Rickie Smith established the first major milestone for Mountain Motor Pro Stockers when he dipped into the seven-second zone back in April 1980. Smith also became the first to run a Mountain Motor Pro Stocker over 200 miles per hour in 1991. Later in the same season, Harold Denton eclipsed the six-second zone.

Twenty-four years later, another piece of history is on the line, and a lot has changed since those first memorable moments.

Rickie Smith established the first major milestone for Mountain Motor Pro Stockers when he dipped into the seven-second zone back in April 1980. Smith also became the first to run a Mountain Motor Pro Stocker over 200 miles per hour in 1991. Later in the same season, Harold Denton eclipsed the six-second zone.

Twenty-four years later, another piece of history is on the line, and a lot has changed since those first memorable moments.

Mountain Motor Pro Stock's major series now races on an eighth-mile course, and with this move, the next major milestone for drivers is a three-second pass.

Headed into this weekend's final PDRA event of the season at Virginia Motorsports Park outside of Richmond, the closest to the mark has been Cary Goforth at 4.008 seconds while racing in Houston with the former American Drag Racing League.  Once the ADRL formally folded, the PDRA reopened the Mountain Motor Pro Stock record books at 4.024 seconds.

This weekend, if Mother Nature cooperates, Goforth would be the favorite to achieve the mark. However, he could be a bit distracted.

Goforth, who lives outside of Tulsa, Oklahoma, is racing two events this weekend. He's racing the PDRA World Finals at VMP, as well as the IHRA World Finals in Memphis, Tenn. Goforth is the point leader in both series.

Goforth said his 4.00 run was as close to being perfect as he's experienced.

"They were very good," said Goforth. "It will be tough to get everything to line up like it did that time. The corrected altitude was 1012 feet. That's with a perfect set-up, and I drove decent. I shifted on time and even tickled the bottom bulb to where it staged when the car vibrated forward as I decked the throttle."

Goforth isn't sure what this weekend's conditions will present.

"I can tell you this, if we don't get it, it won't be for lack of effort," Goforth said.

Mountain Motor engine builder Sonny Leonard created a three-second club, ironically three years ago, anticipating that a Pro Stock driver would eclipse the mark.

"At nighttime this time of year, and if the barometer stays right, we should have it this year," said Leonard. "I think weather will be our friend here, and about six or seven cars could benefit from it."

The Sonny's Racing Engines Three-second Club will reward the first driver to pull off the momentous elapsed time with a $2000 cash prize as well as a commemorative ring, jacket and plaque. The second and third Pro Stock racers to the threes will receive $1000 as well as a ring, jacket and a plaque.

Leonard stands prepared to reward the driver who pulls off the feat, whether they race PDRA or IHRA, where a quarter-mile format is utilized.

In the event Goforth falters from racing two events, two-time Mountain Motor Pro Stock champion John Montecalvo stands prepared to etch his name in history.

“We feel we have all the right ingredients and believe that the conditions at Richmond will warrant a three-second run,” said Montecalvo. “There are several teams out there capable of doing that and we hope to be the first."

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