In the recent Presidential elections, one man was thrust into the limelight as the embodiment of the American middle class working man, dedicated and hard-working business owner, tax-payer, and family man – “Joe the plumber.” And regardless of the election’s results, Joe’s brief fifteen seconds of fame changed a lot of perceptions and grounded political idealism in day-to-day reality because people could relate to him. In drag racing, one man has come to represent the hard-working, dedicated, competitive drag racer, but his rise to the top is much more than a flash-in-the-pan claim to stardom. It's more a series of years and years of five-second runs that put bootstrapping Terry Haddock on the top as the last man standing in IHRA nitro Funny Car.

Terry is the consummate drag racer. He makes the tuning decisions on the car, drives the transporter, and can even be seen putting together sandwiches for his all-volunteer crew. Affable and happy, he can be found at the track with grease under his nails and a clutch-dust tan. He’s not polished and quaffed, but is a sponsor’s dream because he understands what it takes to be successful and connects with fans and weekend racers. The journeyman from Jersey, transplanted to Seattle, is driven by his competitive spirit and a desire to give back whenever he can.

The Newly Crowned IHRA Champion is Kinda Sorta Drag Racing’s Version of Joe the Plumber

In the recent Presidential elections, one man was thrust into the limelight as the embodiment of the American middle class working man, dedicated and hard-working business owner, tax-payer, and family man – “Joe the plumber.” And regardless of the election’s results, Joe’s brief fifteen seconds of fame changed a lot of perceptions and grounded political idealism in day-to-day reality because people could relate to him. In drag racing, one man has come to represent the hard-working, dedicated, competitive drag racer, but his rise to the top is much more than a flash-in-the-pan claim to stardom. It's more a series of years and years of five-second runs that put bootstrapping Terry Haddock on the top as the last man standing in IHRA nitro Funny Car.

Terry is the consummate drag racer. He makes the tuning decisions on the car, drives the transporter, and can even be seen putting together sandwiches for his all-volunteer crew. Affable and happy, he can be found at the track with grease under his nails and a clutch-dust tan. He’s not polished and quaffed, but is a sponsor’s dream because he understands what it takes to be successful and connects with fans and weekend racers. The journeyman from Jersey, transplanted to Seattle, is driven by his competitive spirit and a desire to give back whenever he can.

Like a lot of drag racers, Terry dreamed of driving as a child. A middle-child in a family of five, the almost 38-year-old New Jersey native started drag racing before he was even legal. “I used to take my brother’s drivers license because I wasn’t old enough to drive,” Terry said, “and I would go to the bracket races on Friday night at Island Dragway.” After graduating from high school, Terry started his own repair business and raced street-cars at the track whenever possible.

“I’ve just always loved racing,” he said. “I’ve been around the sport since I can remember. I’ve raced everything from a front-engine dragster to alcohol cars, altered Funny Cars, nitro Funny’s and just got my Top Fuel crossover not too long ago. I love cars, and I really enjoy the fans.”

Hard-core Haddock fans remember his Baumgartner-built race car being adorned with the likes of Trim-Spa, H-57 Hoodia, and Race Girl, but it wasn’t until this season when Mike Ashley and Lend America stepped in did Terry have everything he needed to push to the top.

I was taught as a child and young adult to always give back, and I really felt that I had an opportunity to make something good out of my pain.  

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“Mike and I have been friends for a while, and Lend America has been on the car for several years, but I have to say that his help is what put us over the top this season. Mike is one of those guys you just like to be around because he is always so positive. He takes a bad situation and makes it good, and that’s not just racing cars, but everything in life.

“I’ve really changed the way I think about a lot of things because of him. This can be a really difficult sport – especially when you run a tight budget like I have. You get beat up, because you know you could do better, but you have to make the next race, so you don’t push. I was pretty beaten down, but everything really turned around when Lend America came on board.”

As Chief Business Strategist at Lend America – a direct-to-consumer mortgage lender, Mike Ashley has proven to be extremely successful at identifying trends – both in business and on the racetrack. As the country’s mortgage industry flounders in unprecedented crisis, Ashley’s Lend America is growing and out-performing the competition. On the race-track, Mike has won two World Championships in Pro Modified, recorded the fastest speed ever in a nitro Funny Car, won the NHRA US Nationals, and finished sixth in NHRA points in 2007. When asked about his support of Terry, Mike just smiles.

“I see a lot of myself in Terry, he’s a dreamer and it’s the dreamers of this world that keep hope alive. Terry and his team searched for solutions while others focused on their problems. Terry never gives up, never stops digging, never stops trying and always follows his dreams. He has a big heart, he doesn’t hesitate to give more than he gets. Lend America was proud to have Terry carry its banner to the IHRA Funny Car Championship,” Mike said.

“Terry Haddock proved that having the best parts or the biggest budget doesn’t guarantee a win or a championship. He knows it takes teamwork, focus, positive attitude and unconditional belief to truly be a winner. Terry has always been a winner in my eyes, and now he and his team are champions too. I know this is just the first of many championships for Terry and his team.”

Terry added, “Mike gave clarity to a lot of the things I’ve always tried to live, like working hard and giving back.”

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And giving back is definitely something that Terry is known for. After twice suffering from qualifying infernos in a two year span, with one sending him to the burn unit for three months, Terry performed a ceremonial burnout at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas in 2002 during an NHRA National event, and with the help of his then-sponsor Trim-Spa, donated $10,000 to the burn center at UNLV. He performed a similar feat in 2006 in Gainesville, Florida and was able to donate $10,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network and Shand’s Children’s Hospital, who help families with sick children.

“I was taught as a child and young adult to always give back, and I really felt that I had an opportunity to make something good out of my pain,” he said.

Now, with the title of World Champion, Terry sees the opportunity to make something good out of his success, starting with a long list of “thank you’s.”

“It has really taken an army of support to get here, and I can’t take credit for that. Like the guys at Baumgartner race cars who have always kept me in a safe, fast car, or the people at Wheel Vintiques who have been with me through thick and thin. My all-volunteer crew, my family, my friends – this championship is all about them, and I have to say that I am honored to have been their representative and humbled by their support.

“Rright now I’m really thankful. Who knows what the days ahead will hold,” Terry said.

Question marks abound for the new champion. With the recent sale of IHRA and the lack of funding for the Funny Car class, Terry is possibly the last Funny Car champ the series will be crowning for the foreseeable future. “It’s all up in the air, really,” Terry said. “Of course, I want to defend my title next year, but with the economy the way it is and the series not having the sponsorship, it looks like that might not happen. If that’s the case, we’ll pull out our Top Fuel dragster and run that in IHRA, and most likely add a couple of NHRA Funny Car starts to our schedule. A lot of it depends on what my sponsors want us to do.”

“Right now, I’m going to enjoy the moment and celebrate our success,” he said.

Terry the drag racer has earned a pretty big party.