Sportsman drag racer Kyle Cultrera believed winning was the only option for him as he competed in last weekend’s Super Comp competition at the NHRA Summit Nationals. The only issue for Cultrera; he’d never won a national event before.

He defeated John Taylor to score his first on Sunday afternoon.

Cultrera, the son of Jeg Coughlin Jr. crewman and past Modified/Competition eliminator ace Steve Cultrera, was en route from his shop in Elliot, Maine to the Norwalk, Ohio-based event when he received a phone call notifying him that friend/team co-owner Dave Macleod had lost his battle with prostate cancer.


Sportsman drag racer Kyle Cultrera believed winning was the only option for him as he competed in last weekend’s Super Comp competition at the NHRA Summit Nationals. The only issue for Cultrera; he’d never won a national event before.

He defeated John Taylor to score his first on Sunday afternoon.

Cultrera, the son of Jeg Coughlin Jr. crewman and past Modified/Competition eliminator ace Steve Cultrera, was en route from his shop in Elliot, Maine to the Norwalk, Ohio-based event when he received a phone call notifying him that friend/team co-owner Dave Macleod had lost his battle with prostate cancer.

“I couldn’t stop thinking about Dave, every time I climbed inside of that car, there was something inside that kept telling me, he was looking down and saying, ‘just keep it up, you’re doing a great job, kid,” said Kyle Cultrera. “I was able to focus and channel that energy into my driving because I’m a big believer in my godfather Bruce Deveau’s program, the Racers Mind. It helped me to make it through a weekend where it was easy to be an emotional wreck. Backing up from each burnout I would look to the sky and ask for some more help from him… maybe?, after each win I would point to the sky and say thanks.”

Cultrera had lost one of the greatest sources of moral support in his racing endeavor.

“Dave always kept me confident,” said Cultrera.

The relationship between the Cultrera family and Macleod dated back to Steve Cultrera’s Competition eliminator racing days before Kyle was even born.

“My parents were in Indy in 1987 and in looking over the qualifying list, they saw another racer from Maine,” recalled Cultrera. “You didn’t normally find many racers from Maine during those days, so they went over together to introduce themselves. He was a family friend ever since.”

The friendship grew to the point that when Macleod retired from driving he took notice of the Cultrera kid breaking into driving, when he watched him win in just his second race driving at the 2008 Divisional race in Gainesville FL. A partnership was formed.


“When it got to where Dave couldn’t drive anymore, I believe he lived vicariously through Kyle,” said Steve Cultrera. “He just got so much of a kick out of watching Kyle race. He was at as many races as he could be at but when his health started failing, he just came to the ones he could. We always made sure to call and keep him updated.”

Macleod’s final trip to the races with Cultrera was earlier this year when he traveled to the NHRA Gatornationals in Gainesville, Fla.

“That trip was just a torment to him,” continued Steve. “It was 24 hours for him, riding in the truck, one way, we had no choice but to fly back home after the race.”

This would be the last road trip he’d make with the team.

“He was always there with me in spirit,” said Kyle. “I believe he saw our win on Sunday. I really honestly believe that Dave and Jimmy “the Shoe” Harrington were looking down on this team and cheering us on together. For the first time in a long time he got to have a good time, which I’m sure the Shoe showed him.”

Thanks to Macleod, Cultrera's Super Comp endeavor might be a stepping stone towards something even larger. The kid is leaning towards Pro Stock in the future.

“Dave was a dragster guy but he would have been one of my biggest supporters,” Kyle admits.

When or if the day comes, Cultrera will look to the sky and say thanks to his longtime supporter.