NMCA All-Star Nationals, and that’s not a bad lap considering the Fastback was once his high school daily driver.

The second-generation DeMory’s Mustang uses a naturally aspirated 632 cubic inch engine.

“As he becomes competitive, we’ll keep adding power to the car,” DeMory said.

Chuck Jr. plans to run at least three more races in 2009 to get a gauge on next season. He’s determined to prove that a naturally aspirated race engine can be competitive Nostalgia Pro Street.

Chuck Jr. believes he’s a better racer for the experience he gained in watching his father racing Pro Stock.

“I’ve learned the good and the bad and I’ve seen a few broken motors in a weekend,” Chuck Jr. said. “I’ve kind of paced myself. It took me two years to put my current program together because I wanted to come out and be as competitive as I could be and I’ll continue to develop this program based on my resources.”

Having a father with decade’s worth of experience bodes well for Chuck Jr.

“I’m as excited with his retirement as I was at seeing him race,” Chuck Jr. said. “It’s exciting to have him here as my crew chief and able to learn from his knowledge.” 

Advertisement